Gender, class, work-related stress and health: toward a power-centred approach

The purpose of this paper is to consider how gender, class and power have been addressed in the work stress literature and to propose an alternative approach that highlights the role of power in the development of work-related stress. We begin with a discussion and critique of prominent work-related stress models. The models' conceptualizations of work-related stress and their relationships to issues of class and gender are used as focal points for discussion. We show that explanations for gender or class differences in stress vary markedly by disciplinary perspective. Some models emphasize individual coping mechanisms, while other models focus on individual-level exposures or the work environment, in the production of work-related stress. Notions of power or control are often invoked in these models, but they tend to be narrowly conceptualized. Often the research presents a series of empirical findings rather than an integrated conceptual model which clearly specifies the pathways by which individual work experiences are linked to health and to the broader social context. Drawing on empirical findings and theoretical insights from a broad range of disciplinary perspectives, we build a conceptual framework relating power to work-related stress. This model can provide us with a deeper understanding of the determinants of stress, the relationships between stress and the broader social context, and the relationships between stress and social factors such as class and gender. Specifically, we suggest that power can influence work-related stress through the distribution of stressors in the workplace and via meaning. Copyright (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.