Identifying Factors Affecting Job Stress Management in Iranian Navy Staff: A Qualitative Study

Stressors and job psychological pressures lead to reduced physical health, productivity, and proper performance of personnel. The purpose of this study was to identify the factors affecting job stress management in naval personnel using the grounded theory method.

This qualitative research was conducted using the grounded theory method. The statistical population included all specialists, psychologists in the field of industrial-organizational and occupational, and senior staff of the Iranian Navy, whose 22 of them were selected by purposive sampling method. The data collection tool was an in-depth and semi-structured interview that was completed in several sessions. Qualitative data obtained from the interviews were analyzed based on Strauss and Corbin (2008) using the coding method in three stages open coding, axial coding, and selective coding.

By open coding; 114 concepts, by axial coding; 23 components and according to the role and position; 6 main dimensions were extracted as follows: Influential factors (causal conditions) are effective on job stress management (main category) and these dimensions affect the top position of job stress management (strategies dimension). On the other hand, the dimensions of the context and interveners affect the strategies. Finally, strategies affect the use of job stress management (outcomes). The reliability of expert opinions was 0.96.

Identifying these factors (findings of current model) can help to better manage the job stress in naval personnel to increase their personal, family, and work health, as well as increase job productivity.