title: Negative emotionality, activity, and sociability temperaments predicting long-term job strain and effort-reward imbalance: a 15-year prospective follow-up study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examined a longitudinal association between innate temperament and perceptions of long-term work stressors.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample consisted of 276 men and 345 women (aged 30-45 years in 2007) participating in the prospective population-based Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns study. In 1992, temperament was self-assessed with the EAS questionnaire that assesses three temperamental traits: negative emotionality, activity, and sociability. Perceived work stressors were measured in 2001 and in 2007 using two models: Karasek's demand/control-model in which a combination of high demands and low control results in job strain, and Siegrist's Effort-reward imbalance (ERI) model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed that higher negative emotionality and lower sociability systematically predicted higher perceived job strain and ERI (P<.001). Activity predicted higher perceived ERI (P<.05). Activity did not predict perceived job strain, as it was related to both higher perceived demands and higher control.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that temperament may be a predisposing factor to the experiences of work stressors in adulthood. Although self-reported job strain and ERI are measures of job characteristics, they are affected by individual temperament.
authors.affiliation: IBS, Unit of Personality Work and Health Psychology, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 9, 00014 Helsinki, Finland. mirka.hintsanen@helsinki.fi
authors.forename: Mirka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hintsanen
authors.forename: Taina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hintsa
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Widell
authors.forename: Mika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kivimäki
authors.forename: Olli T
authors.initials: OT
authors.lastname: Raitakari
authors.forename: Liisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Keltkangas-Järvinen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012201:Reward; D012919:Social Behavior; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013694:Temperament