STRESS FACTORS THAT ARISE WITHIN THE WORK SETTING MAY BE DIVIDED INTO THE FOLLOWING BROAD CATEGORIES: JOB CONTENT AND THE ENVIRONMENT, WORK STRUCTURE, ORGANIZATIONAL ROLE INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS, AND CHANGE. STRESS CAN BE BOTH HARMFUL AND UNDESIRABLE OR USEFUL AND PLEASURABLE, DEPENDING UPON THE CIRCUMSTANCES. THE FUNDAMENTAL GOAL OF A STRESS-MANAGEMENT PROGRAM IN THE WORK SETTING IS TO REDUCE THE BURDEN OF STRESS-RELATED EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS ON INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEES AND ON THE COLLECTIVE WORK ORGANIZATION. STRESS-MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS CAN BE DIVIDED INTO TWO PROTOTYPES: A CLINICAL OR MEDICAL MODEL AND AN ORGANIZATIONAL MODEL. THE CLINICAL PROGRAM, WHICH FOCUSES ON THE INDIVIDUAL, CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING ELEMENTS: FIRST AID, CASE FINDING, EVALUATION, TREATMENT, REFERRAL, REHABILITATION, SCREENING, AND PREVENTION. THE ORGANIZATIONAL PROGRAM, AIMED AT ALL EMPLOYEES, ADDRESSES ORGANIZATION POLICIES AND PRACTICES AS THEY RELATE TO JOB STRESS AND THE EMOTIONAL CLIMATE OF THE WORKPLACE. THE PROGRAM INCLUDES ESTABLISHMENT OF CRITERIA FOR HIRING AND PLACEMENT, DISCIPLINING MECHANISMS, LEADERSHIP AND SUPERVISION TRAINING, AND DEVICES FOR EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION AMONG ALL LEVELS OF THE WORK FORCE. IMPORTANT TO PROGRAM SUCCESS IS STRICT MAINTENANCE OF CONFIDENTIALITY REGARDING ALL PERSONAL INFORMATION BOTH FOR ETHICAL AND TACTICAL REASONS. STRESS REACTIONS TO WATCH FOR INCLUDE ALCOHOL ABUSE, DRUG ABUSE, BACKACHE, MASSPSYCHOGENIC ILLNESS, AND ABSENTEEISM. MECHANISMS FOR COPING WITH STRESS ENCOMPASS SUCH APPROACHES AS MEDICAL THERAPY, GROUP PROGRAMS, EXERCISE, DIET, MEDITATION AND RELAXATION, BIOFEEDBACK, RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES, CAREER COUNSELING, AND BIORHYTHMS. PREVENTIVE MECHANISMS INCLUDE ATTITUDE SURVEYS, RAP SESSIONS, JOB RESTRUCTURING, SUPERVISOR TRAINING, JOB DISCUSSION, VARIABLE WORK SCHEDULES, HEALTH EDUCATION, AND PROMOTION. EACH CHAPTER IS REFERENCED, AND FOOTNOTES, AN ADDITIONAL READING LIST, A RESOURCE LIST, AND AN INDEX ARE PROVIDED.