DOI: 10.3886/icpsr04458
title: Stress Training for Probation Officers and Their Families in Harris County, Texas, 2001
title: Archival Version

description: This study was a quasi-experimental design that utilized a
 multidimensional approach toward the design of an education-based
 stress intervention program for probation officers and a significant
 other. The study participants were recruited using a convenience
 sample from the Harris County Community Supervision and Corrections
 Department based in Houston, Texas in June of 2001. Officers and their
 significant others were exposed to a series of interventions related
 to various aspects of stress including: stress education,
 organizational sources of stress, individual response to stress, and
 how to communicate about stress in the home. The program consisted of
 four course modules and three assessments, including: a pretest, a
 post-test (administered one month after intervention), and a six-month
 follow-up. The assessments consisted of the Maslach Burnout Inventory
 (MBI) and the knowledge of stress inventory, which were completed by
 31 officers. Demographic variables include age, gender, and ethnicity,
 years of experience, position within the organization, responses to
 the burnout inventory, and responses and scores for the knowledge of
stress inventory.
description: The main purpose of the study was to provide a
 cost-effective intervention for the treatment of stress and burnout in
 probation officers, which did not require a significant commitment of
time.
description: The study used a quasi-experimental design, with a
 multidimensional approach toward the design of an education-based
 stress intervention program. It was for probation officers and a
 significant other, where "significant other" was defined as a person
 who had lived with the officer for more than one year. Officers and
 their significant others were exposed to a series of interventions
 related to various aspects of stress including: stress education,
 organizational sources of stress, individual response to stress, and
 how to communicate about stress in the home. The study participants
 were recruited from the Harris County Community Supervision and
 Corrections Department based in Houston, Texas. The program consisted
 of four course modules and three assessments including: a pretest, a
 post-test (administered one month after intervention), and a six-month
 follow-up. The surveys were completed by 31 officers. At the beginning
 of the first module, each probation officer and significant other was
 given an envelope containing the pretest assessments: a Maslach
 Burnout Inventory (MBI) and a knowledge of stress inventory. The
 burnout inventory (Part 1) was a self-report measure containing three
 sub-scales: emotional exhaustion (9 items), depersonalization (5
 items), and lack of personal accomplishment (8 items). The 22 items
 that comprise the inventory are rated based on a 0-7 Guttman scale
 consisting of: never, a few times a year or less, once a month or
 less, a few times a month, once a week, a few times a week, or
 everyday. Each item in the burnout inventory is a statement about the
 individual's feelings or attitudes about their work. The knowledge of
 stress inventory (Part 2) was a 25 item multiple-choice survey
 intended to assess the participants' knowledge of stress. The
 questions on the knowledge of stress inventory were derived from the
 curriculum for the present study and assessed all content areas of the
 curriculum. The participants also completed an informed consent
 document at the beginning of the first module. Both the post-test and
 the follow-up assessments were sent to the officers through internal
 department mail. All participants returned the completed assessments
 to the principal investigator via the United States Postal Service.
 Numerous efforts were made to ensure high subject response rates on
 the assessments. All assessments were distributed with a cover letter
 outlining the procedure for completing and returning the surveys.
 After two weeks, the principal investigator made phone calls reminding
 participants to complete and return the surveys. Further, the program
 manager emailed reminders to the participants and contacted
 participants' managers to have them verify that the officers had
returned the surveys.
description: Part 1, Burnout Inventory Data, includes
 demographic variables such as gender, age, ethnicity, position within
 the organization, and number of years experience with the department.
 Part 1 also includes the pretest, post-test and follow-up response to
 the burnout inventory. Part 2, Knowledge of Stress Inventory Data,
 includes the pretest, post-test and follow-up responses, and scores
for the knowledge of stress inventory.
description: none
description: Response Rates: Of the 380 probation officers eligible for
 participation in the study, 86 started the program by completing a
 pretest assessment and the first of four training sessions. Only 31
 completed the remaining three classes and the post-test and follow-up
assessments.
description: Presence of Common Scales: Part 1: For the Officers Survey, the researchers adapted the
Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). Part 2: None.
description: The selection of study participants was through a
 convenience sample of probation officers employed by the Harris County
 Community Supervision and Corrections Department based in Houston,
 Texas in June 2001 and their significant others. At the time of the
 study, the department was comprised of 380 officers. Initially, the
 program included 86 subjects. However, only 31 completed all four of
 the training courses and completed all three assessments. Included in
 the sample are three officers with personnel supervision duties.
 Participant attrition was the result of three factors: (1) two
 participants quit the department, (2) 12 did not complete the series
 of four courses, and (3) the aftermath of flooding from Tropical Storm
 Alison, which caused widespread damage in the study area. The study
 started with 23 significant others expressing an interest to
 participate. Only five attended the first class and only two completed
 the study. Due to lack of response, no analyses could be applied to
this group.
description: Datasets: 
DS0: Study-Level Files
DS1: Burnout Inventory Data
DS2: Knowledge of Stress Inventory Data
description: All probation officers employed by the Harris County
 Community Supervision and Corrections Department based in Houston,
Texas in June 2001. Smallest Geographic Unit: none
description: on-site questionnaireData from significant others is not available as part
of this collection.