Professional stress among family physicians.

Professional stress syndrome was investigated among residents, academic physicians, and community physicians in family practice. A survey including measures of physician stress, depression, locus of control, family and peer support, and medical practice characteristics was completed by 294 physicians. Univariate analysis of variance procedures were used for all statistical tests. Results revealed a significant positive correlation among perceived stress in medical practice, depression, and external locus of control. Decreased levels of stress were associated with higher scores on indices of family and physician-peer support. Differences in stress patterns between residents, faculty, and community physicians emerged on several critical variables. Residents felt professional duties interfered with family life to a greater extent than did faculty or practitioner colleagues. Community physicians report higher levels of family support, less idealism, and greater sense of personal control. The stress and coping model proposed illustrates how environmental, as well as internal, factors are affected by stress and serve as moderators of the stress response.