Stress Processing Report™

Research and development by J. Clayton Lafferty, Ph.D., Lorraine Lafferty, Ph.D., Robert A. Cooke, Ph.D., and the Human Synergistics Research and Development team.

Today, organisations of all shapes and sizes are seeking new ways to improve their operations to compete in a volatile economic environment. Employees are challenged to enquire, think, gather information, evaluate, communicate, and act ‐ all at increasingly high speeds.

Such accelerated activity, coupled with the pressures of constant change, takes a considerable toll on your organisation's workforce in terms of elevated stress levels. As stress increases, the result is lagging performance, diminished productivity, and ill physical and emotional health. The Stress Processing Report™ (SPR) enables people to better understand how they react to and cope with stress, and possibly create stress for themselves, at work and in their non-work lives.

What does the SPR do?

The SPR is a feedback tool that:

• uses a self-assessment that records responses to phrases or questions that explore individual feelings in areas such as quality of relationships, personal and professional satisfaction, physical health and well-being, and reactions to tense situations
• pinpoints ineffective thinking patterns to identify the ‘early warning signs’ of performance problems before they cause illness and erode motivation
• helps participants redirect their thinking styles to reduce stress associated with job demands, organisational change, and/or non-work factors.

The SPR can also be combined with the Life Styles Inventory™ for a well-rounded self-development program.

What does the SPR offer you?

Appropriate for all members of an organisation, the SPR can be used to:

• improve physical health and well-being
• promote healthier and more productive responses to change and stressful events
• increase personal satisfaction
• enhance the quality of interpersonal relationships
• boost productivity, cooperation, and personal effectiveness.

SPR features

The SPR meets rigorous academic and psychometric standards and has been thoroughly researched and verified as valid and reliable through a number of longitudinal studies at various organisations.

Research has shown that those who experience more symptoms of strain (e.g., depression, nervousness, headaches, medical problems) are also more likely to have Passive/Defensive and Aggressive/Defensive thinking and behavioural styles. The SPR can be part of a program to reduce stress and strain by helping you to:

• take inventory of your current orientations and styles
• identify the healthy orientations and styles you want to adopt
• remove obstacles to healthy thinking and behaviours
• actively seek and create opportunities to develop healthy thinking and behaviours
• monitor your progress to gauge improvements over time.

SPR administration options

The SPR is available in paper self-scored form and online with real-time feedback.

• The SPR Inventory is completed by each participant and measures 19 styles of thinking linked to symptoms of strain.
• These thinking styles are organised into four categories: Self (self-image, past view, control, approval, growth, and effectiveness); Others (inclusion, interpersonal orientation, intimacy, and trust); Process (receptiveness, synergy, cooperation, time orientation, and time utilisation); and Goals (satisfaction, directedness, expectations, and future view).

The inventory takes 30 minutes to complete and about 10-15 minutes to self-score.

If you would like to know more about the Stress Processing Report™, or any of our wide range of diagnostic tools, please get in touch and we will be happy to assist you.