Understanding the Causes of Stress in UK Farming
Year: 2023
Type: preprint
Abstract: Existing farm stress measures focus on the causes of stress, rather than their underlying psychological construct. Measures comprise lists of events and experiences and people indicate whether or not they have been exposed to these stressors. This is problematic as, although the existing measures provide surface level information about stressors, they are predominantly beyond the control of the individual farmer. To develop effective interventions, it is critical that understanding of farming stress itself is furthered beyond the endorsement of ubiquitous uncontrollable factors such as weather and government policy. We need to perceive how management, resilience and individual variation in responses to stressors can be identified and ameliorated through behavioural or cognitive change. \n\nFurthermore, stressors for males and females involved in farming may reflect different aspects of day-to-day life. Females may be subject to additional or alternative stressors due to, for example, multiple role burden, and isolation perhaps related to not being integrated fully into family/farming decision-making (Marotz-Baden & Mattheis, 1994; Pini, 2007). It is therefore important to garner sex specific data on these matters, to ensure that all demographic groups in the farming community are understood. \n\nIt is consequently proposed that a novel current farm specific measure of stress be constructed for validation as part of a future study. To enable this measure to be adequately designed, it is first necessary to ensure that the causes of stress in farming have been fully understood. This is particularly important given that past measures were devised in a different socio-political climate.\n\nThe data gathered will inform the following two research questions:\n\n1.\tWhat are the main factors which cause members of the farming community in the UK to experience stress?\n2.\tHow do levels of stress associate with well-being for members of the farming community?
Source: OSF Preprints (OSF Preprints)
Authors: Emma Barkus, Stephen Dunne, Sarah Nyczaj Kyle
Language: English
Topic: Agriculture and Farm Safety
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7025359699