NCJ Number
151832
Journal
Bulletin of the American Academy of Psychiatry and Law Volume: 22 Issue: 1 Dated: (1994) Pages: 71-83
Date Published
1994
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This study identified specific stressors in the work life of trial judges, assessed the relationship of a judge's work environment to stress, examined the relationship between stress as a response and psychological impairment, and explored the moderating effect of certain psychosocial factors.
Abstract
Eighty-eight American trial judges completed three questionnaires after attending a workshop entitled "Fact Finding and Decision Making". The study results confirmed previous findings that judges are overrepresented in terms of high-stress personality style. There was a positive correlation between stress and case variety, case backload, and pressure to move cases through the judicial system. Factor analysis demonstrated that judicial stress can be classified according to type of case, type of litigating party, purpose of a decision, a judge's value conflicts, and offense seriousness. The findings also showed that exercising judicial discretion and case management are high stressful activities for judges. Some judges responded to stressors with psychological symptoms, while others did not. The research findings were ambiguous regarding the effect that psychosocial moderators (i.e., humor and social engagement) had on stress levels. 4 tables and 40 notes