ABSTRACT

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the association of interpersonal competence and emotional labor with job stress in occupational therapists. Methods: The subjects of the study were 295 occupational therapists in Korea. All correspondence was conducted through SNS, and the analyzed questionnaires consisted of 9 items on general and job characteristics, 18 items on interpersonal skills, 9 items on emotional labor, and 24 items on job stress. Results: The type of employment and payment were associated with job stress. Total interpersonal competence and trust showed negative associations with job stress. Total emotional labor and frequency of emotional display and attentiveness to required displaying of rules showed a positive association with job stress. Conclusion: In this study, we found an association between interpersonal competence and emotional labor with job stress of Korean occupational therapists. Therefore, it is necessary to enhance the interpersonal skills of occupational therapists such as their trust and to manage their emotional labor when performing their job. In addition, there is a need to conduct further studies related to job stress in terms of interpersonal competence and emotional labor for quality healthcare management.