A worker who reported three or more of these symptoms was regarded as suffering from stress. Therefore, this variable was defined as binary in this study, with “yes” or “no” possible values.
The twelve stress-related symptoms asked for in the VI NSWC included: trouble sleeping or sleeping poorly, constant feeling of fatigue, headaches, dizziness, trouble concentrating or staying focused, trouble remembering things or easily forgetting them, feeling tense or irritable, feeling emotionally exhausted, always thinking about problems at work, eating disorders, eye problems, and lack of energy