ABSTRACT
Behavior analysts are particularly prone to stress by the very nature of their work. Prolonged work-related stress can cause headaches, chest pain, shortness of breath, stomachaches, tiredness, and sleep problems. This may in turn cause anxiety, irritability, resentment, and burnout. Traditional solutions to life stressors include exercising, relaxing, getting lots of sleep, and in some cases getting counseling or psychotherapy. From a behavioral perspective, the organizational change approach makes much more sense than taking up “choiceless awareness meditation,” listening to nature sound CDs as professional behavior analyst drive down the road, or taking hatha yoga classes on Thursday night. Perhaps one of the most delicate, but important, ways to reduce stress is to analyze the nature of the work professional behavior analyst are doing to determine if it is part of the cause. Much of the traditional literature and advice on the Internet has to do with identifying the signs of stress and taking steps to manage the symptoms.
