An analysis of local elected officials: Perceptions of stress and effectiveness in city councils and an evaluation of a consultation intervention

Ronald Bruce MacVittie, Purdue University

Abstract

This study explored the perceptions of local elected officials in Indiana regarding (1) effectiveness of city council functioning and (2) levels of stress experienced by council members. Differences in levels of role conflict, role ambiguity, state anxiety, and perceptions of council effectiveness were hypothesized among council members with different demographic characteristics. Role conflict and role ambiguity were hypothesized to have an inverse relationship with effective planning, effective problem solving, and teamness, and a direct relationship with state anxiety, dysfunctional coping, and intragroup hostility. A questionnaire was designed to assess perceived levels of role stress, state anxiety, and council effectiveness. A consultation intervention based on the open systems planning approach was designed, implemented, and evaluated. It was hypothesized that this intervention would result in a reduction in the levels of stress reported by council members and in increases in measures of council effectiveness. The experimental group was composed of 29 elected officials from four cities in Indiana. The control group was composed of 181 respondents to the questionnaire mailed to 462 elected officials in Indiana cities and towns of population greater than 10,000. The surveys contained items about demographic characteristics, role conflict, role ambiguity, state and trait anxiety (Spielberger), and effectiveness subscales. One-way analyses of variance and t-tests were used to analyze the data. Significant differences were found among council members with different demographic characteristics with respect to self reports of effective problem solving, effective planning, dysfunctional coping, and perceived levels of stress as measured by role conflict and role ambiguity. A quasi-experimental design (a variation of Cook's and Campbell's Untreated Control Group Design with Separate Pretest and Posttest Samples) was used to explore the effects of the consultation intervention. Although changes in perceptions of the stress and effectiveness variables were in the hypothesized directions, the single significant change was in self reports of effective planning. Recommendations are made to replicate this study in cities with different demographic characteristics as well as in other boards of control in both the public and private sector. Additional recommendations are made concerning the implementation of similar programs.

Degree

Ph.D.

Advisors

Dye, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Occupational psychology

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