4

RÉSUMÉ Cet article fait suite à une recherche menée dans l’atelier de couture de l’usine automobile Peugeot à Vesoul auprès de 78 ouvrières. L’étude avait entre autres objectifs d’examiner les stratégies d’ajustement au stress des couturières et de les mettre en relation avec certaines dimensions de la personnalité. Deux échelles ont été utilisées : l’Inventaire de Coping pour situations stressantes (CISS de Endler et Parker, adaptation française de Jean-Pierre Rolland) et la Symptom Check List (SCL-90-R de Derogatis). Les résultats vont dans le sens du choix privilégié par les couturières pour le coping Émotion et Évitement par la distraction. On peut s’interroger alors sur l’efficacité de ces stratégies d’ajustement au stress quant à la qualité de vie des ouvrières. L’analyse des relations entre styles de coping et dimensions de la personnalité semble indiquer l’influence de quelques traits symptomatiques sur l’adoption du mode de réponse au stress et un investissement particulier de certaines stratégies de coping. Les conclusions reflètent le ressenti des personnels par rapport à leur vécu de déstabilisation identitaire et leur revendication d’une identité professionnelle.

Coping and symptomatological dimension of the personality study in a workshop of sewing This article reports a study carried out in the sewing workshop of the Peugeot automobile factory in Vesoul, on 78 female workers. Among other objectives, the study examined strategies of adjustment to stress by the seamstresses and to link these with certain dimensions of their personality. Two scales were used : the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS of Endler and Parker, French adaptation of Jean-Pierre Rolland) and the Symptom Check List (SCL-90-R of Derogatis). The results give evidence for the preferential choice by the seamstresses of the coping Emotion and Avoidance by distraction. The staff made few attempts to solve the problem, to restructure it on the cognitive plan, to modify the situation or to try to find solutions to difficult and frustrating situations. One can wonder then about the efficiency of these strategies of stress adjustment as far as the quality of the worker’s life is concerned, such as emotional withdrawal, the intellectualisation of the problem, behaviours of action, the fantasmatisation and somatic reactions. The analysis of relationships between styles of coping and dimensions of personality seems to indicate the influence of some symptomatic traits on the adoption of the reply mode to stress and a particular investment in some strategies of coping. Alone, the strategy of Avoidance is not characterized by a symptomatic dimension. The « somatic » workers, for example, seem to overinvest cognitive problem restructuring strategies and seek a way in relationships with other persons to calm the stress down. Those that have felt an inadequacy and personal inferiority in comparison with others emphasize the modification of the situation and attempt to solve crises using the intellectual plan. It is also the case that those female workers with a « depressive » tendency tend to avoid the stressful situation by distraction with other situations or tasks and by rejecting emotional reactions. One can not however assert that only the dimensions of the personality account for how individuals react or will react in a given situation. The conclusions reflect how the staff members are affected by their experiences of identity destabilization and by their claim of a professional identity.