Quick answer: Diversional Therapists are moderately stress-exposed compared with other Australian occupations — ranked #206 of 317 by workplace mental health hazard exposure, with a composite stress score of 44.7/100 against a national average of 47.4. The biggest drivers are emotional demands and physical environment.
Diversional Therapists stress profile vs the national average
Each occupation is scored across six categories of workplace mental health hazard, built from 22 stress factors identified in SafeWork Australia's occupational hazards data. Higher scores mean greater exposure.
- Emotional demands54.6 vs 37.9 avg
- Responsibility burden57.5 vs 60 avg
- Pace and demands44.5 vs 56 avg
- Lack of control17.8 vs 24.5 avg
- Precision and monotony46 vs 67.7 avg
- Physical environment47.8 vs 38.2 avg
Scores range 0–100; higher = more stress-inducing. Source: SafeWork Australia Beta Occupational Hazards Dataset.
What drives the score for diversional therapists
Compared with the average Australian occupation, diversional therapists score furthest above the norm on emotional demands (54.6 vs 37.9 average) and physical environment (47.8 vs 38.2 average). The single biggest individual stress factor is physical proximity at 84.2/100 — against an all-occupation average of 61.1.
The occupation scores below the national average for precision and monotony (46 vs 67.7), pace and demands (44.5 vs 56) and lack of control (17.8 vs 24.5), which moderates the overall ranking.
See how this compares across all 317 Australian occupations, ranked by stress score.
The biggest stress factors for diversional therapists
- 1Physical environment
Physical Proximity
84.2/100
All-occupation average: 61.1
- 2Responsibility burden
Coordinate or Lead Others
75/100
All-occupation average: 64.9
- 3Physical environment
Exposed to Disease or Infections
73.8/100
All-occupation average: 20.2
- 4Responsibility burden
Responsible for Others' Health and Safety
71.8/100
All-occupation average: 57.3
- 5Pace and demands
Time Pressure
67/100
All-occupation average: 71.6
All 22 stress factors for diversional therapists
The complete scorecard: every stress factor measured for this occupation, grouped into the six categories, with the all-occupation average alongside.
Emotional demands
54.6 vs 37.9 avg- Deal With Physically Aggressive People39.8 vs 14
- Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People62.8 vs 50.4
- Frequency of Conflict Situations61.2 vs 49.3
Responsibility burden
57.5 vs 60 avg- Responsibility for Outcomes and Results50 vs 58.5
- Responsible for Others' Health and Safety71.8 vs 57.3
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results54 vs 70.4
- Consequence of Error36.8 vs 49
- Coordinate or Lead Others75 vs 64.9
Pace and demands
44.5 vs 56 avg- Time Pressure67 vs 71.6
- Duration of Typical Work Week55.5 vs 62.1
- Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment6 vs 23.1
- Frequency of Decision Making55.2 vs 70.7
- Level of Competition38.8 vs 52.4
Lack of control
17.8 vs 24.5 avg- Lack of Autonomy to Make Decisions18.5 vs 23.6
- Amount of Highly Structured Work17 vs 25.3
Precision and monotony
46 vs 67.7 avg- Importance of Repeating Same Tasks40.8 vs 56.9
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate51.2 vs 78.6
Physical environment
47.8 vs 38.2 avg- Sounds and Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable46 vs 52.3
- Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting15.8 vs 24.9
- Very Hot or Cold Temperatures19 vs 32.4
- Exposed to Disease or Infections73.8 vs 20.2
- Physical Proximity84.2 vs 61.1
Understand these hazards
The elevated stress categories for diversional therapists map to recognised psychosocial work factors under ISO 45003 and Australian WHS legislation. Learn what each one is and how it can be controlled:
- Exposure to Violence →Whether workers face the risk of physical or verbal aggression at work.
- Exposure to Trauma →Whether workers encounter traumatic events or material as part of their role.
- Work Interaction →The quality of relationships and interactions within the team and organisation.
- Physical Environment →How the physical conditions of work affect psychological wellbeing.
Methodology
Clearhead scored 317 occupations in the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) using SafeWork Australia's Beta Occupational Hazards Dataset. We kept only the 22 hazard variables relating to mental health — such as conflict exposure, decision-making pressure, and time pressure — and deliberately excluded physical safety risks like working at height.
The 22 variables are grouped into six categories: emotional demands, responsibility burden, pace and demands, lack of control, precision and monotony, and physical environment. An occupation's composite score is the equally weighted average of its six category scores. All scores run 0–100, where higher means more stress-inducing.
Two control-related variables are reported by SafeWork with inverted polarity (“freedom to make decisions” and “structured versus unstructured work”). We reverse these and present them as lack of autonomy to make decisions and amount of highly structured work, so that a higher score consistently indicates greater stress exposure.
Hazard exposure describes the average conditions of an occupation, not any individual's experience — everyone has a different tolerance for these challenges, and conditions vary between workplaces.
Frequently asked questions
Diversional Therapists: how stressful is the job?
Diversional Therapists rank #206 out of 317 Australian occupations for workplace mental health hazards, with a composite stress score of 44.7/100 against a national average of 47.4. That makes the occupation more stress-exposed than 35.0% of Australian jobs.
What are the biggest mental health stress factors for diversional therapists?
The highest-scoring hazards are physical proximity (84.2/100), coordinate or lead others (75/100) and exposed to disease or infections (73.8/100). Overall, the occupation scores above the national average in emotional demands and physical environment.
Which stress factors are lower for diversional therapists?
Diversional Therapists score below the national average for responsibility burden (57.5 vs 60 average) and pace and demands (44.5 vs 56 average) and lack of control (17.8 vs 24.5 average) and precision and monotony (46 vs 67.7 average), which partially offsets the higher-scoring hazards.
Where does this data come from?
Scores are derived from SafeWork Australia's Beta Occupational Hazards Dataset. Clearhead filtered the dataset to the 22 mental-health-related hazard variables — excluding physical safety risks — and scored 317 ANZSCO occupations across six categories: emotional demands, responsibility burden, pace and demands, lack of control, precision and monotony, and physical environment.
Beyond the average
This is the average hazard exposure for diversional therapists. Your workforce isn't average.
Clearhead's Psychosocial Risk Pulse measures the actual psychosocial risk in your organisation, quarterly — across 18 ISO 45003-aligned work factors.