The enigma of social support and occupational stress: source congruence and gender role effects.
Research on the potential ameliorating effects of social support on occupational stress produces weak, inconsistent, and even contradictory results. This study of 117 employees, mostly from a southern U.S. hospital supply company, examined potential moderators that were theorized might reduce the confusion: source congruence (congruence between sources of the stressor and of social support) and gender role. Congruence between the sources of stressors and of social support appeared to make little difference in determining the moderating or buffering effect of social support on the relationship between stressors and strain. Gender role, however, may moderate the relationship between social support and individual stains such that more feminine people react more strongly and positively to social support than more masculine people do.
Beehr
Terry A
TA
Department of Psychology, Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant 48859-0001, USA. Beehr1TA@cmich.edu
Farmer
Suzanne J
SJ
Glazer
Sharon
S
Gudanowski
David M
DM
Nair
Vandana Nadig
VN
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016272:Occupational Health; D009790:Occupations; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological