Research Article

Gender differences in the use of social support as a moderator of occupational stress

  1. Steven Bellman1,*,
  2. Nick Forster1,
  3. Leonie Still1,
  4. Cary L. Cooper2

Article first published online: 31 JAN 2003

DOI: 10.1002/smi.954

Issue

Stress and Health

Stress and Health

Volume 19, Issue 1, pages 45–58, February 2003

Additional Information

How to Cite

Bellman, S., Forster, N., Still, L. and Cooper, C. L. (2003), Gender differences in the use of social support as a moderator of occupational stress. Stress and Health, 19: 45–58. doi: 10.1002/smi.954

Author Information

  1. 1

    Graduate School of Management, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia

  2. 2

    Manchester School of Management, University of Manchester Institute of Science & Technology (UMIST), UK

*Graduate School of Management, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 31 JAN 2003
  2. Article first published online: 31 JAN 2003
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 24 OCT 2002
  4. Manuscript Received: 2 APR 2002

Funded by

  • Australian Institute of Management.

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Keywords:

  • stress;
  • Pressure Management Indicator;
  • PMI;
  • sex;
  • gender;
  • social support;
  • moderator;
  • interaction;
  • occupational medicine;
  • psychology

Abstract

Studies of the moderating effect of social support on the direct effects of occupational stressors have yielded conflicting results that have differed in direction and significance. These differences may have been due to the narrow range and/or poor quality of the measures used. Also, males and females may differ in their perceptions of stress sources and outcomes and their use of social support across stressors. This study used the well-validated Pressure Management Indicator (PMI) to measure social support and eight sources and nine outcomes of occupational stress in a sample of 204 Australian managers (55 per cent females, mean age 41.4 years) from various companies. Multiple regression revealed that for both males and females, social support moderated the effects of stressors on energy levels, job satisfaction, organizational security and organizational commitment, although social support interacted with different stressors across genders. Social support had a significant interaction effect on organizational commitment for males only, and, for females only, a significant interaction effect on state of mind. These results suggest that social support interventions will not reduce the effects of stress on all outcomes, and will produce different results for males and females. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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