Publication Date

Spring 2010

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Psychology

Advisor

Sharon Glazer

Subject Areas

Psychology, General

Abstract

Two studies examining the relationship between job-specific stressors and strains versus the relationship between generic stressors with strain, as well as the moderating role of social support (from coworkers and administrators), are presented. Eighteen primary school teachers from a private Jewish day school (Study 1) and 242 teachers from an Arizona school district (Study 2) completed self-administered surveys. Results indicated that job-specific (vs. generic) stressors had a stronger positive relationship with strains, but social support was a better moderator for the relationship between generic stressors and strain. As hypothesized, administrator support had a reverse-buffering effect on the stressor-strain relationship in Study 2. Coworker support buffered the stressor-strain relationship in Study 2, but had a reverse-buffering effect in Study 1. Social support moderated the generic stressor-strain relationship, but did not have a moderating effect on the job-specific stressor and strain relationship. These results suggest that examining generic stressors is valuable for comparing across different occupations and organizations. However, studying job-specific stressors may still be important for getting at relevant factors influencing work behaviors in a given organizational context.

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