Relationships of Stress, Locus of Control, and Social Support to Psychiatric Symptoms and Propensity to Leave a Job: A Field Study with Managers

This study tested the main effects of (1) locus of control and social support on job stress; of (2) stress, locus of control, and social support on strain; and of (3) of stress, locus of control, social support, and strain on propensity to leave a job. The study also tested the moderating effects of locus of control and social support on the stress-strain relationship. These effects were tested with questionnaire data collected from a random sample of 288 managers. Results from hierarchical regression analyses found general support for the effects related to locus of control but not social support. A major implication for the findings is that managers who possess high internal locus of control personality should be particularly selected for positions which involve high stress.     

Stress,achievement, marriage and social support: Effects on the psychological well-being of physicians entering midlife/mid-career

Abstract

The major aim of this study was to examine the relative contribution of stress, professional achievement, personality, quality of marriage and family life, social support satisfaction, work satisfaction, average hours worked and family responsibilities to the psychological well-being (life satisfaction and psychological symptoms) of medical practitioners entering mid-life/mid-career. Fifty-nine female and 57 male physicians completed interviews, questionnaires, and daily stress records. The results confirm the central role that stress plays in the well-being of physicians. Pearson correlations and hierarchical multiple regressions showed other major variables examined did not explain additional variance in psychological symptoms, but did in some instances (professional achievement, quality of marriage, social support satisfaction for work issues) contribute to life satisfaction. A path model indicating a direct and independent effect of professional achievement on life satisfaction and a specific causal sequence of stress, quality of marriage and social support satisfaction for work issues is suggested.     

Stress, externality, and depression

Previous research has found mixed support for the possibility that locus of control moderates the effects of life stress on depression. Two methodological choices may have influenced previous findings: the use of a unidimensional rather than a multidimensional locus of control scale, and reliance on linear statistical methods using median splits. We attempted to correct these choices by using the Levenson IPC scale (1974) and multiple regression analyses in a female undergraduate population (N = 158). The results supported use of a multidimensional scale, since Stress, Internality, and Powerful Others were found to have main effects on depression whereas Chance interacted with life stress. The question of whether locus of control refers to responsibility for causing an event, i.e., self-blame, or belief in control over future events, i.e., coping behavior, was discussed.     

Stress, appraisal, coping, and social support as predictors of adaptational outcome among dementia caregivers

A stress and coping model was used to study predictors of individual differences in caregiver adaptation. A total of 54 family caregivers of elderly dementia patients completed interviews and questionnaires assessing the severity of patient impairment and caregiving stressors; caregiver appraisals, coping responses, and social support and activity; and caregiver outcomes, including depression, life satisfaction, and self-rated health. Correlational and regression analyses supported the utility of the stress and coping model. Appraisal, coping responses, and social support and activity were significant predictors of caregiver outcome, even when severity of caregiving stressors was statistically controlled. The importance of a multidimensional approach to assessing caregiver outcomes was supported by regression analyses indicating that each caregiver outcome was predicted by different patterns of stressors, appraisal, coping, and social support and activity. Results are discussed in terms of a stress and coping model of caregiving, and clinical implications for work with caregiving families.     

A preliminary study into stress in palliative care: optimism, self-efficacy and social support

Caring for the terminally ill is a demanding, but rewarding area of health care. Stressors unique to this working environment--dealing with patient death rather than cure, and supporting entire family units, for example--put caregivers at risk from stress related illness. This study investigated the buffering effects of optimism, self-efficacy and social support against two measures of stress within the palliative setting. Comparisons were made between volunteer (n = 18) and professional (n = 18) caregivers across three caregiving settings. Data were collected retrospectively about personal control variables; use of and satisfaction with, social support; and, perceived general and occupational specific stress levels. Differences in reported stress levels were found both between settings (NHS, hospice and community-based) and between caregiver type (salary status and occupational category). Optimism was more strongly and consistently associated with low levels of perceived stress than was self-efficacy. Satisfaction with social support was highest among paid workers, and in terms of buffering stress in the whole sample, appeared mediated by optimism. Worksite interventions targeting caregiver self-efficacy and optimism are recommended as a potential source of stress management within this population.     

Occupational stress,social support,and burnout among correctional officers

Three alternative models of the role of workplace social support in ameliorating the effect of occupational stress on burnout symptoms were tested. Correctional officers (N = 166) completed a variety of questionnaire measures of job stress, the Inventory of Socially Supportive Behaviors, and the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Analyses showed no support for either the direct or buffering models of social support. Rather, the data were consistent with the indirect model of social support in the workplace. Among the job stress indices, role ambiguity, work load, and direct contact with inmates were found to be independent predictors of burnout symptomatology. The findings suggest a preventive rather than remedial effect of workplace social support in reducing occupational stress and burnout.     

A longitudinal model of social contact, social support, depression, and alcohol use.

The longitudinal relations among contact with one's social network (social contact), perceived social support, depression, and alcohol use were examined. An integrative model was developed from affect regulation theory and theories of social support and dysfunctional drinking. Data were obtained from a random sample of 1,192 adults. The 3-wave panel model was tested using structural equation modeling analysis. Results revealed that (a) social contact was positively related to perceived social support; (b) perceived social support was, in turn, negatively related to depression; and (c) depression was, in turn, positively related to alcohol use for 1 of 2 longitudinal lags. There was partial support for the feedback hypothesis that increased alcohol use leads to decreased contact with family and friends. Although the results generally supported the authors' hypotheses, the significant coefficients in the model were generally small in size.     

Psychological adjustment to cancer in a collective culture

We examined the associations between social support, health locus of control, neuroticism, and psychological adjustment (PA) in 152 Hong Kong Chinese patients. Our objective was to assess hypotheses relevant to the cohesive family structure, and the belief in external sources of control that pervade this culture. Use of social support by individuals who reported reliable support, and internal locus of control (ILOC) associated positively, and neuroticism associated negatively with PA. The independent variables accounted for up to 39% of the variance in PA measures. Our findings provide rare information about coping with serious illness in a non‐Western culture. They illustrate the centrality of family relationships in Chinese culture. They suggest that even in a culture where supernatural beliefs are widespread, ILOC relates positively and “chance” beliefs relate negatively to adjustment. Finally they support the importance of controlling for neuroticism in examining stress.     

Life stress,social support,and locus of control during early adolescence: Interactive effects

Examined the relationships between negative events, locus of control, social support, and psychological adjustment in an early adolescent sample. Of interest were the potential stress-buffering effects of social support and the conjunctive effects of social support and locus of control upon adjustment. Family support was positively related to adjustment in several domains, whereas school support was only related to school competence. Peer support was positively related to peer competence and anxiety, and negatively related to school competence. Examination of the buffering hypothesis suggested that both family and school support served to moderate the relationship between negative events and school competence. Conjunctive effects were also detected in that school support buffered number of negative events best for those individuals with an internal locus of control for successes.     

Trait anxiety, work demand, social support and psychological distress in correctional officers

Abstract This study examined the role of social support in the relationship between work demand and psychological distress (GHQ 12) in correctional officers (N=419), a high stress occupational group. Work demands were positively associated with strain. There was no evidence that social support buffered the negative impact of work demands. Rather, consistent with most previous research findings, support showed direct benefits and these were discussed in the context of worker participation and control. The hypothesis that officers high in negative affectivity, as measured by trait anxiety would show greater reactivity to work demands was not supported. However, trait anxiety appeared to inflate the relationship between work stressors (work demand and work support) and psychological distress supporting recent suggestions that the role of trait anxiety in occupational stress should not be disregarded. Trait anxiety combined additively with work demand to predict individual differences in psychological distress, however social support moderated the impact of trait anxiety on strain.     

青少年网络受欺负与抑郁：压力感与网络社会支持的作用

采用网络受欺负量表、压力感量表、网络社会支持问卷和流调中心用抑郁量表对751名初中生进行调查,考察了青少年网络受欺负与抑郁的关系、压力感在网络受欺负与抑郁间的中介作用以及网络社会支持在其中的调节作用。结果表明：（1）青少年网络受欺负与抑郁存在显著正相关;（2）压力感在网络受欺负和抑郁间起完全中介作用;（3）网络社会支持在网络受欺负事件引起的压力感与抑郁间起调节作用,压力感对青少年抑郁的影响,随网络社会支持水平的提高而降低。     

Burnout,Secondary Traumatic Stress,and Social Support

The current study examines the extent to which selected work-related variables differentially predict burnout and secondary traumatic stress (STS) and the degree to which social support mitigates both of these occupational stress syndromes. Multiple regression performed on responses from 331 professional chaplains found that: (1) the number of years worked in the same employment position was positively associated with burnout but not STS; (2) STS, but not burnout, was positively associated with the number of hours spent per week counseling patients who had had a traumatic experience; and (3) social support was negatively related to burnout and STS. Only specific sources of social support (supervisory support and family support), however, were negatively associated with burnout. Results highlight the need for counselors to be attuned to not only their clients but also to their own inner dynamics in order to mitigate the possible deleterious effects of their work.     

Body Dysmorphic Symptoms,Functional Impairment,and Depression: The Role of Appearance-Based Teasing

Body dysmorphic disorder is associated with elevated social and occupational impairment and comorbid depression, but research on risk factors for body dysmorphic symptoms and associated outcomes is limited. Appearance-based teasing may be a potential risk factor. To examine the specificity of this factor, the authors assessed self-reported appearance-based teasing, body dysmorphic, and obsessive-compulsive symptom severity, functional impairment (i.e., social, occupational, family impairment), and depression in a nonclinical sample of undergraduates. As hypothesized, appearance-based teasing was positively correlated with body dysmorphic symptoms. The correlation between teasing and body dysmorphic symptoms was stronger than that between teasing and obsessive-compulsive symptom severity. Last, body dysmorphic symptom severity and appearance-based teasing interacted in predicting functional impairment and depression. Specifically, appearance-based teasing was positively associated with depression and functional impairment only in those with elevated body dysmorphic symptoms. When a similar moderation was tested with obsessive-compulsive, in place of body dysmorphic, symptom severity, the interaction was nonsignificant. Findings support theory that appearance-based teasing is a specific risk factor for body dysmorphic symptoms and associated functional impairment.     

A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Job Stressors and Reactions Among Employees Holding Comparable Jobs in Two Countries

The present study examined occupational stress in a cross-cultural context with a sample of female clerical employees from an Eastern and a Western culture, namely, India and the United States. An open-ended methodology was used to study occupation-specific stress. Two other variables that researchers have studied in the job stress process, locus of control and social support, were also examined. Large differences were obtained in the perception of the source of stress, the coping mechanisms, and reactions to the stressor. The implications of these findings are discussed.     

Locus of Control and Social Support: Clarifiers of the Relationship Between Job Stress and Job Satisfaction

The present study examined the role of social support and locus of control as determinants of job satisfaction and as moderators of the job stress—job satisfaction relationship. Support from a variety of sources focusing on problems at work was found to be stress buffering for internals whereas supervisory support was directly related to job satisfaction for externals. Type of support (integration) was associated with job satisfaction depending on perceptions of locus of control. In addition, different dimensions of locus of control (internal, external-chance, external-powerful others) had differing effects on job satisfaction independent of levels of social support. It is concluded that the buffering effect of social support may be applicable to job stress only when that support is content specific (issues at work) and individuals receiving such support believe they can impact their outcomes (internals on locus of control). The implication of these findings are discussed in terms of practical application in work organizations.     

Perceptions of social support,receipt of supportive behaviors,and locus of control as moderators of the effects of chronic stress

Conclusion Although the cross-sectional methodology of the present study limits causal inference, the results concerning the buffering effects of received social support for those who have perceptions of internal locus of control corroborates previous research and thus suggests that causal interpretations offered may have some validity.Several general conclusions appear justified from the present study. First, it appears a measure of social support that asks respondents to report on the receipt of particular supportive actions yields different information than a measure that asks respondents to rate the amount of support available to them. Second, perceptions of internal locus of control in combination with receipt of supportive behaviors has a stress-buffering effect. Third, perceptions concerning locus of control appear important in determining the direct and moderating effects of perceived social support on psychological distress. Finally, the interpretation of social support by stress interactions in which support acts as a negative buffer, i.e., increases the stress-symptom relation, may increase our understanding of the role of social support in coping with stress.     

Acculturative stress, depression, and suicidal ideation in Mexican immigrants

This study examined the relationship among acculturative stress, depression, and suicidal ideation in a sample of Mexican immigrants. Also examined were variables that predict depression and suicidal ideation. Multiple regression analyses revealed that acculturative stress significantly predicted depression and suicidal ideation and that family support, social support, religiosity, agreement with the decision to migrate, and expectations for the future were significant predictors of depression and suicidal ideation. The overall findings suggest that adult Mexican immigrants who experience elevated levels of acculturative stress may be at risk for experiencing critical levels of depression and suicidal ideation. The findings highlight the importance of using culturally relevant clinical methods when assessing and treating the depressed and potentially suicidal acculturating individual.     

Stress, psychosocial resources, and depressive symptomatology during pregnancy in low-income, inner-city women.

The authors examined the prospective influence of stress, self-esteem, and social support on the postpartum depressive symptoms of 191 inner-city women (139 European Americans and 52 African Americans) over 3 waves of data collection. Depressive symptomatology was measured by multiple indicators, including self-report and clinical scales. Women became less depressed as they move from prenatal to postpartum stages and adjusted to their pregnancy and its consequences. LISREL and regression analyses indicated that stress was related to increased depression, whereas greater income and social support were related to decreased depression. Self-esteem was related to lower depression at the prenatal and postpartum periods but not to change in depression from the prenatal to the postpartum period. The results also indicated that self-esteem and social support did not have additional stress-buffering effects over and above their direct effects on depression. Finally, African American women did not differ from European American women terms of depression or in terms of how they were impacted by stress or psychosocial resources.     

Social support,negative social exchange,and response to case formulation-based cognitive behavior therapy

We investigated associations between pretreatment social support, negative social exchange, and slope of weekly symptom change for depression, anxiety, and stress over the course of ideographic, case formulation-based, cognitive behavior therapy. Participants were 74 adults treated in a private practice setting. We used self-report measures to assess social support and negative social exchange at intake and to assess symptoms on a weekly basis. At pretreatment, a higher level of social support was associated with lower levels of depression, and a higher level of negative social exchanges was associated with higher levels of depression and stress. Pretreatment social support was not significantly associated with slope of symptom change. However, a higher level of pretreatment negative social exchanges was associated with steeper slope of change in symptoms of depression and stress during treatment. These findings suggest that the association between pretreatment negative social exchanges and subsequent symptoms may be stronger than that of social support and subsequent symptoms. Additionally, we discuss the possibility that having data on negative social exchanges at the start of treatment may benefit the outcome of ideographic, case formulation-based, cognitive behavior therapy.     

The relationship of daily hassles, social support, and coping to depression in black and white students

Black and White American college students were compared to determine how daily hassles, coping strategies, and social support related to depression. Although the mean intensity of hassles did not differ, Black students reported a higher frequency of hassles. Cumulative severity of hassles, defined in terms of both intensity and frequency was therefore higher for Black students. White students perceived more support from friends than from family, but the opposite held for Black students. Mean scores on type of coping (active problem solving, seeking social support, or avoidance) were similar, as were the reported levels of depression. Hierarchical multiple regression showed that the severity of hassles was directly related to depression for both groups. Race did not interact with any index of social support, except perceived family support, which was related to lower depression among Black students. There was no support for the notion that social support serves as a buffer against depression.