Effects of work stress on psychological well-being and job satisfaction: The stress-buffering role of social support

Abstract

The aim of the research was to examine further the relationships among levels of work stress, social sup port, and well-being. In the first instance, it was proposed that high levels of work stress (role ambiguity, role conflict, work overload, and underutilisation of skills) would have a negative impact on job satisfaction and psychological well-being. Second, it was proposed that the perceived availability of support for work-related problems would have both direct and stress-buffering effects on levels of well-being. These hypotheses were tested in a study of 153 employees of a large public sector organisation. After control of the potential confounding effects of neuroticism, there was some support for the proposed affects of work stress and social support on well-being. Role ambiguity and role conflict emerged as significant predictors of both psychological well-being and job satisfaction. There was also some support for the proposed role of underutilisation of skills; however, contrary to expectations, the experience of quantitative work overload did not have a significant main effect on either psychological well-being or job satisfaction. As expected, there was evidence to suggest that, irrespective of the level of stress, levels of supervisor support had main effects on levels of well-being. Consistent with Cohen and Wills' (1985) stress-support matching hypothesis, there was also some evidence to suggest that the availability of work-related support (from one's supervisor) buffered the negative effects of work stress (role conflict and work overload).