Abstract
This study explored gender differences in how correctional officers react to severe occupational stress and addressed differences in coping processes and social support utilization. The subjects were 244 correctional officers (167 men and 77 women) employed in Kentucky medium security institutions for male offenders. The study employed a survey administered to the volunteering participants. The Ways of Coping Questionnaire was used to assess coping processes used to deal with a stressful work event, and the Maslach Burnout Inventory was used to assess severe occupational stress. Statistical analyses revealed that correctional officers experience high levels of occupational stress but did not indicate gender differences in emotional exhaustion or depersonalization. The results indicated that female officers more frequently than male officers processed stress by seeking social support, while male officers more frequently than female officers processed stress by “planful problem solving.” No differences were found in correctional officers’ relationships with oppositesex peers. The results suggested that male and female correctional officers follow traditional sex roles in coping with occupational stress, but they revealed no differences in how they are affected by occupational stress in terms of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
American Correctional Association. (1994).Directory of juvenile and adult correctional departments, institutions, and paroling authorities. College Park, MD: Author.
Beehr, T., & Newman, J. (1978). Job stress, employee health, and organizational effectiveness: A facet analysis, model, and literature review.Personnel Psychology, 31, 665–699.
Contact Center, Inc. (1988). Survey.Corrections Compendium, 8, 9–23.
Cullen, F., Link, B., Wolfe, N., & Frank, J. (1985). The social dimensions of correctional officer stress.Justice Quarterly, 2, 505–532.
Folkman, S., & Lazarus, R. (1988).Manual for the Ways of Coping Questionnaire. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.
Folkman, S., Lazarus, R., Gruen, R., & DeLongis, A. (1986). Appraisal, coping, health status, and psychological symptoms.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 50, 571–579.
Friedman, M., & Rosenman, R. (1974).Type A behavior and your heart. New York: Knopf.
Gernstein, L., Topp, C., & Correll, G. (1987). The role of the environment and person when predicting burnout among correctional personnel.Criminal Justice and Behavior, 14, 352–369.
Greenglass, E. (1991). Burnout and gender: Theoretical and organizational implications.Canadian Psychology, 32, 562–574.
Gross, G., Larson, S., Urban, G., & Zupan, L. (1994). Gender differences in occupational stress among correctional officers.American Journal of Criminal Justice, 18, 219–234.
Grossi, E., & Berg, B. (1991). Stress and job dissatisfaction among correctional officers: An unexpected finding.International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 35, 73–81.
Grossi, E., Keil, T., & Vito, G. (1996). Surviving the “joint”: Mitigating factors of correctional officer stress.Journal of Crime and Justice, 19, 103–121.
Himle, D., Jayaratne, S., & Chess, W. (1986). Gender differences among clinical social workers.Journal of Social Service Research, 10, 41–56.
Hirsch, B. (1979). Psychological dimensions of social networks: A multimethod analysis.American Journal of Community Psychology, 87, 263–277.
Jurik, N. (1985). An officer and a lady: Organizational barriers to women working as correctional officers in men’s prisons.Social Problems, 32, 375–388.
Jurik, N., & Halemba, G. (1984). Gender, working conditions, and the job satisfaction of women in a non-traditional occupation: Female correctional officers in men’s prisons.Sociological Quarterly, 25, 551–566.
Karasek, R., Schwartz, J., & Theorell, T. (1982).Job characteristics, occupation, and coronary heart disease. Final report. National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Contract No. R-01-OHOO906. New York: Columbia University.
Katz, D., & Allport, F. (1931).Student attitudes: A report of the Syracuse University research study. Syracuse, NY: Craftsmen Press.
Lindquist, C., & Whitehead, J. (1986). Burnout, job stress and job satisfaction among southern correctional officers: Perceptions and causal factors.Journal of Offender Counseling, Services & Rehabilitation, 10, 5–26.
Lovrich, N., & Stohr, M. (1993). Gender and jail work: Correctional policy implications of perceptual diversity in the work place.Policy Studies Review, 12, 66–85.
Lowenthal, M., & Haven, C. (1968). Interaction and adaption: Intimacy as a critical variable.American Sociological Review, 33, 20–30.
Maslach, C., & Jackson, S. (1986).The Maslach Burnout Inventory: Research Edition. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.
McDonald, L., & Korabik, K. (1991). Sources of stress and ways of coping among male and female managers.Journal of Social Behavior and Personality, 6, 185–198.
Morash, M., & Haarr, R. (1995). Gender, workplace problems, and stress in policing.Justice Quarterly, 12, 113–140.
Mottaz, C. (1986). Gender differences in work satisfaction, work-related rewards and values, and the determinants of work satisfaction.Human Relations, 39, 359–378.
Nielson, J. (1990).Sex and gender in society (2nd ed.). Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland Press.
Ogus, D., Greenglass, E., & Burke, R. (1990). Gender-role differences, work stress, and depersonalization.Journal of Social Behavior and Personality, 5, 387–398.
Parkes, K. (1990). Coping, negative affectivity, and the work environment: Additive and interactive predictors of mental health.Journal of Applied Psychology, 75, 399–409.
Sarafino, E. (1990).Health psychology: Biopsychosocial interactions. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Saylor, W., & Wright, K. (1992). Status, longevity, and perceptions of the work environment among federal prison employees.Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 17, 133–160.
Shamir, B., & Drory, A. (1982). Occupational tedium among prison officers.Criminal Justice and Behavior, 9, 79–99.
Simpson, S., & White, M. (1985). The female guard in an all-male prison. In I. Moyer (Ed.),The changing role of women in the criminal justice system: Offenders, victims and professionals. Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland Press.
Stone, A., & Neale, J. (1984). New measure of daily coping: Development and preliminary results.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 46, 892–906.
Toch, H., & Klofas, J. (1982). Alienation and desire for job enrichment among correctional officers.Federal Probation, 46, 35–44.
US Bureau of the Census. (1986).Statistical abstract of the United States 1987 (107th ed.) Washington, DC: Government Printing Office.
US Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics. (1991).Census of local jails. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office.
US Department of Labor. (1985).The United States decade for women, 1976–1985: Employment in the United States. Washington, DC: Author.
Vaux, A. (1985). Variations in social support associated with gender, ethnicity, and age.Journal of Social Issues, 41, 89–110.
Verbrugge, L. (1982). Women’s social roles and health. In P. Berman & E. Ramsey (Eds.),Women: A developmental perspective (National Institutes of Health Publication No. 82–2298). Washington, DC: Government Printing Office.
Verbrugge, L. (1985). Gender and health: An update on hypotheses and evidence.Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 26, 156–182.
Vitaliano, P., Maiuro, R., Russo, J., & Becker, J. (1987). Raw versus relative scores in the assessment of coping strategies.Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 10, 1–18.
Waldron, I., & Herold, J. (1984). Employment, attitudes toward employment and women’s health. Paper presented at Society of Behavioral Medicine, Philadelphia.
Walters, S. (1992). Attitudinal and demographic differences between male and female correctional officers.Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 18, 173–189.
Wright, K., & Saylor, W. (1991). Male and female employees’ perceptions of prison work: Is there a difference?Justice Quarterly, 8, 505–524.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hurst, T.E., Hurst, M.M. Gender differences in mediation of severe occupational stress among correctional officers. AJCJ 22, 121–137 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02887343
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02887343