Wayne A. Chess

The Effects of Emotional Support on Perceived Job Stress and Strain

This article uses a national sample of social workers to examine the relationship between work stress, strain, and emotional support. These results indicate negative associations between support and perceived stress and strain. The authors, however, found no evidence for the buffering effects of emotional support. The authors discuss the implications of these findings.

Dealing with Work Stress and Strain: Is the Perception of Support more Important than its Use?

The authors conducted a study of the relationship between the perception and use of support in ones work environment and their effects on perceived stress and strain. The analytic sample consisted of 480 social workers drawn from a national directory, who answered a 1O-page questionnaire with items addressing burnout and social support. The resulting data indicate that those who used existing support systems within their organizations generally reported benefiting from this, although the use of support does not necessarily result in positive outcomes. The study also indicated that one is more likely to use support if one perceives the work environment to be supportive. Implications for organizations and individuals are presented.

Private and Agency Practitioners: Some Data and Observations

This study compares the demographics, education and training, perceptions of job performance, and job satisfaction among a sample of agency practitioners and a sample of private practitioners randomly selected from the 1985 National Association of Social Workers membership directory. Private practitioners report a significantly higher income, greater congruence between their training and their current job, and greaterjob satisfaction. Among the primary reasons cited by private practitioners for entering private practice are professional challenge, financial rewards, and dissatisfaction with agency job. We discuss the implications of these findings for the profession, the agency, and schools of social work.