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

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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).