GENDER, SOCIAL SUPPORT, AND COPING WITH WORK STRESSORS AMONG MANAGERS

The influence of sex and gender-role orientation on social support and coping with occupational stressors was examined in a sample of 17 men and 18 women managers who were matched for job level. Biological sex was more important in determining the work stressors experienced, wher eas gender-role orientation was more influential in affecting coping a nd social support. Specifically, women reported encountering more job- related stressors and coping with general stressful situations through self-blame more often than men. Managers high in expressivity were mo re likely than those low in expressivity to report coping with specifi c stressful situations through both avoidance and seeking support. The y also reported receiving more emotional support and more overall supp ort in specific stressful situations than those low in expressivity.