OCCUPATIONAL STRESSORS, SOCIAL SUPPORT, AND PERCEIVED STRESS AMONG SHRIMP FISHERMEN OF THE NORTHERN GULF-OF-MEXICO COAST

A set of hypotheses concerning the occupational stress process was tes ted for a sample of shrimp fishermen (n = 211) and a comparison group of land-based workers (n = 99) from a coastal community in Alabama. As hypothesized, shrimp fishermen were exposed to greater numbers of occ upational stressors, experience greater amounts of stress, and benefit from greater amounts of social support than land-based workers. In co ntrast to expectations based in both theory and previous research, soc ial support had no direct or indirect effect on stress experienced by shrimpers. An explanation is offered emphasizing the conflicts generat ed by work that is frequently performed at sites remote in both place and time from the potential support of home life.