Samples of shrimp fishermen (n = 211) and land-based workers (n = 99)
drawn from a US Gulf Coast community are compared with regard to their
degree of exposure to occupational stressors, level of social support
, and extent of non-clinical depression and somatization. As hypothesi
zed, shrimp fishermen report significantly greater levels of stressor
exposure, support, depression and somatization at the zero-order level
. At the multivariate level, with several covariates controlled, shrim
pers report greater levels of stressor exposure, support and somatizat
ion. A model of the stress process which hypothesizes positive effects
of stressors, and direct and indirect negative effects of social supp
ort on distress, is evaluated for each group. Occupational stressors p
redict as hypothesized, but social support does not. An explanation is
offered which emphasizes the migratory character of shrimping as an o
ccupation.