Effects of coping strategies, social support and work-nonwork conflict on shift worker's health

Objectives This study examines the direct and mediated effects of shift wor kers' coping strategies and social support on structural work-nonwork confl ict and subjective health. Methods The participants were 172 registered female nurses, aged 21 to 40 y ears. They all worked full-time, on rapidly rotating, 8-hour shifts in metr opolitan general hospitals. All the respondents completed a self-administer ed questionnaire requesting demographic information and data on sources of social support, work-nonwork conflict, and coping strategies. Results A path model with good fit (chi(2)=28.88, df=23, P>.23, CFI=0.97) d emonstrated complex effects of social support and coping on structural work -nonwork conflict and health. Conclusions Structural work-nonwork conflict mediated the effects of social support from supervisors and emotionally expressive coping on psychologica l symptoms. Control of shifts mediated the effect of social support from su pervisors on structural work-nonwork conflict. Disengagement coping had dir ect and mediated effects on psychological and physical health. However, it also had mediated effects, with the effect on psychological health being me diated by support from co-workers and the effect on physical symptoms being mediated by family support. Go-worker support mediated the effect of socia l support from supervisors on psychological symptoms. Overall, these findin gs support previous research and clarify the process by which coping strate gies and social support affect structural work-nonwork conflict and health in shift work.