Probing the social support and work strain relationship among adult workers: Contributions of adult attachment orientations

The present study examined the contributions of supervisor support and adul t attachment orientation to three indexes of work-related strain within an adult worker sample. In particular, the potential role of adult attachment orientation in moderating support-strain associations was explored. Partici pants were 117 university employees who completed self-report measures of t he variables under investigation. Results indicated that supervisor support and worker adult attachment orientation uniquely predicted all three strai n indexes; in addition, the interaction of supervisor support and worker at tachment orientation significantly predicted work stress intensity and job satisfaction (but not symptom levels). The implications of these findings f or clarifying the beneficial effects of social support on work Strain are d iscussed. (C) 2001 Academic Press.