Perceptions of Emotional Support,Stress, and Strain Among African-American Human Service Workers

This study explored what emotional supports were available and helpful to African-American human service workers who remained in their jobs while negative external forces impinged upon them. The authors explored the nature and substance of the worker's support mechanisms and if and how these support systems impacted on their satisfaction with their jobs, their intent to remain on their present jobs, and their feelings of being burned-out. The study also examined the relationship of emotional support to work-related stress and strain among African-American social workers. The results indicate that promotion, challenge, role conflict, supervisor support, co-worker support, family support, and professional collegial support are significant predictors of job satisfaction. There was no evidence for the buffering effects of support.