Effect of Sex on Perceived Support and Burnout in University Students.

Abstract

Sex differences in the experience of social support and frequency of burnout were examined in university students from a small Northern Ontario University. An altered version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) (Maslach & Jackson, 1996) termed the AMBI-HSS, and the Social Provisions Scale (SPS) (Cutrona & Russell, 1987) were used to examine the extent to which students' social relationships provided them with various dimensions of social support and, to assess the variety and frequency of burnout experienced by students'. Potential measures of school related stress or burnout included: Emotional Exhaustion, Depersonalization and Personal Accomplishment. The potential moderator of stress in this study was social support (Reliable Alliance, Opportunity for Nurturance, Guidance, Attachment, Social Integration, and Reassurance of Worth). Sex differences were found for variety of support received, with women scoring significantly higher than males on support indices of Reliable Alliance, Attachment and Guidance. Males scored significantly higher than females on the burnout index of Depersonalization and females reported lower levels of Personal Accomplishment than males. ********** Over the past few decades, literature on stress and the strategies which individual's can use to ameliorate the potentially deleterious effects of stress has increased considerably (e.g., Cohen & Hoberman, 1983; Cohen & Wills, 1985; Towbes & Cohen, 1996; Hudd, Dumlao, Erdmann-Sager, Murray, Phan, Soukas and Yokozuna, 2000). Stress, is often referred to as any emotional experience that is negative, and is accompanied by biochemical, physiological, cognitive, and behavioural changes that predictable by nature, and are directed either toward adapting to the effects of the stressful event or altering the stressful event itself (Taylor, 1999). Certain situations or events that have the potential to affect health outcomes, called stressors, are more likely than others to be perceived as stressful (Barling, 1990). These include events that are typically thought to be negative, uncontrollable, characterized by ambiguity, and are overwhelming in their cumulative impact, or that involve tasks central to the individual's life (Taylor, 1995). Evaluations of stressors often vary from person to person, and as Frazier & Schauben (1994) note, are perceived much differently among individuals. As stated by Lazarus & Folkman (1984), how an individual appraises a potentially stressful event may influence how he or she reacts to the stress. If an event is appraised negatively, the resulting stress may lead to potentially deleterious physical, mental, and social consequences unless effective coping mechanisms (i.e., social support) are utilized (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984). Just as the perception of stress may differ among people, so too do the methods one utilizes for dealing with that stress. There is a great deal of evidence that social support may reduce the consequences of stressful circumstances. Social support is commonly defined by theorists as, information from other people that one is loved or cared for, esteemed and valued, and part of a network of communication and mutual obligation (Taylor, 1999 p. 222). Such forms of social support may come from co-workers, supervisors, as well as friends and family (Gloria & Ho, 2003; Himle & Jayaratne, 1991; Cohen & Syme, 1985). Similarly, an individual may possess coping mechanisms in the form of leisure time, adopting an optimistic lookout, religion, physical or cognitive exercises, which may help to reduce the effects of stress (Iwasaki, 2001; Misra & McKean, West, & Russo, 2000; Lazarus & Folkman, 1984). Much research to date on the negative effects of stress and the utilization of support resources, has centered upon the adult work force population (e.g., Holman & Wall, 2002; Mallinckrodt & Bennet, 1992; Himle & Jayaratne, 1991). …