Organizational Influences on Gender Differences in Stress and Strain Aboard U.S. Navy Ships

Abstract

Abstract : Changes in policy have resulted in more women being assigned to U.S. Navy Ships in recent years than has been true historically. This study tested the general hypothesis that women would find these assignments no more stressful than men do. This hypothesis, based on a review of stress studies in civilians, was supported. The review of studies of civilians suggested that work-family conflict would be an exception to the general trend, and women did report substantially higher concern about children and child care than did men. Gender differences in depressive symptoms were trivial even though studies of civilians suggested they would be large enough to be of interest. The difference may be that the women and men in this study were matched on sociodemographic attributes that could affect depression. Occupation (rating), ship type, and deployment experience were considered as organizational factors that might increase the size of the typical gender differences in stress and strain. None of these factors substantially influenced the size of gender differences in stress. Some specific instances of larger than average gender differences in stress and strain were noted, but these isolated trends require replication before they can be given much weight. On the whole, gender differences in stress were small and comparable to those in civilians.