Social support and individual styles of coping in the Japanese workplace: an occupational stress model by structural equation analysis

Abstract

AbstractThe aim of the present study was to ascertain the role of social support and individual styles of coping on employee well‐being. The subjects were intermediate managers working for a zipper and sash manufacturing company in Japan. Measurements were made of the following: depression using the Self‐rating Depression Scale (SDS), job demand, job control, social support using Karasek's Job Content Questionnaire, and of three coping styles: emotion‐oriented coping, task‐oriented coping and avoidance‐oriented coping using the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS). Data was analysed by structural equation modeling. Each coping style had a direct effect on depression. Emotion‐oriented coping had a negative effect. On the other hand, task‐oriented coping and avoidance‐oriented coping had a positive effect. Moreover, there was an indirect effect that coping styles precede and determine the perception of social support as well as job demand and control. Social support showed a direct positive effect on depression. However, the overall impact on employee well‐being was greater for individual coping styles as compared to social support from either supervisors or co‐workers. The present study showed the effectiveness of coping strategies in the workplace. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.