The Effects of Different Aspects of Supervision Among Female and Male Correctional Staff: A Preliminary Study

Abstract

This study examined a gendered model of the effects of supervisory factors on job outcomes for both men and women. Two competing hypotheses, the importation-differential experiences model and the work role prisonization model, guided the analyses of the effects of supervisor support, supervisor structure, and supervisor trust on job stress, job satisfaction, and affective organizational commitment. Data came from surveys of 160 correctional staff employed at a Midwestern prison. The results provide substantial support for the work model and less support for the importation model. Few differences were found in how men and women respond to supervisory factors. The implications of these results are discussed.