From oppressors to oppressed: psychosocial stressors and job satisfaction among correctional officers

Abstract In its proposal to analyze the relationship between psychosocial stressors and job satisfaction among correctional officers in the traditional system and Association for Protection and Assistance to Convicts - (APAC), the study included 206 participants, who completed the questionnaires for assessing psychosocial stressors, job satisfaction, and sociodemographic data. Psychometric properties of the instruments were evaluated and hierarchical regression analyses were performed. The stressors explained the variance in job satisfaction levels, regardless of the type of prison system, which also showed explanatory power, indicating higher levels of job satisfaction in the APAC method. Aspects intrinsic to the job itself were predictors of all dimensions of satisfaction, followed by lack of social support and level of responsibility. Satisfaction with management was the most sensitive variable to the stressors addressed. The findings highlight the importance of the psychosocial environment for the workers’ well-being.摘要 本研究旨在分析传统监狱系统与罪犯保护救助协会（Association for Protection and Assistance to Convicts，APAC）两类体系中，狱警所面临的社会心理应激源与工作满意度之间的关联。研究共纳入206名参与者，所有受试者均完成了用于评估社会心理应激源、工作满意度及社会人口学特征的问卷。研究人员对所用测评工具的心理测量学属性进行了评估，并开展了层级回归分析。结果显示，无论监狱体系类型如何，社会心理应激源均能解释工作满意度水平的变异；此外，监狱体系类型本身也具有解释力，结果表明采用APAC模式的机构中，狱警工作满意度更高。工作本身的内在属性是工作满意度各维度的最强预测因素，其次为社会支持缺失与责任负荷水平。对管理工作的满意度是本研究所涉及应激源最为敏感的变量。本研究结果凸显了社会心理环境对从业者身心健康的重要性。