Gender difference in occupational stress: A study of the South Korean National Police Agency

Using survey data from 512 sworn police officers in the Korean National Police Agency, this study explores the impact of five job characteristics, organizational environment, and external environment on stress experienced by male and female police officers in South Korea. Data analyses show that female officers experience statistically significant elevated degrees of somatization and anxiety. The level of organizational bureaucracy has statistically significant impact on both male and female officer's somatization and anxiety, and male officer's depression. In addition, the level of community relationships has statistically significant impact on somatization, anxiety, and depression for male officers, but only on anxiety and depression for female officers. The effects of task identity and autonomy on different measures of work-related stresses differ between the two gender groups. Findings of the current study support previous police stress literature in general. Implications, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed.