Analyses

The population-level characteristics of participants were analyzed using one-way ANOVA test. Job stress influenced by gender [57, 58], age [59], marital status [60], education, household income, and friendship network and support variables were examined and statistics provided for each job position.

Factor analysis was performed for sources of stressors. Based on the results, we formed seven factors from the 30 questions (Table 1) which are based on rotated factor patterns: (1) decision-making authority, (2) conflicts with co-workers, (3) role/work overload, (4) conflicts with patients, (5) receiving respect from the patients, (6) job advancement, and (7) work-family conflicts. Seven factors were separated into three dimensions: organizational setting (factors 1, 2), job demands (factors 3–5) and individual setting (factors 6, 7) to examine the differences among job positions. One-way ANOVA test was performed to examine the mean stress scores and factors to compare the differences.

To examine the effects of friendship network pattern and friendship network supports on job stress, multiple regressions was performed after controlling for any other influence factors. Among the network variables friends from work and emotional support variables were omitted from this model because it had no significant statistics. The sociodemographic characteristics (age, gender, marital status and total household income) of participants were used as control variables. Subjects were divided into three groups by job positions: nurses, doctors and technologists. Network patterns and network supports, among the three groups, are compared to explain the mechanisms giving a positive influence on job stress.

All statistical analyzes were conducted with the STATA12.0 program.