Gender harassment, job satisfaction, and distress among employed white and minority women

This study tested the hypotheses that gender harassment is related to decreased job satisfaction and increased distress, and that White and minority women differ in their responses to it, in a sample of 385 women office workers. Over 70% reported exposure to gender harassment at work. As predicted, frequency of harassment was negatively correlated with job satisfaction and positively associated with an index of distress, assessed by self-reported somatic complaints, the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (L. S. Radloff, 1997), and the reported use of alcohol for palliative coping. Minority status was unrelated to frequency of reported harassment or to responses to it. The tendency to focus on negative aspects of self and environment (negative affectivity) was statistically controlled. Findings indicate that gender harassment is a commonplace workplace stressor that warrants serious attention.