AN INVESTIGATION OF COPING STYLES AND GENDER DIFFERENCES WITH FARMERS IN CAREER TRANSITION

This study examined the role of career-related variables (vocational identity, career barriers) and coping variables (problem-solving appraisal and coping style) in predicting (a) depressive symptomatology and (b) perceived stress, control, and progress in the career transition of a farm population in crisis. The sample for this study consisted of 44 male and 35 female farmers with respective mean ages of 39.2 and 41.6 years. Results indicated that significant differences exist in the way farm men and women react to the stressors of the farm crisis. Both male and female farmers expressed considerable stress about their current situation, criterion variables for men were correlated with confidence in problem-solving ability and emotion-focused coping, whereas the women's stress and depressive symptoms were most strongly correlated with a lack of vocational identity and a perception of barriers to career change.