The aim of this
research
was to
study the effects
of a
majority or
minority status in the work environment (referred to as "tokenism"
by
R. M. Kanter) on certain markers of work-life quality among direct care staff
working
with juvenile delinquents in sexually segregated residential facilities. A sample of
401
youth
counselors
(162 men and 239 women) participated in the research. Four groups of subjects representing gender
majority
and minorities were created: men (n = 125) and women (n = 60) working with delinquent boys, and women (n = 179) and men (n = 37) working with delinquent girls. Self-report written assessments were used to measure sources of job stress, coping, job satisfaction, and burnout. Results indicated that ratios interact with gender to create different levels of work-life quality for majority and minority men and women.