5M Roles. Vol. 25. Nos. 7/8, 1991 Situational Shifts in Sex Role Orientation: Correlates of Work Satisfaction and Burnout Among Women in Special Education Joanne Eichinger California Slate Universily at San Bemartiinu Louis J. Heifetz and Chrys lngraham Syracuse tjnivemily A battery of instruments dealing with job stress and satisfaction and social role traits was administered to 78 female special educators. Sociat role orientation (instntmental, expressive, balanced, undifferentiated), as tneasured by a modified version of the Bem Sex Role Inventor)', was determined for each teacher. The relationship between social role orictitation and job .stre.ss and satisfaction was examined. Shifts in teachers' .social role composition from off the job to on the job were examined regarding four indices of .stre.ss and satisfaction. A balanced social role orientation on the job was associated with higher levels of job satisfaction and lower levels of job stre.s.s. Higher levels of instrumentality on the job and off the job and higher levels of expressivity on the job and off the job were associated with higher levels of personal accomplishment and lower levels of depersonalization. In recent years, attention has focused on examining job stress and satis- faction among human service professionals. Results have been contradic- toiy regarding the relationship between biological gender and job stress and satisfaction. While some researchers report higher levels of job stress among males (Schwab & Iwanicki, 1982; Streepy, 1981), others report more stress or burnout among females (Calabrese & Anderson, 1986; Etzion & Pines, 1986; Farber & Heifetz, 1981; Thompson, 1980). Still others report no differences in burnout levels among male and female human service 425 0.160-0(12.Wl/l0(«MMyj(Ki..VI/0 C IWI I'Icnum Puhlishinf Corpiiralion