146 J. Asian Dev. Stud, Vol. 2, Issue 3, (September 2013) ISSN 2304-375X Military Officers Rank; Determining their Job Satisfaction, Perceived Stress and Perceived Social Support Safia Rashid 1 and Sarwat Sultan 2 Abstract In this study, three research variables job satisfaction, perceived stress, and perceived social support among military officers were examined by using three scales, perceived stress scale, multidimensional scale of perceived social support, and job satisfaction survey. Officers from Pakistani armed forces were approached in different cities of Pakistan. For this purpose, convenient-sampling technique was used for selection of the 230 participants. They were matched on demographic variables as; ranks, age, marital status, education, social status and length of service. Three t-test were used to compare two groups of military personnel on the basis of their length of service, education and rank. Results indicated that Army Lieutenants scored differently from Majors, on the three scales. Army Captains have different levels of perceived stress, perceived social support and job satisfaction because of their education. Moreover, Army Captains and Flight Lieutenants of Air force having an equivalent rank but they are not same in perceiving stress, social support and job satisfaction. Key words: Perceived Social Support, Perceived Stress, Job Satisfaction, Military Officers Rank Introduction Job satisfaction shows an employee’s response toward job, reflecting how he can enjoy comforts of job and the work environment (Smither, 1994). However, satisfaction on job can viewed as a reflector of an employee’s interpersonal and psychological health and well being which would be helpful for organizations to progress. This type of employee satisfaction measurement is an essential feature in organizational psychology researches (Smither, 1994). According to Syptak, Marsland, and Ulmer (1999), job satisfaction is an emotional state for a persons’ work-role, including perceived and received job performance. Social support refers to an informal social networking which allows people to express their emotional feelings and empathy, practical help, information aid and appraisal. Work-place social support emphasizes on collaborative problem solving and sharing information, judging situation and obtaining advice from a variety of personnel as from a colleague, supervisor or manager which is a major source of social support (Etzion, 1984). Perceived Social support is the extent to which a person feels cared and valued by people around him (Gurung, 2006). This would include a person’s family, friends, teachers and society. Several researchers think that family is more effective social support provider than non familial sort of support (Cutrona, 1986). Some others think close friendship is the most significant source of social support (Berndt, 2004). Social support is a type of social emotional help that involve effective coping strategies. Social support is a factor which helps people to minimize their stress. Previous researches revealed that social support has a negative relationship with psychiatric disorders like stress and depression. On the other hand it is positively correlated with physical and mental health. Nahid and Sarkis (1994) have studied that in major life crisis social support helps individuals to cope effectively and also enhance their well being. Other researches emphasis on the quality of the perceived social support rather than the quantity of perceived or received social support which is positively correlated with mental health (Holahan, Valentiner & Moos, 1995). Some other studies cannot find out the moderating effect supervisor’s support and its relationship with occupational stressful consequences (Beehr & McGrath 1992). Social support has two aspects that promotes health and well being and reduced stressful events experienced by an individual (Dollete, Steese, Phillips, & Matthews, 2004). Firstly, social support is a very important factor in people’s life. Lack of social support has been proven to be associated with 1 Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan 2 Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan