Psychological Flexibility as a Moderator of the Relationships between Job Demands and Resources and Occupational Well-being

Abstract

The aim of this study was to identify the relations of job demands (work overload) and job resources (social support and autonomy) with subjective job well-being (job satisfaction, positive affects, negative affects), as well as the moderating role of personal resources (psychological flexibility at work) in such relationships. The sample consisted of 4,867 Brazilian workers, of both sexes, with ages ranging from 18 to 67 years. Structural equation modelling showed that the work overload was negatively associated with job satisfaction (β = -.06; p < .001) and positively with negative affects (β = .24; p < .001); autonomy was positively associated with satisfaction (β = .08; p < .001) and negative affects (β = .08; p < .001); social support was positively associated with satisfaction (β = .17; p < .001) and positive affects (β = .20; p < .001), and negatively with negative affects (β = -.21; p < .001); psychological flexibility moderated the relationships of overload with satisfaction (β = .04; p < .05) and negative affects (β = .08; p < .001); autonomy with positive affects (β = -.06; p < .001) and social support with negative affects (β = .08; p < .001). These results are discussed from perspective of a job demands-resources theory, especially with respect to the relevance of personal resources for the promotion of occupational well-being.

Antecedents and Consequents of Prosperity at Work: A Mediation-Moderation Model

“…Results on self-efficacy moderation converge with findings from other studies (Novaes et al, 2018;Tremblay & Messervey, 2011), where personal resources also acted as a moderator of the relationship between labor ISSN 1678-6971 (electronic version) • RAM, São Paulo, 21(1), eRAMD200107, 2020 doi:10.1590/1678-6971/eRAMD200107 resources and labor well-being. In addition, they contribute with empirical evidence in support of the JD-R theory that (Bakker & Demerouti, 2007), according to which, personal resources tend to act as moderators of the relationship between labor resources and labor well-being.…”

“…Consistent with these assertions, personal resources such as optimism, self-esteem, satisfaction with compassion, psychological flexibility, and selfefficacy have been found to moderate the relationships between the job demands (such as work overload, insecurity and functions overload) and labor well-being, as well as the relationships between labor resources (such as autonomy, social support, and training) and well-being at work (Novaes et al, 2018;Tremblay & Messervey, 2011). However, the role played by personal resources in the relationship between labor resources and their consequences still needs further clarification (Airila et al, 2014).…”

“…Such personal resources refer to the psychological capabilities that serve as the basis for easier adaptation to life's changes and circumstances (Hobfoll, 2002). It is therefore postulated that individuals with higher levels of personal resources have greater mastery of their lives, which helps them cope more effectively with the demands of work in order to lessen the negative impact of demands and maximize the positive impact of workers' resources on labor well-being (Novaes et al, 2018).…”

“…The study also aimed to analyze the moderating role of a personal resource, self-efficacy, in the relationships between participation in decision making, social support and thriving at work. Such moderation is justified by the assumptions of the theory of job demands-resources (JD-R) (Bakker & Demerouti, 2007) that, according to which personal resources can act as moderators of the relationship between labor resources and demands, and occupational well-being (Novaes, Ferreira, & Valentini, 2018;Tremblay & Messervey, 2011).…”

Health Anxiety and Mental Health Outcome During COVID-19 Lockdown in Italy: The Mediating and Moderating Roles of Psychological Flexibility

“…We found no published theoretical or empirical data on either the mediating or moderating role of psychological flexibility in the link between health anxiety and mental health outcomes in general, or in the context of a pandemic. However, in the broader literature psychological flexibility has been examined as both a mediator and a moderator ( Masuda et al, 2011 ; Fischer et al, 2016 ; Novaes et al, 2018 ; Makriyianis et al, 2019 ; Ramaci et al, 2019 ; Pakenham et al, 2020 ). Studies that have examined psychological flexibility as a mediator have in the main tested models where the independent variable is typically a stable personality characteristic or a risk factor related to a personality trait (e.g., self-concealment, Masuda et al, 2011 ; early maladaptive schemas, Fischer et al, 2016 ; adverse childhood experiences, Makriyianis et al, 2019 ), and the dependent variable is a mental health outcome, most frequently depression or anxiety.…”