Explaining the Cross-lagged Relationships of Qualitative Job Insecurity with Job Strain and Psychological Withdrawal by Perceived Control

• The aim of this study was to investigate whether situational appraisals of control may account for the relationship between qualitative job insecurity (i.e. insecurity about valued job characteristics) and both job strain (depressive symptoms and upper musculoskeletal complaints) and psychological withdrawal (affective organizational commitment and turnover intentions). This prediction is based on the appraisal theory of Lazarus and Folkman. Two-wave longitudinal data (with a time lag of approximately 14 months) of 722 Swedish white-collar workers were used to test the hypotheses. The hypotheses were tested following a two-step procedure advanced by Cole and Maxwell (2003). Firstly, the results of cross-lagged structural equation modeling showed that qualitative job insecurity was negatively related to subsequent perceived control. Secondly, perceptions of control over the job situation were associated with decreased depressive symptoms and increased affective organizational commitment one year later. Formal tests pointed at a significant indirect effect of qualitative job insecurity on affective organizational commitment through perceived control. Finally, no cross-lagged relationships were found between perceived control and the outcomes of upper musculoskeletal complaints and turnover intentions. This study contributes to the search for theoretical explanations of the negative consequences of job insecurity for employees’ functioning.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Psykologi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Psychology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Psychology

psykologi

Publikations- och innehållstyp

vet (ämneskategori)

kon (ämneskategori)