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The role of perceived control in the relationship between job insecurity and psychosocial outcomes: moderator or mediator?
Author(s) -
Elst Tinne Vander,
De Cuyper Nele,
De Witte Hans
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
stress and health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.009
H-Index - 61
eISSN - 1532-2998
pISSN - 1532-3005
DOI - 10.1002/smi.1371
Subject(s) - psychology , moderation , job satisfaction , job insecurity , social psychology , psychosocial , job strain , job attitude , affective events theory , clinical psychology , job performance , psychotherapist , electrical engineering , sense (electronics) , engineering
The aim of the current study was to address the intervening role of perceived control in the job insecurity–strain relationship. Two alternatives were investigated: (1) perceived control as a buffer of the relationship between job insecurity and outcome variables (i.e. job satisfaction, organizational commitment, psychological distress and turnover intentions); and (2) perceived control as a mediator of the relationship between job insecurity and the outcomes. Cross‐sectional data of 211 employees were used to test the hypotheses. The results showed that perceived control did not buffer the relationship between job insecurity, and job satisfaction, organizational commitment, psychological distress and turnover intentions. However, perceived control was found to partially mediate the association between job insecurity and these outcomes. The results are explained using the cognitive theory of stress and coping of Lazarus and Folkman, and suggest that job insecurity is stressful because it decreases the experience of control. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.