Date of Award

1-1-2010

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Organizational Unit

Morgridge College of Education

First Advisor

Cynthia McRae, Ph.D.

Second Advisor

Patrick Sherry

Third Advisor

Barbara Vollmer

Keywords

Coping, Occupational health, Occupational strain, Organizational commitment, Psychological and physical strain, Self-efficacy

Abstract

The current study explored the effects of moderators, self-efficacy and commitment, and mediators, problem-focused coping (strategies used when changeable conditions exist, thereby resulting in the employee taking action [Folkman & Lazarus, 1980]) and emotion-focused coping (perception that conditions are not changeable and emotions are regulated in a variety of ways versus taking action [Folkman & Lazarus, 1980]), on predicting psychological and physical occupational strain in non-managerial, non-professional employees. Ninety-three shift workers in a 24/7 call center from one division of a transportation company located in the western United States participated in the study. The first research objective was to examine the individual contributions of self-efficacy, organizational commitment, and coping strategies on predicting levels of psychological and physical strain. The next objective was to understand how the combined contribution of moderators and mediators might predict strain outcomes. Hierarchical regression analyses were used to explore five hypotheses. Lastly, using correlation analyses the relationships between commitment and problem-focused and emotion-focused coping strategies were investigated. Important findings were revealed by the results of the study. Self-efficacy significantly predicted both strain outcomes with higher self-efficacy predicting lower psychological and physical strain. Organizational commitment and emotion-focused coping also significantly predicted strain. As organizational commitment increased, psychological and physical strain decreased. Increases in emotion-focused coping strategies predicted increases in both strain variables. Problem-focused coping strategies failed to reach significance in predicting psychological or physical strain. The combination of self-efficacy, commitment, and coping strategies significantly predicted both occupational strain outcomes. Finally, there was a significant, negative relationship between commitment and emotion-focused coping strategies. As commitment increased, emotion-focused coping decreased in this sample. The current study has extended empirical understanding of the individual and combined effects of self-efficacy, commitment, and coping strategies on psychological and physical strain in a population largely overlooked by the literature, non-managerial, non-professional employees. Additionally, the current study investigated organizational commitment using a unique population and in combination with other known moderators and mediators of strain.

Publication Statement

Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.

Rights Holder

Susan Leslie Bennett

Provenance

Received from ProQuest

File Format

application/pdf

Language

en

File Size

189 p.

Discipline

Psychology, Occupational health, Occupational psychology

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