Top

Journal of Happiness Studies

Published in:

02-04-2021 | Research Paper

Decision Authority on Positive Mental Health in the Workforce: A Moderated Mediation Model of Social Support, Gender, Income, and Occupation

Authors: Tingting Gao, Songli Mei, Muzi Li, Carl D’Arcy, Xiangfei Meng

Published in: Journal of Happiness Studies | Issue 1/2022

Activate our intelligent search to find suitable subject content or patents.

search-config

AI-assisted search

Off

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the mediating effect of social support in the relationship between decision authority and positive mental health as well as the moderating effects of socio-demographic characteristics closely related to this relationship among working populations. Data analyzed was from the Canadian Community Health Survey-Mental Health 2012. A total of 15,867 individuals with complete information on past 12-month work experience prior to the data collection were included in this study. Mediation analysis suggested that social support could partially mediate the association between decision authority and positive mental health. Multiple group analysis indicated that the higher mediation effect of social support was more likely to be reported by males, people from middle- and high-income groups, and those doing service and white-collar jobs. Findings on roles of social support and socio-demographic characteristics in the relationship between decision authority and positive mental health could lay the groundwork to articulate and develop effective strategies to promote positive mental health in the workforce.

previous article Effects of the Gratitude Letter and Positive Attention Bias Modification on Attentional Deployment and Emotional States

next article Correction to: Decision Authority on Positive Mental Health in the Workforce: A Moderated Mediation Model of Social Support, Gender, Income, and Occupation

Dont have a licence yet? Then find out more about our products and how to get one now:

Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik"

Online-Abonnement

Mit Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" erhalten Sie Zugriff auf:

über 102.000 Bücher
über 537 Zeitschriften

aus folgenden Fachgebieten:

Automobil + Motoren
Bauwesen + Immobilien
Business IT + Informatik
Elektrotechnik + Elektronik
Energie + Nachhaltigkeit
Finance + Banking
Management + Führung
Marketing + Vertrieb
Maschinenbau + Werkstoffe
Versicherung + Risiko

Jetzt Wissensvorsprung sichern!

inform now

Springer Professional "Wirtschaft"

Online-Abonnement

Mit Springer Professional "Wirtschaft" erhalten Sie Zugriff auf:

über 67.000 Bücher
über 340 Zeitschriften

aus folgenden Fachgebieten:

Bauwesen + Immobilien
Business IT + Informatik
Finance + Banking
Management + Führung
Marketing + Vertrieb
Versicherung + Risiko

Jetzt Wissensvorsprung sichern!

inform now

Available only for authorised users

Abbas, M., Raja, U., Darr, W., & Bouckenooghe, D. (2014). Combined effects of perceived politics and psychological capital on job satisfaction, turnover intentions, and performance. Journal of Management, 40(7), 1813–1830. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206312455243.CrossRef

Al Mehrzi, N., & Singh, S. K. (2016). Competing through employee engagement: A proposed framework. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 65(6), 831–843. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPPM-02-2016-0037.CrossRef

Avey, J. B., Luthans, F., & Jensen, S. M. (2009). Psychological capital: A positive resource for combating employee stress and turnover. Human Resource Management, 48(5), 677–693. https://doi.org/10.1002/hrm.20294.CrossRef

Baker, E., Israel, B., & Schurman, S. (1996). Role of control and support in occupational stress: An integrated model. Social Science and Medicine, 43(7), 1145–1159. https://doi.org/10.1016/0277-9536(96)00064-0.CrossRef

Baron, R. M., & Kenny, D. A. (1986). The moderator–mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: Conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 51(6), 1173–1182. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.51.6.1173.CrossRef

Barrera, M. (1986). Distinctions between social support concepts, measures, and models. American Journal of Community Psychology, 14(4), 413–445. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00922627.CrossRef

Bentley, R. J., Kavanagh, A., Krnjacki, L., & LaMontagne, A. D. (2015). A longitudinal analysis of changes in job control and mental health. American Journal of Epidemiology, 182(4), 328–334. https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/kwv046.CrossRef

Blanch, A. (2016). Social support as a mediator between job control and psychological strain. Social Science and Medicine, 157, 148–155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2016.04.007.CrossRef

Brailovskaia, J., Forkmann, T., Glaesmer, H., Paashaus, L., Rath, D., Schönfelder, A., & Teismann, T. (2019). Positive mental health moderates the association between suicide ideation and suicide attempts. Journal of affective disorders, 245, 246–249. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2018.11.005.CrossRef

Browne, M.W., & Cudeck, R. (1993). Alternative ways of assessing model fit. In K. A. Bollen & J. S. Long (Eds.), Testing structural equation models. Newberry Park, CA: Age.

Caron, J. (1996). L’Échelle de provisions sociales: Une validation québécoise. Santé mentale au Québec, 21(2), 158–180. https://doi.org/10.7202/032403ar.CrossRef

Cassel, J. (1974). Psychosocial processes and “stress”: Theoretical formulation. International Journal of Health Services, 4(3), 471–482. https://doi.org/10.2190/WF7X-Y1L0-BFKH-9QU2.CrossRef

Cieslak, R., Knoll, N., & Luszczynska, A. (2007). Reciprocal relations among job demands, job control, and social support are moderated by neuroticism: A cross-lagged analysis. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 71(1), 84–96. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2007.03.001.CrossRef

Cohen, S., & Wills, T. A. (1985). Stress, social support, and the buffering hypothesis. Psychological Bulletin, 98, 310–357. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.98.2.310.CrossRef

Cronly, J., Duff, A., Riekert, K., Horgan, A., Lehane, E., Perry, I., et al. (2019). Positive mental health and wellbeing in adults with cystic fibrosis: A cross sectional study. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 116, 125–130. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2018.11.016.CrossRef

Cutrona, C. E., & Russell, D. W. (1987). The provisions of social relationships and adaptation to stress. Advances in Personal Relationships, 1(1), 37–67.

Daniels, K., & Guppy, A. (1994). Occupational stress, social support, job control, and psychological well-being. Human Relations, 47(12), 1523–1544. https://doi.org/10.1177/001872679404701205.CrossRef

Day, A., Crown, S. N., & Ivany, M. (2017). Organisational change and employee burnout: The moderating effects of support and job control. Safety Science, 100, 4–12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2017.03.004.CrossRef

Diener, E., & Chan, M. Y. (2011). Happy people live longer: Subjective well-being contributes to health and longevity. Applied Psychology: Health Well-Being, 3(1), 1–43. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1758-0854.2010.01045.x.CrossRef

Doef, M., & Maes, S. (1999). The Job Demand-Control (-Support) Model and psychological well-being: A review of 20 years of empirical research. Work and Stress, 13(2), 87–114. https://doi.org/10.1080/026783799296084.CrossRef

Edwards, J. R., & Lambert, L. S. (2007). Methods for integrating moderation and mediation: A general analytical framework using moderated path analysis. Psychological Methods, 12(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1037/1082-989X.12.1.1.CrossRef

Elliott, K. J., Rodwell, J., & Martin, A. J. (2017). Aged care nurses’ job control influence satisfaction and mental health. Journal of Nursing Management, 25(7), 558–568. https://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.12493.CrossRef

Feißel, A., Peter, R., Swart, E., & March, S. (2018). Developing an extended model of the relation between work motivation and health as affected by the work ability as part of a corporate age management approach. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(4), 779. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15040779.CrossRef

Gecková, A., Van Dijk, J. P., Stewart, R., Groothoff, J. W., & Post, D. (2003). Influence of social support on health among gender and socio-economic groups of adolescents. The European Journal of Public Health, 13(1), 44–50. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/13.1.44.CrossRef

Hall, E. M. (1989). Gender, work control, and stress: a theoretical discussion and an empirical test. International Journal of Health Services, 19(4), 725–745. https://doi.org/10.2190/5MYW-PGP9-4M72-TPXF.CrossRef

Hefner, J., & Eisenberg, D. (2009). Social support and mental health among college students. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 79(4), 491–499. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0016918.CrossRef

Heinrichs, K., Li, J., & Loerbroks, A. (2019). General practitioner visits and physical activity with asthma-the role of job decision authority: A cross-sectional study. International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, 92(8), 1173–1178. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-019-01456-x.CrossRef

Horan, J. M., & Widom, C. S. (2015). From childhood maltreatment to allostatic load in adulthood: the role of social support. Child Maltreatment, 20(4), 229–239. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077559515597063.CrossRef

Hoyle, R.H. (1995). The structural equation modeling approach: Basic concepts and fundamental issues. In R. H. Hoyle (Ed.), Structural equation modeling: Concepts, issues, and applications. Thousand Oaks, CA, US: Sage Publications, Inc.

Hu, K. (2020). Investigations into ventral prefrontal cortex using mediation models. Journal of Neuroscience Research, 98(4), 632–642. https://doi.org/10.1002/jnr.24512.CrossRef

Hu, L. T., & Bentler, P. M. (1999). Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis: Conventional criteria versus new alternatives. Structural Equation Modeling, 6(1), 1–55. https://doi.org/10.1080/10705519909540118.CrossRef

Huebner, E. S., & Gilman, R. (2003). Toward a focus on positive psychology in school psychology. School Psychology Quarterly, 18(2), 99–102. https://doi.org/10.1521/scpq.18.2.99.21862.CrossRef

Jia, J., Li, D., Li, X., Zhou, Y., Wang, Y., Sun, W., & Zhao, L. (2018). Peer victimization and adolescent Internet addiction: The mediating role of psychological security and the moderating role of teacher-student relationships. Computers in Human Behavior, 85, 116–124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2018.03.042.CrossRef

Jones, C. N., You, S., & Furlong, M. J. (2013). A preliminary examination of covitality as integrated well-being in college students. Social Indicators Research, 111(2), 511–526. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-012-0017-9.CrossRef

Kamardeen, I., & Sunindijo, R. Y. (2017). Personal characteristics moderate work stress in construction professionals. Journal of Construction Engineering Management, 143(10), 04017072. https://doi.org/10.1061/(asce)co.1943-7862.0001386.CrossRef

Karasek, R. A. (1979). Job demands, job decision latitude, and mental strain: Implications for job redesign. Administrative Science Quarterly, 24(2), 285–308. https://doi.org/10.2307/2392498.CrossRef

Karasek, R., & Theorell, T. (1990). Healthy work: Stress, productivity and the reconstruction of working life. Basic Books Inc.

Keyes, C. (2009). Atlanta: Brief description of the mental health continuum short form (MHC-SF). Retrieved from http://www.sociology.emory.edu/ckeyes/

Khim, K. (2016). Are health workers motivated by income? Job motivation of Cambodian primary health workers implementing performance-based financing. Global Health Action, 9(1), 31068. https://doi.org/10.3402/gha.v9.31068.CrossRef

Kline, R. B. (2015). Principles and practice of structural equation modeling. Guilford press.

Klonsky, E. D., & May, A. M. (2015). The three-step theory (3ST): A new theory of suicide rooted in the “ideation-to-action” framework. International Journal of Cognitive Therapy, 8(2), 114–129. https://doi.org/10.1521/ijct.2015.8.2.114.CrossRef

Konze, A. K., Rivkin, W., & Schmidt, K. H. (2017). Is job control a double-edged sword? A cross-lagged panel study on the interplay of quantitative workload, emotional dissonance, and job control on emotional exhaustion. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14(12), 1608. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14121608.CrossRef

La Torre., G., Sestili., C., Mannocci., A., Sinopoli., A., De Paolis., M., De Francesco., S., et al. (2018). Association between work related stress and health related quality of life: The impact of socio-demographic variables. A cross sectional study in a region of central Italy. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(1), 159. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15010159.

Lamers, S. M., Westerhof, G. J., Glas, C. A., & Bohlmeijer, E. T. (2015). The bidirectional relation between positive mental health and psychopathology in a longitudinal representative panel study. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 10(6), 553–560. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2015.1015156.CrossRef

Lee, J. S., Koeske, G. F., & Sales, E. (2004). Social support buffering of acculturation stress: A study of mental health symptoms among korean international students. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 28(5), 399–414. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2004.08.005.CrossRef

Luchman, J. N., & González-Morales, M. G. (2013). Demands, control, and support: A meta-analytic review of work characteristics interrelationships. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 18(1), 37–52. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0030541.CrossRef

Magnusson Hanson, L. L., Theorell, T., Bech, P., Rugulies, R., Burr, H., Hyde, M., et al. (2009). Psychosocial working conditions and depressive symptoms among Swedish employees. International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, 82(8), 951–960.CrossRef

Marino, C., Hirst, C., Murray, C., Vieno, A., & Spada, M. (2018). Positive mental health as a predictor of problematic internet and Facebook use in adolescents and young adults. Journal of Happiness Studies, 19(7), 2009–2022. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-017-9908-4.CrossRef

Melkman, E. P. (2017). Childhood adversity, social support networks and well-being among youth aging out of care: An exploratory study of mediation. Child Abuse and Neglect, 72, 85–97. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2017.07.020.CrossRef

Mikkelsen, A., Saksvik, P. O., Eriksen, H. R., & Ursin, H. (1999). The impact of learning opportunities and decision authority on occupational health. Work and Stress, 13(1), 20–31. https://doi.org/10.1080/026783799296165.CrossRef

Milner, A., Krnjacki, L., & LaMontagne, A. (2016). Age and gender differences in the influence of social support on mental health: a longitudinal fixed-effects analysis using 13 annual waves of the HILDA cohort. Public Health, 140, 172–178. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2016.06.029.CrossRef

Okay-Somerville, B., & Scholarios, D. (2019). A multilevel examination of skills-oriented human resource management and perceived skill utilization during recession: Implications for the well-being of all workers. Human Resource Management, 58(2), 139–154. https://doi.org/10.1002/hrm.21941.CrossRef

Oshio, T., Umeda, M., & Kawakami, N. (2013). Impact of interpersonal adversity in childhood on adult mental health: how much is mediated by social support and socio-economic status in Japan? Public Health, 127(8), 754–760. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2013.05.005.CrossRef

Park, Y., & Kim, S. (2019). Customer mistreatment harms nightly sleep and next-morning recovery: Job control and recovery self-efficacy as cross-level moderators. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 24(4), 256–269. https://doi.org/10.1037/ocp0000128.CrossRef

Penz, K. L., Kosteniuk, J. G., Stewart, N. J., MacLeod, M. L., Kulig, J. C., Karunanayake, C. P., & Kilpatrick, K. (2019). Development and psychometric evaluation of the job demands in nursing scale and job resources in nursing scale: Results from a national study. Nursing Open, 6(2), 348–366. https://doi.org/10.1002/nop2.215.CrossRef

Perreault, M., Touré, E. H., Perreault, N., & Caron, J. (2017). Employment status and mental health: Mediating roles of social support and coping strategies. Psychiatric Quarterly, 88(3), 501–514. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11126-016-9460-0.CrossRef

Preenen, P. T., Dorenbosch, L., Plantinga, E., & Dhondt, S. (2016). The influence of task challenge on skill utilization, affective wellbeing and intrapreneurial behaviour. Economic and Industrial Democracy, 40(4), 954–975. https://doi.org/10.1177/0143831X16677367.CrossRef

Ryff, C. D. (1989). Happiness is everything, or is it? Explorations on the meaning of psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57(6), 1069–1081. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.57.6.1069.CrossRef

Seow, L. S. E., Vaingankar, J. A., Abdin, E., Sambasivam, R., Jeyagurunathan, A., Pang, S., & Subramaniam, M. (2016). Positive mental health in outpatients with affective disorders: Associations with life satisfaction and general functioning. Journal of Affective Disorders, 190, 499–507. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2015.10.021.CrossRef

Sia, S. K., & Duari, P. (2018). Agentic work behaviour and thriving at work: role of decision making authority. Benchmarking: An International Journal, 25(8), 3225–3237. https://doi.org/10.1108/BIJ-07-2017-0204.CrossRef

Siegmann, P., Teismann, T., Fritsch, N., Forkmann, T., Glaesmer, H., Zhang, X. C., & Margraf, J. (2018). Resilience to suicide ideation: A cross-cultural test of the buffering hypothesis. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, 25(1), e1–e9.CrossRef

Skinner, E. A. (1995). Perceived control, motivation, and coping. Sage Publications.CrossRef

Spector, P. E. (1986). Perceived control by employees: A meta-analysis of studies concerning autonomy and participation at work. Human Relations, 39(11), 1005–1016. https://doi.org/10.1177/001872678603901104.CrossRef

Statistics Canada (2013). Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS)-Mental Health User Guide. Retrieved from Ottawa: Statistics Canada. http://www23.statcan.gc.ca/imdb/p2SV.pl?Function=getSurvey&SDDS=5015#a1. Accessed 12 January 2019.

Tajvar, M., Grundy, E., & Fletcher, A. (2018). Social support and mental health status of older people: A population-based study in Iran-Tehran. Aging and Mental Health, 22(3), 344–353. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2016.1261800.CrossRef

Tamminen, N., Reinikainen, J., Appelqvist-Schmidlechner, K., Borodulin, K., Mäki-Opas, T., & Solin, P. (2020). Associations of physical activity with positive mental health: A population-based study. Mental Health and Physical Activity, 18, 100319. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mhpa.2020.100319.CrossRef

Theorell, T., De Manzano, O., Lennartsson, A. K., Pedersen, N. L., & Ullen, F. (2016). Self-reported psychological demands, skill discretion and decision authority at work: A twin study. Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, 44(4), 354–360. https://doi.org/10.1177/1403494815626610.CrossRef

Thoits, P.A. (1985). Social support and psychological well-being: Theoretical possibilities. Social Support: Theory, Research and Applications, 24, 51–72.

Thoits, P. A. (2010). Stress and health: Major findings and policy implications. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 51(1), S41–S53. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022146510383499.CrossRef

Vaingankar, J. A., Subramaiam, M., Lim, Y. W., Sherbourne, C., Luo, N., Ryan, G., et al. (2012). From well-being to positive mental health: conceptualization and qualitative development of an instrument in Singapore. Quality of Life Research, 21(10), 1785–1794. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-011-0105-3.CrossRef

Wang, Z., Liu, H., Yu, H., Wu, Y., Chang, S., & Wang, L. (2017). Associations between occupational stress, burnout and well-being among manufacturing workers: mediating roles of psychological capital and self-esteem. BMC Psychiatry, 17(1), 364. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-017-1533-6.CrossRef

Wilcock, A.A. (2006). An occupational perspective of health. Thorofare: NJ: Slack.

Willemse, B. M., de Jonge, J., Smit, D., Depla, M. F., & Pot, A. M. (2012). The moderating role of decision authority and coworker- and supervisor support on the impact of job demands in nursing homes: A cross-sectional study. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 49(7), 822–833. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2012.02.003.CrossRef

Witte, H. D., Verhofstadt, E., & Omey, E. (2007). Testing Karasek’s learning and strain hypotheses on young workers in their first job. Work and Stress, 21(2), 131–141. https://doi.org/10.1080/02678370701405866.CrossRef

Title: Decision Authority on Positive Mental Health in the Workforce: A Moderated Mediation Model of Social Support, Gender, Income, and Occupation
Authors: Tingting Gao
Songli Mei
Muzi Li
Carl D’Arcy
Xiangfei Meng
Publication date: 02-04-2021
Publisher: Springer Netherlands
Published in: Journal of Happiness Studies / Issue 1/2022
Print ISSN: 1389-4978
Electronic ISSN: 1573-7780
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-021-00384-3

Springer Professional

Abstract

Please log in to get access to your license.

Dont have a licence yet? Then find out more about our products and how to get one now:

Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik"

Springer Professional "Wirtschaft"

Other articles of this Issue 1/2022

Correction to: Decision Authority on Positive Mental Health in the Workforce: A Moderated Mediation Model of Social Support, Gender, Income, and Occupation

Positive Emotions Boost Enthusiastic Responsiveness to Capitalization Attempts. Dissecting Self-Report, Physiology, and Behavior

Buffer Stock Operations and Well-Being: The Case of Smallholder Farmers in Ghana

Influence of Emotion Regulation on Affective State: Moderation by Trait Cheerfulness

Meaning in Life Trajectories Among College Students: Differential Effects of a Mentoring Program

Income Status and Life Satisfaction