Work conditions and employees' self-set goals: goal processes enhance prediction of psychological distress and well-being.
Although previous theory and research suggest that employee well-being should be predicted by work conditions (viz., Karasek and colleagues' job demands-control-social support [J-DCS] model), other factors are also likely to be important. In this study, the authors consider correlates of employee psychological distress and well-being using a goal-focused approach grounded in Ford's (1992) motivational systems theory. Specifically, work conditions and midlevel work goal processes (WGP) were examined in a questionnaire study of health care employees. Regarding predictions derived from the J-DCS model, the authors found full support for the iso-strain, partial support for the nonlinearity, and no support for the buffer hypothesis. Of importance, however, WGP (i.e., cognitions and emotions involved in the pursuit of self-set work goals) explained variance in job satisfaction, burnout, depression, and somatic complaints, over and above that of the J-DCS model. This suggests that investigation of WGP can enhance our understanding of employee psychological distress and well-being.
Pomaki
Georgia
G
Department of Psychology, Leiden University, The Netherlands. pomaki@fsw.leidenuniv.nl
Maes
Stan
S
Ter Doest
Laura
L
D000328:Adult; D002322:Career Mobility; D005260:Female; D006040:Goals; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D017132:Workplace