title: The mediating role of interpersonal conflict at work in the relationship between negative affectivity and biomarkers of stress.
abstract: This study examined the association between interpersonal conflict at work (ICW) and serum levels of three possible biomarkers of stress, namely the pro-inflammatory cytokines Interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β), Interleukin 12 (IL-12), and Interleukin 17 (IL-17). Additionally, this study investigated the role of negative affectivity (NA) in the relationship between ICW and the pro-inflammatory cytokines. Data from 121 employees in an Italian healthcare organization were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Results showed that ICW was positively associated with IL-1β, IL-12, and IL-17, after controlling for the effect of gender. Moreover, ICW completely mediated the relationship between NA and the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-12, and IL-17. This mediating effect was significant after controlling for the effect of gender. Overall, this study suggests that work-related stress may be associated with biomarkers of inflammation, and that negative affectivity may influence the stress process affecting the exposure to psychosocial stressors.
authors.affiliation: FISPPA Section of Applied Psychology, University of Padova, Via Venezia, 8, 35131, Padua, Italy. damiano.girardi@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Damiano
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Girardi
authors.affiliation: FISPPA Section of Applied Psychology, University of Padova, Via Venezia, 8, 35131, Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Falco
authors.affiliation: Human Science Department, LUMSA University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Carlo
authors.affiliation: Human Science Department, LUMSA University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Benevene
authors.affiliation: Institute for Maternal and Child Health-IRCCS, Burlo Garofolo, Triest, Italy.|Medical Science Department, University of Trieste, Triest, Italy.
authors.forename: Manola
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Comar
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Triest, Italy.
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tongiorgi
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiologic, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences, University of Padova, Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni Battista
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Bartolucci
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000097:blood; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000097:blood; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000097:blood; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D020381:Interleukin-17; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D018664:Interleukin-12
keywords: Interleukin 1 beta; Interleukin 12; Interleukin 17; Interpersonal conflict at work; Negative affectivity; Work-related stress