title: Building resilience through exposure to stressors: The effects of challenges versus hindrances.
abstract: This paper explores the potential for certain types of stressors to build resilience in the occupational setting. Using the challenge-hindrance stressor framework (Cavanaugh, Boswell, Roehling, & Boudreau, 2000), we propose that challenge stressors have the potential to promote the capacity for resilience, whereas hindrance stressors experienced in the workplace erode resilient functioning. Employing a 2-wave longitudinal design we examined the effects of challenge and hindrance stressors on psychological resilience and strain 3 months later. Two-hundred and 8 working adults (48.1% female) participated in both surveys. Findings indicated that Time 1 challenge stressors had a significant effect on psychological resilience 3 months later (Time 2). In contrast, Time 1 hindrance stressors positively predicted Time 2 strain and negatively predicted psychological resilience. Moreover, resilience mediated the relationship between Time 1 stressors and Time 2 strain. These results demonstrate the potential positive and negative impacts of workplace stressor types on psychological resilience, and provide an exploration of a mechanism through which challenge and hindrance stressors influence well-being. This analysis also investigated the role of resilience in moderating the relationship between hindrances and strain. Some evidence emerged for the moderating role of resilience in the hindrance-strain relationship. The implications of these findings and directions for future research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Macquarie University.
authors.forename: Monique F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Crane
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Macquarie University.
authors.forename: Ben J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Searle
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D055500:Resilience, Psychological; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D013334:Students; D014495:Universities; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult