Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 21, 2026

The Social Dimension of Stress: Experimental Manipulations of Social Support and Social Identity in the Trier Social Stress Test
Published on: November 19, 2015
Distributive justice, procedural justice, and psychological distress: the moderating effect of coworker support and
Vincent Rousseau1, Salwa Salek, Caroline Aubé
1School of Industrial Relations, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada. vincent.rousseau@umontreal.ca
Abstract:
Recent research has demonstrated that the perception of injustice at work may increase psychological health-related problems. The purpose of this study is to examine the moderating effect of coworker support and work autonomy on the relationships between both distributive and procedural justice and psychological distress. Results, on the basis of responses to questionnaires given to 248 prison employees, show that coworker support moderates the relationships between both forms of justice and psychological distress. Specifically, these relationships are weakened when employees benefit from a high level of coworker support. Furthermore, work autonomy moderates the relationship between procedural justice and psychological distress but not the relationship between distributive justice and psychological distress. Thus, procedural injustice is less likely to increase psychological distress when the level of work autonomy is high.
Related Concept Videos
Self-Discrepancy Theory
Equity Theory
Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques V
Self-Discrepancy and Its Effects
Sources of Self-Esteem III: Social Comparison
Psychological and Sociocultural Causes of Schizophrenia