Coping styles moderate the relationships between exposure to community violence and work-related outcomes

The purpose of this study was to identify coping strategies used by employees exposed to community violence and their relationships to work-related outcomes. In study 1, Mexican Maquiladora employees who experienced community violence reported their coping strategies. Results identified 3 strategies: social, solitary, and maladaptive coping. In study 2, another sample completed measures of violence exposure, strain, coping, and turnover intention. Supervisors provided performance evaluations. Community violence predicted the use of all 3 strategies. Social coping lessened the effects of community violence on turnover while maladaptive strategies predicted increased psychological strain. Results indicate that workers use a variety of coping strategies in response to community violence that both lessen and magnify the effects of violence exposure and impact their psychological strain, turnover intention, and job performance. (PsycINFO Database Record