Do resources bolster coping and does coping buffer stress? An organizational study with longitudinal aspect and...

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Psychology
• Stress and Coping Studies

Background:

• Workplace redeployment presents significant stressors for psychiatric workers.
• Understanding the interplay of resources, coping mechanisms, and well-being is crucial for this population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the relationship between stressors, resources (locus of control, social support), coping strategies, and well-being in psychiatric workers.
• To investigate the longitudinal effects of stressors and coping on well-being over one year.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional and longitudinal regression analyses were performed on questionnaire data from 109 psychiatric workers at baseline and 1 year later.
• Measures included stressors, locus of control, perceived social support, coping styles (avoidance, problem-focused, emotion-focused), well-being, and negative affectivity.

Main Results:

• Higher stressors correlated with increased avoidance coping, particularly for those with lower internality and perceived social support.
• Internality bolstered problem-focused coping, while perceived social support enhanced emotion-focused coping.
• Workplace stressors negatively impacted well-being over time. Problem- and emotion-focused coping showed beneficial effects, whereas avoidance coping had a delayed detrimental effect on well-being.

Conclusions:

• Locus of control and social support can mitigate the negative impact of stressors on coping strategies.
• Active coping strategies (problem- and emotion-focused) positively influence well-being, while avoidance coping is detrimental in the long term.
• Interventions supporting adaptive coping mechanisms are vital for psychiatric workers facing occupational stress and redeployment.