Journal of Psychosomatic Research
Volume 60, Issue 1 , Pages 45-52, January 2006

Negatively oriented personality and perceived negative job characteristics as predictors of future psychological and physical symptoms: A meta-analytic structural modelling approach

  • Eamonn Ferguson

      Affiliations

    • School of Psychology, University of Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +44 115 951 5327; fax: +44 115 951 15324.
  • ,
  • Kevin Daniels

      Affiliations

    • Business School, Loughborough University, Leicestershire, LE11 3TU, UK
    • Tel.: +44 1509 222720; fax: +44 1509 223961.
  • ,
  • David Jones

      Affiliations

    • Institute of Work, Health and Organisations, Science Park, University of Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
    • Tel.: +44 115 846 6626; fax: +44 115 846 6625.

Received 15 October 2004; received in revised form 13 June 2005; accepted 30 June 2005.

Abstract 

Objectives

There is evidence that perceptions of negative job characteristics (e.g., lack of control) and negatively oriented personality (e.g., negative affect) both predict symptom reporting. However, the relative contribution of these factors is rarely examined. This paper uses meta-analytic structural equation modelling (MA-SEM) to explore their relative contribution.

Methods

A meta-analysis of recent longitudinal studies was conducted. Eight studies covering 10 separate samples met the inclusion criteria (N=2104) and were used in the MA-SEM. Meta-correlations were used to construct structural equations models in which perceived negative job characteristics (PNJC) and negatively oriented personality (NOP) at baseline were used to predict concurrent and future symptom reporting, controlling for symptom reporting at baseline.

Results

The results indicated that a model based solely on NOP offered a more parsimonious account for baseline and future symptom reporting than did PNJC.

Conclusions

The evidence indicates interventions should focus on both individuals and organizations, and not just organizational-level interventions.

Keywords: Personality, Negative affectivity, Job characteristics, Symptoms

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PII: S0022-3999(05)00218-7

doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2005.06.076

Journal of Psychosomatic Research
Volume 60, Issue 1 , Pages 45-52, January 2006