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

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