Abstract
The presented study combines conservation of resource theory with latent deprivation theory to explain the negative relationship between job insecurity and mental health. Specifically, we propose that people who face the threat of job insecure would perceive worse access to the benefits of work, which would explain the negative effect of job insecurity on mental health. In a two-wave study, employees rated their perceived job insecurity, their access to the benefits of work, and their mental health. Cross-sectional multiple mediation analysis at Time 1 (n = 295) and Time 2 (n = 236) showed that the negative relationship between job insecurity and mental health was partly due to a perceived lack of the benefits of work. Longitudinal results (n = 173) revealed that job insecurity was related to a decrease in financial benefits, which in turn predicted mental health. However, this effect was only visible if it was not controlled for prior levels of the benefits of work. The results are discussed with regards to conservation of resource theory and latent deprivation theory and the potential of this framework for explaining negative mental health effects of job insecurity.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 725-736 |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| Journal | European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology |
| Volume | 22 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Dec 2013 |
Fields of science
- 501001 General psychology
- 501003 Occupational psychology
- 501004 Differential psychology
- 501 Psychology
- 501016 Educational psychology
- 501021 Social psychology
- 501020 Legal psychology
- 508007 Communication science
- 508009 Media research
JKU Focus areas
- Management and Innovation
- Social Systems, Markets and Welfare States
- Social and Economic Sciences (in general)
