The Moderating Effect of Support Climate on the Relationship between Psychological Capital and Secondary Traumatic Stress

Disciplines

Psychology

Abstract (300 words maximum)

The Moderating Effect of Support Climate on the relationship between Psychological Capital and Secondary Traumatic Stress

The Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model indicates that job and personal resources reduce job strain and promote health among workers. Child welfare workers that provide direct services are at risk for experiencing secondary traumatic stress (STS) as their job requires handling the trauma of others. Psychological Capital (PsyCap) is a personal resource that focuses on hope, self-efficacy, optimism, and resilience. Literature shows that PsyCap helps to decrease burnout and stress which we expect to relate STS. Literature also describes a negative relationship between Support Climate and mental health (e.g., stress, burnout, anxiety, etc.). We expect that Support Climate will also reduce the feeling of STS and enhances the relationship between PsyCap and STS. This study aims to evaluate the moderating effect of Support Climate between PsyCap and STS. Data was collected from 468 workers that provide direct service at a child welfare agency in Puerto Rico (82.1% female; 96.2% had a bachelor’s or graduate degree; average years working in the organization 16.56 [SD=7.88]). The regression analysis results show that psychological capital is related to STS (ß= -.503, pß= -.309, pß=.253, p=010). When workers perceive a low support climate and low PsyCap, they experience higher levels of STS. While having high psychological capital helps to reduce STS, perceiving high support helps to further reduce STS. Literature indicates that PsyCap can be developed; therefore, these results suggest that we could improve these personal resources to cope with STS. Additionally, organizations should design and implement programs and policies (i.e., positive and supportive leadership) to create a positive environment to further protect against experiencing STS.

Keywords: Job Demands-Resources, Support Climate, Psychological Capital, Secondary Traumatic Stress, Child Welfare Workers

Academic department under which the project should be listed

RCHSS - Psychological Science

Primary Investigator (PI) Name

Israel Sanchez-Cardona

Additional Faculty

N/A

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The Moderating Effect of Support Climate on the Relationship between Psychological Capital and Secondary Traumatic Stress

The Moderating Effect of Support Climate on the relationship between Psychological Capital and Secondary Traumatic Stress

The Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model indicates that job and personal resources reduce job strain and promote health among workers. Child welfare workers that provide direct services are at risk for experiencing secondary traumatic stress (STS) as their job requires handling the trauma of others. Psychological Capital (PsyCap) is a personal resource that focuses on hope, self-efficacy, optimism, and resilience. Literature shows that PsyCap helps to decrease burnout and stress which we expect to relate STS. Literature also describes a negative relationship between Support Climate and mental health (e.g., stress, burnout, anxiety, etc.). We expect that Support Climate will also reduce the feeling of STS and enhances the relationship between PsyCap and STS. This study aims to evaluate the moderating effect of Support Climate between PsyCap and STS. Data was collected from 468 workers that provide direct service at a child welfare agency in Puerto Rico (82.1% female; 96.2% had a bachelor’s or graduate degree; average years working in the organization 16.56 [SD=7.88]). The regression analysis results show that psychological capital is related to STS (ß= -.503, pß= -.309, pß=.253, p=010). When workers perceive a low support climate and low PsyCap, they experience higher levels of STS. While having high psychological capital helps to reduce STS, perceiving high support helps to further reduce STS. Literature indicates that PsyCap can be developed; therefore, these results suggest that we could improve these personal resources to cope with STS. Additionally, organizations should design and implement programs and policies (i.e., positive and supportive leadership) to create a positive environment to further protect against experiencing STS.

Keywords: Job Demands-Resources, Support Climate, Psychological Capital, Secondary Traumatic Stress, Child Welfare Workers

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