Protective, promotive, and buffering effects of perceived social support in managerial stress: The moderating role of personality

Abstract

The paper investigated the effects of perceived social support such as (a) protection from stress, (b) promotion of wellbeing, and (c) buffering negative effects of stress on wellbeing. Those effects were analysed in the context of moderating role of hardiness and emotional reactivity in a sample of 152 man managers. At first wave of data collection perceived social support from different sources, work stress, wellbeing, hardiness and emotional reactivity were measured. Six weeks later wellbeing and work stress were assessed again. Results of hierarchical regression showed that support from supervisors protects from work stress. Promotive effect of social support was found only in analyses where the moderating role of personality was considered. Buffering effect was found more frequently, if the moderating role of personality was considered, compared to analyses that did not include any personality moderator. Social support from coworkers or family buffered the effects of work stress in managers with low hardiness or high emotional reactivity. Managers with low hardiness (or with high emotional reactivity) who perceived high support had the same level of curiosity, regardless work stress. The results are discussed in the context of support—stress—outcome matching hypothesis. An extension of matching hypothesis may be proposed, referring to the fit between social support, stress, wellbeing (or stress outcomes), and personality characteristics.

Keywords:

• Social support
• work stress
• wellbeing
• hardiness

Notes

1 The results that are not presented in details are available from the corresponding author.