Psychosocial work stressors and well-being: self-esteem and optimism as moderators in a one-year longitudinal sample

The purpose of the present follow-up study was to investigate the roles of self-esteem and optimism in the relationship between psychosocial work stressors and well-being for a sample of Finnish employees (n=457). The data were obtained by means of questionnaires which were completed twice, in 1999 and 2000. The results of the moderated hierarchical regression analyses revealed that low levels of self-esteem and optimism had a direct negative effect on emotional exhaustion and mental distress among men employees. Furthermore, self-esteem moderated the relationships between poor organizational climate and emotional exhaustion and mental distress among male employees. Among female employees optimism moderated the relationships between time pressures at work, job insecurity and poor organizational climate on mental distress. Altogether, our present study suggests that self-esteem and optimism are important resources which both have main effects as well as moderator effects on well-being, although these effects are gender specific.