The purpose of this study was to examine Lazarus and Folkman's (1984) stress and coping
theory in the context of workplace stress and coping with a focus on the influence of personal and
cultural resources on cognitive appraisal, coping strategies, and the well-being of Chinese who are
currently employed in professional occupations overseas. The data were collected from a
volunteer sample of 228 overseas Chinese professionals (128 men, 100 women, M age = 32.6).
Participants completed three sets of questionnaires over a six-week period (2 weeks apart).
Specific variables of interest included cultural, social, and personal resources (Chinese collective
values, perceived social support and work support, and general self-efficacy), situational
appraisals (perceived situational control and self-efficacy), ways of coping (Engagement,
Disengagement, and Collective strategies), and changes in short-term outcomes (job satisfaction,
somatic symptoms, and depression symptoms). Items that assessed collective ways of coping were
developed for this study.
Significant differences were found between men and women in this sample. As such, path
analysis (LISREL VIII) was used to test the hypothesized relationships in the model separately for
men and women. Based on a zero-order correlation matrix, the results for the initial hypothesized
path models indicated a moderate fitting model for men and an inadequate fitting model for
women. However, modified models revealed a good model fit for both men and women, X 2 (29,
N=128)=32.72, p=.29, Q=1.13, RMSR=.05, GFI=.96, and CFI=. 98, and X 2 (29, N=100)=44.10,
p=.04, Q=1.52, GFI=.93, RMSR-.07, and CFI=.92, respectively. The pattern of relationships
(path coefficients) provide partial supports for the hypothesized model and Lazarus and
Folkman's (1984) theoretical assumptions.
The results of this study were consistent with those obtained by other researchers who
found that coping resources are associated with coping strategies and short-term outcomes (e.g.,
Long, Kahn, & Schutz, 1992; Terry, Tonge, & Callan, 1995). For the men, personal resources of
General Self-efficacy were positively related to control appraisal, Work Support predicted
Collective coping, and Social Support was associated with a decrease in depressive symptoms. As
expected, Disengagement coping was found to have a significant effect on depressive symptoms
for the men. For the women, General Self-efficacy and Social Support were associated with
perceived self-efficacy, and predicted an increase in job satisfaction and a decrease in depressive
symptoms. Self-efficacy appraisal had negative effects on Disengagement coping. As
hypothesized, Engagement coping was negatively associated with changes in somatic symptoms,
and Disengagement coping predicted changes in both somatic and depressive symptoms. The
results Of factor analysis supported the development of a Collective coping subscale. Implications
of these results and suggestions for future research are discussed.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:BVAU.2429/9914 |
| Date | 05 1900 |
| Creators | Zhang, Dan |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Relation | UBC Retrospective Theses Digitization Project [http://www.library.ubc.ca/archives/retro_theses/] |
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