Research Article Open Access

Can Emotional Stability Buffer the Effect of Job Stress on Deviant Behavior?

Aminah Ahmad1, Zoharah Omar2, Farah Mardiana Radzali2 and Mohammed Bashir Saidu1
  • 1 Institute for Social Science Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
  • 2 Faculty of Educational Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

Abstract

The interrelationships between job stress, WDB and emotional stability have not been studied in a model to comprehend whether emotional stability could weaken the impact of job stress on employee deviant behavior. We tested a model on the moderating role of emotional stability, a personality factor, in the relationship between job stress and workplace deviant behavior. The model was developed based on the general strain theory and the integrated general model of workplace deviant behavior. Structural equation modeling analysis was conducted on survey data from 261 employees from six Malaysian public service agencies. Our results supported the proposed model. The stress-deviance relationship is significant. The stress-deviance linkage is stronger among employees who are less emotionally stable than those who are more emotionally stable. The results suggest that emotional stability as a personality factor plays a vital role in further understanding the impact of job stress on employee deviant behavior. Based on the results, the general strain theory and the integrated general model of workplace deviant behavior could serve as the bases for explaining the stress-deviance relationship and the moderating role of emotional stability.

American Journal of Applied Sciences
Volume 14 No. 7, 2017, 670-677

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3844/ajassp.2017.670.677

Submitted On: 26 January 2017 Published On: 30 June 2017

How to Cite: Ahmad, A., Omar, Z., Radzali, F. M. & Saidu, M. B. (2017). Can Emotional Stability Buffer the Effect of Job Stress on Deviant Behavior?. American Journal of Applied Sciences, 14(7), 670-677. https://doi.org/10.3844/ajassp.2017.670.677

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Keywords

  • Job Stress
  • Deviant Behavior
  • Counterproductive Work Behavior
  • Emotional Stability