One of the job resources most strongly associated with nurses’ well-being and motivation is social support. However, the psychosocial mechanisms that would explain this relationship have not been sufficiently researched. Thus, the main aim of this study was analyze whether this relationship could be mediated by two variables: role ambiguity and psychological flexibility. A total of 196 nurses from various Spanish hospitals and primary health care centers participated in this cross-sectional study. A multiple mediation analysis was run using the “PROCESS” macro script in SPSS 23.0. The results showed that co-worker support was related to higher levels of vigor and vitality through role ambiguity (Estimate = .158, 95% CI [.050, .298], and Estimate = .212, 95% CI [.076, .390], respectively). The same applied to supervisor support, (Estimate = .197, 95% CI [.059, .378], and Estimate = .212, 95% CI [.076, .390], respectively). Co-worker support was also related to higher levels of vigor and vitality through psychological flexibility, (Estimate = .132, 95% CI [.048, .271], and Estimate = .216, 95% CI [.086, .394], respectively). The same applied to supervisor support (Estimate = .092, 95% CI [.024, .208], and Estimate = .157, 95% CI [.035, .333], respectively). However, in the relationships between co-worker, supervisor support and exhaustion, only psychological flexibility played a mediating role. In conclusion, social support in nursing is a job resource that is associated with high levels of energy and motivation among nurses through the mediating role of certain job demands and personal resources.

This research investigates how employees' perceptions of role ambiguity might inhibit their propensity to engage in organizational citizenship behaviour (OCB), with a particular focus on the potential buffering roles of two personal resources in this process: political skill and organizational identification. Survey data collected from a manufacturing organization indicate that role ambiguity diminishes OCB, but this effect is attenuated when employees are equipped with political skill and have a strong sense of belonging to their organization. The buffering role of organizational identification also is particularly strong when employees have adequate political skills, suggesting the reinforcing, buffering roles of these two personal resources. Organizations that want to foster voluntary work behaviours, even if they cannot provide clear role descriptions for their employees, should nurture adequate personal resources within their employee ranks.

In this article, we examine the cross-cultural variation in the perceived effects of idealized influence and individualized consideration leadership behaviors – two behavioral dimensions of transformational leadership – on followers’ organizational identification in two culturally distinct countries: Russia and Finland. We also test whether the followers’ role ambiguity mediates these relationships. Using the self-concept-based theory of leadership as an explanatory framework, our analysis of white-collar employees in four Finland-based multinational corporations and their subsidiaries in Russia shows that whereas in Russia both behaviors facilitate followers’ identification, in Finland only idealized influence does. We also find differences in how role ambiguity mediates the relationship between the two behaviors and followers’ identification in the two countries. In Russia, it fully mediates the relationship between individualized consideration and followers’ identification, whereas in Finland it partially mediates the relationship between idealized influence and followers’ identification.

Authoritarian leaders make unilateral decisions and prevail over subordinates. Such leadership, as a style of exercising formal authority and position power, may inhibit employees’ extra-role behaviors in the hierarchical role structure. We explore employees’ role perceptions to better understand how supervisors’ authoritarian leadership decreases extra-role behaviors (OCBs). Authoritarian behavior is expected to generate subordinate perceptions of role conflict, role ambiguity, and role overload, with consequent negative effects on OCB. Hypotheses are tested using data from 613 subordinate – supervisor dyads. Empirical results indicate that authoritarian leadership increases subordinate role conflict and overload which then decreases OCB. Authoritarian behavior also increases role ambiguity, but role ambiguity is not associated with OCB. The article concludes with research suggestions and practical implications.

Introduction: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a common condition among Japanese firefighters. The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationship of PTSD scores to job stress, social support, and depressive stress among Japanese firefighters.

Methods: A total of 1,667 Japanese firefighters working for the local government completed a questionnaire that was used to gather information pertaining to age, gender, job type, job class, marital status, and smoking and drinking habits. Questionnaires from the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), the Japanese version of the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Generic Job Stress Questionnaire, and the IES-R were also used.

Results: After adjustment for age and gender, subjects in the PTSD-positive group had significantly higher scores for inter-group conflict, role ambiguity, and CES-D, as well as significantly lower scores for social support from their supervisors compared to those in the PTSD-negative group.

Conclusions: High inter-group conflict and role ambiguity, as well as low social support from supervisors and the presence of depressive symptoms, may influence the development of PTSD among Japanese firefighters.