Spector, P. E., Chen, P. Y., & O'Connell, B. J. (2000). A Longitudinal Study of Relations Between Job Stressors and Job Strains While Controlling for Prior Negative Affectivity and Strains. Journal of Applied Psychology, 85, 211-218. Abstract

Interpretation of observed relations between job stressors and job strains in cross-sectional surveys is often ambiguous due to possible third variables (both stable background factors such as personality and transitory occasion factors such as mood). In this longitudinal study, a measure of negative affectivity (NA) and strains were assessed both in college and later on the job. Stressors were assessed only on the job. Evidence was found that some background factors affected measures of job stressors and job strains in that college measures were significantly related to subsequent measures on the job. Relations between job stressors and job strains, however, were in most cases not affected significantly when we controlled prior strains and NA. Furthermore, our results suggested that NA measures are subject to occasion factors. (Copyright 1999, American Psychological Association.)