Reciprocal relationships between resources, work and study engagement, and mental health: Evidence for gain cycles

The main objective of this study was to investigate reciprocal effects between personal resources, job/study resources, engagement, and mental health. Building on the Conservation of Resources Theory and the Job-Demands Resources (JD-R) model, we explored whether positive cycles evolve between all study variables over time. In two studies we surveyed 326 psychotherapists and 550 students in two and three waves respectively over a 5-month time lag. Structural equation modelling analyses revealed that all variables, job/study resources, personal resources, engagement, and mental health, show direct reciprocal relationships over time. Mediation analyses provided evidence for gain cycles, revealing that personal resources simultaneously serve as predictors, mediators, and outcomes on the motivational axis of JD-R. Finally, mental health emerges as a long-term outcome on the motivational axis. The findings suggest that a one-directional view of relationships falls short in explaining the underlying dynamics. They also provide evidence for gain cycles between personal resources, engagement, and mental health.