A Cross-National Examination of Self-Efficacy as a Moderator of Autonomy/Job Strain Relationships

This study evaluated the cross-national validity of cognitive appraisal theories (e.g. Lazarus & Folkman, 1984) of stress by examining differences in the interaction of job autonomy and generalised self-efficacy in the prediction of psychological and physical strains among US and Chinese employees. As posited by cognitive appraisal theories, high self-efficacy served as a buffer against. low job autonomy in the prediction of psychological and physical strains among US employees. However, the buffering effect of self-efficacy was unclear among Chinese employees. For Chinese employees with high self-efficacy, job autonomy was negatively related to job strains, but for Chinese employees with low self-efficacy, job autonomy was positively related to job strains. The results highlight the importance of attending to Culture in examinations of stressor-strain relations.