Antecedents of Psychological Capital (PsyCap): An Analysis of Technical and Social Variables

Abstract

Over the past two decades, positive psychology researchers have explored the intricacies of psychological capital (PsyCap), a multidimensional latent construct comprising resilience, selfefficacy, optimism, and hope, because it promotes desirable job attitudes and behaviors and enhances job performance. Despite its established associations with favorable organizational outcomes, the antecedents of PsyCap remain underexplored, limiting understanding of factors fostering its development. This study aimed to identify the technical (role conflict and role ambiguity) and social (supervisor support and perceived organizational justice) antecedents of PsyCap. A quantitative method with a cross-sectional design was employed to achieve this objective, collecting data via an online protocol consisting of self-report measures and a sociodemographic questionnaire. The sample comprised 723 Portuguese Workers, with 42.8% females and 57.2% males, meeting the inclusion criteria of being at least 18 years old and in active employment. Multiple linear regression using R software has been selected as this research’s primary data analysis technique. The analysis revealed that procedural and interpersonal justice were positively associated with PsyCap, while distributive and informational justice were not. Contrary to expectations, role conflict was positively associated with PsyCap, while role ambiguity established a negative relations. Supervisor support was not significantly related to PsyCap. These findings emphasize the importance of fair treatment and positive organizational interactions in enhancing PsyCap and highlight the nuanced roles of role stressors in its development. This study provides evidence to guide organizational practices to foster psychological resources in employees.