Affective Resilience Framework for Stress-Related Psychological Growth in Employment

Thesis Abstract

This study investigates how affective resilience processes facilitate stress-related psychological growth within organizational employment contexts, addressing the gap in integrative models that link emotion regulation, resilience trajectories, and positive adaptation under workplace stress. The aim is to develop an Affective Resilience Framework (ARF) that explicates mechanisms by which affective regulation, social support, and job resources interact to foster growth-oriented outcomes such as post-traumatic growth-style gains, enhanced well-being, and improved performance following stress exposure. Specific objectives are to (1) identify key affective regulation strategies (cognitive reappraisal, expressive suppression, affect labeling) that predict psychological growth; (2) examine the mediating role of positive affect, meaning-making, and perceived organizational support in the resilience-growth link; (3) test the moderating effects of individual differences (trait optimism, rumination, hedonic vs. eudaimonic motivation) and job characteristics (control, demands, resources) on growth trajectories; and (4) validate a cross-sectional measurement model and a longitudinal growth model to establish the ARF as a robust explanatory framework. A mixed-methods design will be employed, combining a cross-sectional quantitative phase with a longitudinal follow-up and an embedded qualitative component. In the quantitative phase, a purposive sample of 420 working adults across diverse sectors will be recruited via professional networks and organizational partnerships. Data will be collected using validated instruments the Brief Resilience Scale, the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, the Meaning in Life Questionnaire, the Perceived Organizational Support Scale, the Job Content Questionnaire, and scales assessing post-stressor psychological growth adapted for employment contexts. Structural equation modeling (SEM) will be used to test the hypothesized ARF pathways, including mediation by positive affect and meaning-making and moderation by trait and job characteristics. A longitudinal subset of 210 participants will complete identical measures at a 6-month interval to model growth trajectories using latent growth curve analysis. The qualitative component will involve 40 in-depth semi-structured interviews chosen from participants representing high, medium, and low growth profiles to enrich interpretive understanding of affective processes, with thematic analysis guiding integration with quantitative findings. Key expected findings include (a) cognitive reappraisal and affect labeling predicting greater psychological growth through increased positive affect and enhanced meaning-making; (b) perceived organizational support and job resources mediating the resilience-growth relationship; (c) trait optimism strengthening resilience pathways, while rumination attenuates them; (d) observable growth trajectories over six months correlated with initial resilience and perceived support, moderated by job demands-resource balance; and (e) qualitative themes illustrating adaptive emotion regulation, social-ecological support, and meaning-oriented coping as core mechanisms of growth in response to workplace stressors. The study contributes to knowledge by operationalizing a comprehensive ARF that synthesizes affective science, resilience theory, and growth-oriented adaptation within occupational psychology. It advances measurement by validating a multi-method model capturing affective, cognitive, and social processes leading to growth, and it offers theoretical integration of emotion regulation with post-stress growth in employment settings. Practically, the framework informs organizational interventions aimed at cultivating adaptive emotion regulation training, supportive leadership practices, and job design that enhances recovery from stress and promotes positive organizational outcomes such as increased engagement, creativity, and turnover reduction. Methodologically, the research demonstrates the utility of combining SEM and latent growth modeling with qualitative insights to triangulate mechanisms of resilience and growth in real-work environments. The main conclusion anticipated is that an integrated affective resilience pathway underpins stress-related psychological growth in employment, with effective emotion regulation and robust social-ecological support fostering meaning-making and positive affect that convert adversity into growth-enhancing outcomes. Recommendations include implementing affect regulation training programs, promoting supervisory support and teamwork that bolster perceived organizational support, and designing job characteristics that optimize resources relative to demands. Further research is suggested to test the ARF across industry-specific contexts and to explore longitudinal effects beyond six months to assess enduring growth and performance consequences.