The effects of transition stress: a relocation study

Survey participants (N = 175) were drawn from six branches of a major Briti sh supermarket chain. Employees from three branches, who had been selected for transfer to new stores, were surveyed before and after relocation to ex amine the impact of this transition on individual well-being. A comparison sample of employees, drawn from similar stores but not involved in relocati on, was also surveyed. Cross-sectional multiple regression analyses found t hat psychological distress was related to both work demands and personal ch aracteristics (gender, neuroticism, locus of control, and social desirabili ty response). Furthermore, path analysis revealed that after controlling fo r prior symptom levels, distress during the relocation period was predicted independently by the relocation and by work demands. Although in the prese nt study it was not possible to account for differences in outcomes between new and comparison store employees in terms of changes in measured work ch aracteristics, the negative impact of relocation was found to be buffered b y perceptions of control and social support. Additionally, the impact of hi gh work demands was buffered by Type B personal characteristics. Copyright (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.