Work Locus of Control as a Moderating Influence on the Quality of Work Life for Radiation Therapists

Abstract

Radiation Therapists practising in British Columbia, Canada, were surveyed to determine the extent of work-related stressors and resultant job strains. Also measured was the personality variable of Work Locus of Control (WLOC) for respondents. WLOC is the degree to which individuals feel they have influence over work-related rewards or punishments. Those with an internal locus feel believe that they have control, while those that have an external locus believe that rewards are more governed by external factors such as luck or the actions of others. The results compared the perception of stress and prevalence of job strains for those with a more external locus compared to those with a more internal WLOC. It was found that those with a more external locus were more likely to experience both interpersonal conflict at work and organizational constraints. They also exhibited lower affective well-being, experienced more low pleasure emotions and had lower physical well-being. Respondents with a more external locus scored lower on job satisfaction ratings. The results support existing literature identifying that perceptions of job stress and resultant job strains are a function of personality as well as environment.