Role Stressors and Job Attitudes: A Mediated Model of Leader-Member Exchange

The Journal of Social Psychology
ISSN: 0022-4545 (Print) 1940-1183 (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/vsoc20
Role Stressors and Job Attitudes: A Mediated

Model of Leader-Member Exchange
Rui-Ping Zhang , Li Tsingan & Long-Ping Zhang
To cite this article: Rui-Ping Zhang , Li Tsingan & Long-Ping Zhang (2013) Role Stressors
and Job Attitudes: A Mediated Model of Leader-Member Exchange, The Journal of Social
Psychology, 153:5, 560-576, DOI: 10.1080/00224545.2013.778812
To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00224545.2013.778812
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Mar 2013.
Published online: 11 Mar 2013.
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The Journal of Social Psychology, 2013, 153(5), 560576

Copyright Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
Role Stressors and Job Attitudes: A

Mediated Model of Leader-Member
Exchange
RUI-PING ZHANG
LI TSINGAN
LONG-PING ZHANG
Beijing Normal University
ABSTRACT. Workers with high levels of role stressors have been known to report low
job satisfaction and high turnover intention. However, how the role stressors-job attitudes relationship is influenced by leader-member exchange has hardly been studied. This
study examined the effect of leader-member exchange (leader support) on the relationship
between chronic role stressors (i.e., role ambiguity and role conflict) and job attitudes (i.e.,
job satisfaction and turnover intention). Employees (N = 162) who enrolled in weekend
psychology courses were investigated. The results showed that leader-member exchange
mediated the effects of role stressors on job satisfaction and turnover intention. Implications
of these results are discussed and directions for future research are suggested.
Keywords: job satisfaction, leader-member exchange, role stressors, turnover intention
IMPORTANT QUESTIONS IN ORGANIZATIONAL SCIENCE are why

employees are satisfied with their jobs and why they will opt to stay with or
leave the organization. Several meta-analyses found that role stressors can impact
employees attitudes and behaviors such as job satisfaction and job performance
(e.g., Eatough, Chang, Miloslavic, & Johnson, 2011; Fried, Shirom, Gilboa, &
Cooper, 2008; Gilboa, Shirom, Fried, & Cooper, 2008; Jackson & Schuler,
1985; rtqvist & Wincent, 2006; Podsakoff, LePine, & Lepine, 2007). In addition, there is growing concern about the detrimental consequences of stressors
upon the organization itself, such as high quit rates, decreased productivity, and
increased organizational healthcare costs (Wallace, Edwards, Arnold, Frazier, &
Finch, 2009). Accordingly, it is very important for researchers and managers to
understand and deal with role stressors.
Address correspondence to Li Tsingan, Beijing Normal University, Institute of
Developmental Psychology, No. 19, XinJieKouWai St., HaiDian District, Beijing 100875,
P. R. China; tsingan@vip.163.com (e-mail).
560
Zhang, Tsingan, & Zhang
561
Ways of reducing role stressors may involve linking social support to

stressors. Although social support research has focused primarily on its protective
function against the negative effects of stress, we have chosen to conceptualize
social support as a mediating variable between stressors and psychological
outcomes. The direct effect of stressors on social support has been documented in
previous studies (e.g, Kaniasty & Norris, 1993; Seeds, Harkness, & Quilty, 2010).
Leader-member exchange serves as a potential source of social support (Kraimer,
Wayne, & Jaworski, 2001). Given the resource concentration and relationship
orientation in a Chinese context (Chen, Tsui, & Farh, 2002), it is critical to
establish a high-quality relationship with supervisors in Chinese organizational
settings. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether leader-member
exchange, as one form of social support, operates as a mediator between role
stressors and job attitudes.
In the present study, using data from working adults in the Peoples Republic
of China, we integrate the idea of role stressors, indicated by role ambiguity and
role conflict, with leader-member exchange, one of the key constructs from the
social exchange perspective. Doing so helps point out ways in which organizations
can foster high levels of job satisfaction and reduce their intention to leave when
employees face work stress.
Role Stressors
Role stressors are some of the most frequently studied types of chronic work
stress (e.g., Gilboa et al., 2008; Jackson & Schuler, 1985). Prolonged exposure
to role stressors may cause employees to evaluate their work situation adversely,
leading to lower job satisfaction and higher turnover intention (Fried et al., 2008;
Glazer & Beehr, 2005; rtqvist & Wincent, 2006). Two indicator variables of role
stressors here are role ambiguity and role conflict.
Role ambiguity refers to vague and unclear expectations set for a role
incumbent, such that employees lack necessary information of what behavior
is appropriate (Rizzo, House, & Lirtzman, 1970). Lack of clarity about behavioral expectations can hinder the opportunity to enhance work performance and
receive rewards, thus decreasing satisfaction and increasing propensity to leave
(e.g., Lyons, 1971; Schaubroeck, Cotton, & Jennings, 1989). For example, in the
Asian context, Hang-yue, Foley, and Loi (2005) in professional clergy found that
role ambiguity has a significant effect on job satisfaction and intention to leave
their organization.
Role conflict refers to a situation in which employees receive incompatible
expectations at work from role senders in an organization (Katz & Kahn, 1978).
According to the role theory, inconsistent requests from the supervisors would
make the individual suffer from stress and decrease satisfaction (Schaubroeck,
Cotton, & Jennings, 1989). In a study of neophyte newcomers, Vandenberghe,
562
Panaccio, Bentein, Mignonac and Roussel (2010) reported that the increased
changing in role conflict was associated with a decline in job satisfaction and
an increase in turnover intention.
Although role ambiguity and role conflict are primarily associated with hindrance or threat at work, there are some important differences between them,
which may affect their relationships with employees attitudes and behaviors
(Gilboa et al., 2008). For example, role ambiguity is most likely to be viewed
as a pure hindrance to individuals work achievements, with the least challenge
component. In contrast, role conflict is likely to have a slightly higher challenge
component, as employees may bargain with different senders some priorities over
task assignments in order to meet all their needs. For this reason, role ambiguity
and role conflict should be treated as distinctive stressors (Eatough et al., 2011;
Jackson & Schuler, 1985).
Leader-Member Exchange
According to leader-member exchange (LMX) theory, each employee establishes a unique dyad-level interpersonal relationship with the leader (Gerstner &
Day, 1997). The quality of relationships ranges from high to low.
High-quality or in-group LMX relationships are characterized by a high
degree of mutual trust, respect, and obligation (e.g., Graen & Uhl-Bien, 1995).
In high-quality exchanges, followers receive special attention and privileges (e.g.,
access to key information), career-enhancing opportunities (e.g., special work
assignment), and increasing levels of autonomy in doing their jobs from the supervisors (Wang, Law, Hackett, Wang, & Chen, 2005). Thus, high-quality LMX is
expected to be positively associated with increased job satisfaction and decreased
turnover intention.
On the other hand, low-quality exchanges or out-group relationships are
characterized by formal role-defined relations, economic behavior exchange, and
predominantly contextual exchanges that lead to hierarchy-based downward influence and distance between the parties (Dienesch & Liden, 1986). In this type of
relationship, employees cannot depend on their immediate supervisors for extra
support and encouragement to solve job-related problems. Consequently, they are
inclined to have relatively low job satisfaction and want to leave their employing
organizations.
Previous research on LMX theory has established a number of positive outcomes for high-quality LMX subordinates, including high levels of job satisfaction, increased job performance and decreased turnover intention (e.g., Dulebohn,
Bommer, Liden, Brouer, & Ferris, 2012; Gerstner & Day, 1997; Graen & UhlBien, 1995; Harris, Harris, & Brouer, 2009; Janssen & Van Yperen, 2004; Volmer,
Niessen, Spurk, Linz, & Abele, 2011).
563
Studies of Both Role Stressors and Leader-Member Exchange

While considerable research focused on the relationship between job stressors
and social support (e.g., Ganster, Fusilier, & Mayes, 1986; Jackson & Schuler,
1985; Viswesvaran, Sanchez, & Fisher, 1999), only a small number of studies
have included measures of both role stressors and LMX. Kim and Organ (1982)
argued that task stress was one of the antecedents of the quality of the exchange
relationship. Snyder and Bruning (1985) further proposed that role stress has more
value as an independent predictor of dyadic linkage. In public welfare organizations, Erera (1992) applied quantitative and qualitative measurements to examine
the effects of role ambiguity on various support sources (i.e., superior, peers,
and subordinates). He found that the relationships with all these support sources
were determined by organizational uncertainty, produced by ambiguous policies.
Firth, Mellor, Moore and Loquet (2004) reported that the core stressors (i.e., role
ambiguity, role conflict, work overload, and work-family conflict) were associated
strongly with lack of supervisor support.
Two prior meta-analyses on LMX also found a significant positive relationship between role clarity (low role ambiguity) and LMX and a negative
relationship between role conflict and LMX (Dulebohn et al., 2012; Gerstner, &
Day, 1997). However, none of these studies showed how role stressors and LMX
are related to job attitudes.
The Role of Leader-Member Exchange in Role Stressors and Job Attitudes
LMX as a source of support. LMX captures three types of social support: aid,
affect, or affirmation (Kraimer, Wayne & Jaworski, 2001). First, as mentioned
above, employees in a high-quality LMX relationship receive relevant information
and assistance to serve as supportive aid. Second, interpersonal attraction was discussed as an element and predictor of high-LMX relationships (e.g., Dienesch &
Liden, 1986; Wayne, Shore, & Liden, 1997). Third, another element of LMX is
professional respect, which refers to the mutual respect that both parties have for
each others abilities to succeed, and captures the third type of social support, affirmation. Thus, LMX represents a potential source of support. Besides, supervisor
support has been assessed with measures involving leader-member exchange (e.g.,
Erdogan, Kraimer, & Liden, 2004; Harris, & Kacmar, 2005; Kraimer, Wayne, &
Jaworski, 2001).
The potential mediating role of LMX. We hypothesized that LMX plays a mediating role in the relationship between role stressors and job attitudes for the
following two reasons.
First, the mediating hypothesis derives from the social support deterioration
model that low levels of social support acted as a mediator between chronic
stressors and outcome variables (e.g., Barrera, 1986; Kaniasty & Norris, 1993;
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Norris & Kaniasty, 1996; Quittner, Glueckauf, & Jackson, 1990). As support deterioration model suggests, stressful events are an important situational factor that
may deteriorate support resources (Gracia & Herrero, 2004). Several studies have
shown that chronic stressors such as unemployment and organizational ambiguity can negatively affect social support (e.g., emotional support or instrumental
support; Lepore, Evans, & Schneider, 1991; Norris & Kaniasty, 1996; Quittner,
Glueckauf, & Jackson, 1990; Schulz et al., 2006). This makes way for an indirect
effect or a mediator model in the explanation of social support (Yap & Devilly,
2004). For example, in the 10-year longitudinal study of a community sample,
Holahan, Moos, Holahan, and Cronkite (1999) reported that in the face of the
chronic strain of negative events, social support was better accounted for as a
mediator in the stressor-distress association.
Second, the hypothesis is also based on the notion that low-quality LMX relationships are characterized by a low level of trust, respect, and liking. When people
are confronted with role ambiguity or role conflict, they may reduce the number of
communication channels used for exchanging information and withdraw from the
role senders (usually a leader) who bring about role stress, which impairs the ability to receive and give social support (cf., Hannaway, 1985; Hermann, 1963). Such
circumstances lead to mistrust, low respect, and lack of liking toward supervisors
(Erera, 1992), which are characteristic of low-quality LMX. These facts suggest
that employees who experience role ambiguity and conflict will be less likely
to seek after social opportunities to foster high-quality LMX relationships. Given
that role stressors and LMX have been found consistently to have an impact on job
satisfaction and turnover intention, the focus of this article will investigate whether
LMX mediates the effects of role stressors on job satisfaction and turnover intention. In 173 retail salespeople, Firth et al. (2004) in Australia found that social
support from supervisors mediated the impact of stressors on job satisfaction and
intention to quit.
Based on these theoretical frameworks and empirical studies, we propose the
following hypotheses:
Hypothesis 1a (H1a): Leader-member exchange mediates the relationship
between role ambiguity and job attitudes (job satisfaction and turnover
intention).
H1b: Leader-member exchange mediates the relationship between role conflict and job attitudes (job satisfaction and turnover intention).
Method
Sample and Procedure
Participants in the study were employees from multiple organizations in
a major city located in northern China. They enrolled in weekend psychology
565
courses offered by a Chinese university in the same city. Questionnaires were first
distributed to 187 participants. Each participant was asked to complete a single
survey containing measures of role ambiguity, role conflict, the Leader-Member
Exchange (LMX-7) scale, job satisfaction and turnover intention during class time
in exchange for course credit. To increase the accuracy of the response, participants were assured that the research work was done purely for research purpose
and each survey was anonymous.
One hundred and sixty two usable responses were obtained, giving a response
rate of 86.6%. Of the participants, 35.4% were male and 74.7% participants
ranged in age from 21 to 30 years. Most were in private sector companies (83.6%)
and 23.3% participants got an undergraduate degree. Organization size ranged
from less than 50 persons (28.0%) to over 500 persons (28.6%). Sixty percent of
respondents were employees with no leadership responsibility.
Measures
To measure the constructs of interest, we collected data from the participants
themselves. All materials used in the present study were in Chinese. The English
items were translated into Chinese using a translation-back-translation procedure
(Brislin, 1980). Two graduate students who major in English translated the English
questionnaires into Chinese. Then, the researchers discussed the Chinese and the
English version with the two translators, making sure that the translations did not
show substantive differences in meanings of the items. One I-O psychology graduate student studying overseas translated the Chinese version back to English to
assure equivalence. Questionnaires were also piloted with several native Chinese
speakers, and any questions or concerns raised were resolved to ensure that they
would be meaningful for the Chinese samples.
Role stressors. Role ambiguity and role conflict were measured using the Stress
Diagnostic Survey developed by Ivancevich and Matteson (1980; see Fields,
2002). Responses were made on a 5-point Likert-type scale, ranging from
1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Ivancevich and Matteson (1980)
found acceptable construct validity and strong reliability for scales in the Stress
Diagnostic Survey (see Fields, 2002). A sample item from Role Ambiguity scale
is My job duties and work objectives are unclear to me. A sample item from
Role Conflict scale is I work on unnecessary tasks or projects. The results of
CFA showed an acceptable fit to a two-factor model ( 2 = 70.95; df = 34; 2 /
df = 2.09, CFI = 0.91, TLI = 0.88, RMSEA = 0.08). For role ambiguity and role
conflict scale, the alpha coefficients were .72 and .67, respectively. Cronbachs
alpha ranges from 0 to 1 and alpha value of .60 or less indicates unsatisfactory
internal reliability (Malhotra & Birks, 2007).
566
Leader-member exchange. Employees were asked to rate the LMX relationship

with their supervisor using the seven-item LMX scale (LMX-7; Scandura &
Graen, 1984) refined by Hui, Law, and Chen (1999). This measure reflects the
extent to which employees believe that they form a high-quality relationship with
their supervisors and is recommended to assess an overall (i.e., unidimensional)
exchange quality (Greguras & Ford, 2006). Its validity has been successfully replicated in the Chinese context (e.g., Hui, Law, & Chen, 1999). A sample item was
My supervisor would be personally inclined to use his or her power to help me
solve problems in my work.A 5-point Likert-type scale ranging from 1 (strongly
disagree) to 5 (strongly agree) was used with higher scores representing higher
quality exchanges. The results of CFA showed an acceptable fit to a one-factor
model ( 2 = 28.52; df = 13; 2 / df = 2.19, CFI = 0.96, TLI = 0.94, RMSEA =
0.08). The reliability was 0.82.
Job satisfaction. Job satisfaction was assessed by a 6-item index (see Tsui,
Egan, & OReilly, 1992). Respondents indicated on a 5-point Likert-type scale,
ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree) to questions such as I am
satisfied with the nature of the work I perform. The results of CFA showed an
acceptable fit to a one-factor model ( 2 = 16.33; df = 8; 2 / df = 2.04, CFI =
0.98, TLI = 0.96, RMSEA = 0.08). The internal consistency reliability in the
present study was 0.84. A higher score represents greater job satisfaction.
Turnover intention. Intention to leave was measured using the following single
item which is I am currently looking for or considering a new job (with another
employer.) Reponses ranged from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). The
item was adapted from a previous single measure of turnover intention used in the
literatures (e.g., Camp, 1994; Lambert, Hogana, & Bartona, 2001).
Control variables. We controlled for age and organizational tenure in the analysis.
These control variables were included since they have been shown to affect job
satisfaction and turnover intention (e.g., Griffeth, Hom, & Gaertner, 2000; Harris,
Wheeler, & Kacmar, 2009).
Age was measured using a single item that asked respondents to indicate their
age group. Categorized alternative responses were: (0) less than 20; (1) 2130;
(2) 3140; and (3) 41 and over. Since only 3 participants were over 41 years old,
we merged group three with group two into 31 years and over.
Organizational tenure was measured by an ordinal scale, ranging from 0 (less
than one year) to 3 (more than 5 years) as work experience because it is the most
frequently used as time-based operationalization of this construct (Ng & Feldman,
2009).
567
Data Analysis
The collected data were analyzed with SPSS16.0 software package.
Regression analysis was the primary statistical tool used to examine the mediation hypotheses. Supplementary analyses were also used by including several
control variables such as age and organizational tenure to examine whether these
control variables had any influence on the results of job satisfaction and turnover
intention.
Before investigating the hypothesized relations, we examined the degree of
multicollinearity between all independent variables by using the variable inflation
factor (VIF). The variables had consistent VIFS of 1.14-2.30, well below the cutoff of 10. Therefore, the conclusion can be drawn that distinct interpretations of
the connection are allowed between the variables in the present study.
Results
Descriptive Statistics and Correlations
Bivariate correlations were examined to determine whether job satisfaction
and turnover intention were correlated with socio-demographic variables. Results
indicate that job satisfaction was not related to gender (r (167) = .09), education
(r (166) = .10), sector (r (166) = .01), organization size (r (164) = .04) and
job grade (r (164) = .08), but was significantly positively correlated with age (r
(167) = .22, p < .01) and organizational tenure (r (165) = .19 p < .05). Turnover
intention was not related to gender (r (170) = .03), education (r (168) = .06),
sector (r (169) = .03), organization size (r (167) = .05), or job grade (r (167) =
.09), but was marginally correlated with age (r (170) = .14, p = .07) and significantly related to organizational tenure (r (168) = .16, p < .05). Consistent
with previous research (Griffeth et al., 2000; Harris et al., 2009), our results also
showed that age and organizational tenure were correlated with job satisfaction
and turnover intention.
The means, standard deviations, and correlations are shown in Table 1.
As expected, role ambiguity and role conflict appeared to be negatively related
to LMX (r = .34, p < .01; r = .31, p < .01) and the outcome variable of job
satisfaction (r = .28, p < .01; r = .31, p < .01). Both role ambiguity and role
conflict were positively correlated with turnover intention (r = .16, p < .05; r =
.19, p < .05). These results suggest that participants who face role ambiguity or
role conflict tend to report low LMX, decreased job satisfaction and high intention
to leave. As predicted, LMX was positively related to job satisfaction (r = .52, p <
.01) and negatively correlated with turnover intention (r = .19, p < .05). Role
ambiguity and role conflict were significantly correlated with each other (r = .73,
p < .01), which was similar to the correlation (r = .71, p < .01) that Nelson, Basu,
and Purdie (1998) found using the same scale.
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TABLE 1. Means, Standard Deviations, Coefficients Alphas, and

Correlations Between Variables
Variable
1. Age groupa
2. Tenureb
3. Role ambiguity
4. Role conflict
5. LMX
6. Job satisfaction
7. Turnover
intention
M
1.13
1.26
2.31
2.36
3.62
3.07
3.76
SD
0.49
1.04 .49
0.68 .15 .20 (.72)

0.69 .15 .17
.73 (.67)
0.60 .16
.21 .34 .31 (.82)
0.80 .22 .19 .28 .31 .52 (.84)
.16
.19 .19 .44
0.98 .14+ .16
Note. N = 162178. Figures in parentheses are coefficient alpha. LMX = leader-member

exchange.
a 0 = less than 20 years; 1 = 2030 years; 2 = 31 or more.
b 0 = < 1 years; 1 = 13 years; 2 = 35 years; 3 = >5 years.
+ p <.10, two-tailed. p < .05, two-tailed. p < .01, two-tailed.
Test of the Hypothesized Model

We employed the procedures developed by Baron and Kenny (1986) to evaluate the mediating role of LMX in the relationship between role stressors and job
attitudes. First, the predictor variables (role ambiguity and role conflict) must be
related to the mediator (LMX). As shown in Table 1, this condition was met.
Second, the predictor variables must be related to the outcome variables (job
satisfaction and turnover intention). As shown in Table 1, this condition is supported by the negative correlations between role stressors and job satisfaction and
the positive correlations between role stressors and turnover intention. Third, the
mediator variable must be related to the outcome variables. As shown in Table 1,
LMX was related to job satisfaction and turnover intention. Fourth, after controlling for the effects of the mediator on outcomes, the relations between the
predictor variables and the outcome variables must be significantly reduced or
disappear.
To examine the fourth condition, we conducted three steps to predict job satisfaction and turnover intention separately. First, we entered age and organizational
tenure. Second, we entered role stressors (one for each regression). Finally, we
entered LMX. The results were reported in Table 2 and Table 3.
As is shown in Table 2, when leader-member exchange was added to the
models, the regression coefficients of the relationships between role ambiguity
and the outcome variables changed from .23 (p < .01) in the second step to
.10 (p > .05) in the third for job satisfaction and from .15 (p = .05) to .10 (p >
.05) for turnover intention. Moreover, while the effect of role ambiguity decreased,
TABLE 2. Mediated Results of Regression Analyses of LMX in the Role

Ambiguity-Job Attitudes Relationships
Job satisfaction
Step and
variables
1. Age group
tenure
2. Role
ambiguity
3. LMX
R2
Adjusted R2
R2
1
.14
.12
.05
.04
.05
.13
.11
.06
.00
.23 .10
.10
.08
.05
.47
.29
.27
.19
Turnover intention
1
.10 .09 .08

.17+ .14 .12
.15+
.10
.06
.04
.06
.08+
.06+
.02+
LMX
1
.06
.17+
.04
.12
.25
.21
.11 .04
.09 .03
.04 .04
.10
.09
.06
Note. Standardized regression coefficients are reported for the respective regression steps,
including socio-demographics (step 1), socio-demographics and role ambiguity (step 2), and
socio-demographics, role ambiguity and leader-member exchange (step 3).
Standardized betas are reported from the regression equation.
LMX = leader-member exchange.
+ p < .10, two-tailed. p < .05, two-tailed. p < .01, two-tailed.
TABLE 3. Mediated Results of Regression Analyses of LMX in the Role

ConflictJob Attitudes Relationships
Job satisfaction
Step and
variables
1. Age group
tenure
2. Role
conflict
3. LMX
R2
Adjusted R2
R2
Turnover intention
LMX
.12
.12
.11
.07
.28
.10
.00
.14
.09
.17+
.08
.14
.18
.08
.11
.12
.05
.17+
.03
.13
.29
.05
.04
.05
.08
.07
.03
.04
.03
.04
.12
.10
.08
.04
.03
.04
.12
.10
.07
.46
.30
.28
.18
.21
.12
.10
.04
Note. Standardized regression coefficients are reported for the respective regression steps,
including socio-demographics (step1), socio-demographics and role conflict (step2), and
socio-demographics, role conflict and LMX (step 3).
Standardized betas are reported from the regression equation.
LMX = leader-member exchange.
+ p < .10, two-tailed. p < .05, two-tailed. p < .01, two-tailed.
569
570
leader-member exchange as a mediator had a significant, unique effect on the

outcome variables. A Sobel test revealed that leader-member exchange mediated
the effects of role ambiguity on job satisfaction (Z = 4.02, p < .01) and turnover
intention (Z = 2.03, p < .05). Therefore, H1a was supported in our sample.
In addition, as is shown in Table 3, with respect to role conflict, the regression
coefficients changed from .28 (p < .01) in the second step to .14 (p < .05) in the
third for job satisfaction and from .18 (p < .05) to .12 (p > .05) for turnover intention when we added leader-member exchange to the models. Moreover, although
the effect of role conflict decreased, leader-member exchange as a mediator had
a significant, unique effect on the outcome variable. A Sobel test revealed that
leader-member exchange mediated the effects of role conflict on job satisfaction
(Z = 3.29, p < .01) and turnover intention (Z = 2.11, p < .05). Therefore, H1b
was supported.
Discussion
The main objective of this study was to examine the effect of LMX in the
relationship between role stressors and job attitudes among employees in China.
While previous research has shown that role stressors affect job attitudes, the
mechanisms through which it occurred were less clear. We offer insight into
the question by showing how LMX influences this relationship. Specifically, we
found that LMX mediated the relationship between role stressors and job attitudes.
This result is important because it adds to our knowledge about the intervening
variables between role stressors and job attitudes.
The Mediating Role of LMX
It is notable that we found evidence to support the mediating effect of
LMX in role stressors-job attitudes. Our result was consistent with Firth et al.
(2004)s conclusion that emotional support from supervisors mediated the impact
of stressors on job satisfaction and intention to quit in a 173 retail salespeople
in Australia. Villanueva and Djurkovic (2009) also showed that employees perceived support from the organization mediated the relationship between stress and
job satisfaction.
Our results support the social support deteriorated model, that is, chronic
stressors lead to decline in social support, which then leads to psychological distress, impairment or maladjustment. This model posits that low social support
served as a potential mediator of the relationship between stressors and psychological outcomes (e.g., Seeds, Harkness, & Quilty, 2010). One cross-sectional study
found that social support mediated the relation between a stressor (i.e., economic
stress) and maternal depression in low-income women (Gjesfjeld, Greeno, Kim, &
Anderson, 2010). Kaniasty and Norris (1993) also found that the mediating
571
effects of social support were limited to support exchanges associated primarily

with nonkin network members. Although the mediating role of social support
is hypothesized by the social support deterioration model (e.g., Barrera, 1986;
Kaniasty & Norris, 1993; Norris & Kaniasty, 1996), we are unable to test this
model directly in our study because our data are cross-sectional.
Moreover, role ambiguity and conflict, because they are treated as deterrents
to achieving valued outcomes, evoke negative emotions like discomfort, anger
and anxiety (e.g., Glazer & Beehr, 2005; Rodell & Judge, 2009), which lead to
low-quality LMX relationships (e.g., Dulebohn, et al., 2012). This gives us the
cue that role stressors might affect LMX through negative emotions. Researchers
might be interested in building and testing an emotion-based explanation for the
relationship between role stressors and LMX.
The mediating effect of LMX on job attitudes is inconsistent with some previous studies showing that social support played a buffering role in the relationship
between work stressors and strains (e.g., Viswesvaran, Sanchez, & Fisher, 1999;
Zickar, Balzer, Aziz, & Wryobeck, 2008), which might be related to our sampling. Researchers found in middle managers from 21 nations that the extent of
role ambiguity and role conflict varied more by country than other characteristics and they were related to power distance and individualism (Peterson et al.,
1995). Thus, in China, where there is a greater reliance on authority and collectivism (Chen, Tsui, & Farh, 2002), the relationship between role stressors and
LMX may be different from that in the west. Besides, leadership and motivation
models which are established and most widely applied in the west do not seem
to work equally in China (e.g., Hofstede, 1993). This may be another possible
explanation for the present result.
Research Limitations and Future Directions
As with any research, there are some limitations to our study that should
be recognized. First, cross-sectional data for this study were collected at one
point in time, which makes it impossible to assess the causality between the variables. Future studies should examine whether the relationship remains constant by
using longitudinal and experimental research designs, which could help to test the
direction of causality.
Another limitation is that the data collected were based on self-reported
assessments and hence the observed relationships may be inflated due to commonmethod bias. However, the results showed that the correlations between role
ambiguity, role conflict, LMX, and job attitudes (job satisfaction and turnover
intention) were modest, suggesting that common method bias may not be
problematic. Nevertheless, future research could address the problem of commonmethod bias by using multiple methods of data collection, including objective
and subjective measures of stressors to determine the validity of the subjective
appraisals.
572
Several interesting questions emerge for future research. A general point of

interest is whether these results can be generalized to larger Chinese samples or
samples from another country. Great caution should be exercised before drawing
conclusions from estimates based on small samples.
Researchers might also consider examining the influence of LMX in the context of other job stressors. Another interesting issue is that LMX used in this study
was unidimensional. While the concepts of role ambiguity and role conflict focus
on the multidimensional characterization of roles, the relationship between LMX
measured via a multidimensional scale and role stressors deserves continued study
(Dienesch & Liden, 1986).
Practical Implications
This study has practical implications for managers and employees. The results
showed that LMX relationships at the workplace appear to bridge associations
between role stressors and job attitudes. Thus, it can be stated that LMX improvement programs if implemented by organizations may have a preventive function.
Interventions to help improve the LMX quality of employees who face role
stressors would serve to increase job satisfaction and reduce turnover intention.
For managers, they should attempt to facilitate the development of a harmonious and supportive culture at the workplace (Villanueva & Djurkovic, 2009).
Managers may want to consider steps to reduce role ambiguity and conflict, for
example, providing clear and specific objectives and goals for employees (decreasing role ambiguity) or reconciling conflicting task requirements (reducing role
conflict).
For employees, they should first think consciously about the LMX quality and try to enhance the communication and exchange with their managers
(Li & Tu, 2011). Employees can learn stress management strategies (e.g., learn
to arrange task priorities) and receive training on how to build and maintain a high
quality relationship with the supervisors, especially when facing role stressors
(Thomas & Lankau, 2009). By doing so, they could perhaps prevent a decline in
job satisfaction and an increase in turnover intention.
In conclusion, the current study extends our understanding of the relations
among role stressors (i.e., role ambiguity and role conflict) and job attitudes (i.e.,
job satisfaction and turnover intention) by exploring leader-member exchange and
expanding the analysis into a sample of Chinese employees. This research has
shown support for the mediating role of leader-member exchange between role
stressors and job attitudes. Such knowledge may help to inform the stress intervention training programs and strategies employed by managers and organizations,
and potentially reduce the costs associated with role stressors. Taken together, it
seems that it is not only the exposure to role ambiguity and role conflict but the
low relationship quality of leader-member exchange that is responsible for low
job satisfaction and high turnover intention.
573
AUTHOR NOTES
Rui-Ping Zhang is affiliated with the Institute of Developmental Psychology,

Beijing Normal University. Li Tsingan is affiliated with the Institute of Developmental
Psychology, Beijing Normal University. Long-Ping Zhang is affiliated with the Institute
of Developmental Psychology, Beijing Normal University.
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Received August 26, 2012

Accepted February 4, 2013

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