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The relationship between employment pressure and occupational delay of gratification among college students: positive psychological capital as a mediator

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Abstract

This study explored the direct effect of employment pressure among college students on occupational delay of gratification and the intermediary role of positive psychological capital. A stratified cluster-sampling method was used to select 553 university students, who completed the Employment Pressure Scale, Positive Mental Capital Scale, and Occupational Delay of Gratification Scale. Regression analysis and bootstrap methods were used to examine the intermediary role of positive psychological capital between employment pressure and occupational delay of gratification. There were positive correlations between employment pressure and occupational delay of gratification, between employment pressure and positive psychological capital, and between occupational delay of gratification and positive psychological capital (r = .51–.75, p < .01). Employment pressure was a negative predictor of occupational delay of gratification (β = −.391, p < .01), and positive psychological capital was a mediator between employment pressure and occupational delay of gratification; the mediating effect explained 24.18% of the total effect. Thus, positive psychological capital plays an intermediary role between employment pressure and occupational delay of gratification among college students.

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Acknowledgements

The study was supported by PHD Initial Fund of Henan Normal University (521).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Education, Henan Normal University, 46 Jianshe E Rd, Muye Qu, Xinxiang Shi, 453002, Henan Sheng, China

    Wenmei Sun & Nan Wang

  2. School of Psychology, Xinxiang Medical University, 601 Jinsui Rd, Hongqi Qu, Xinxiang Shi, 453003, Henan Sheng, China

    Lujun Shen

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  1. Wenmei Sun
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  2. Nan Wang
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  3. Lujun Shen
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Correspondence to Wenmei Sun.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Research Involving Human Participants

All procedures performed in the study involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments. The study has been approved by Ethics Committee of Xinxiang Medical University.

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Informed verbal consent was obtained from all the participants and this procedure was approved by Ethics Committee of Xinxiang Medical University.

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Sun, W., Wang, N. & Shen, L. The relationship between employment pressure and occupational delay of gratification among college students: positive psychological capital as a mediator. Curr Psychol 40, 2814–2819 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-019-00209-w

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