In What Stressful Context Does Self-Efficacy Promote Job Performance? The Roles of Challenge-Hindrance Stressors

Based on the challenge-hindrance stressor framework and conservation of resources theory, this study examined the moderating effects of challenge-hindrance stressors on the relationship between occupational self-efficacy (OSE) and job performance. We collected data from 301 employee-supervisor dyads using a time-lagged design with a 6-month interval. The results showed that the combination of challenge stressors and hindrance stressors moderated the relationship between OSE and task performance. Specifically, the relationship was stronger under the low challenge stressors-low hindrance stressors condition, and it even became negative under the low challenge stressors-high hindrance stressors condition. The pattern of the results for organizational citizenship behavior was similar. The results of our study confirm that the combination of challenge stressors and hindrance stressors as situational factors may better explain the inconsistent findings on the relationship between self-efficacy and performance.