The importance of autonomy support and the mediating role of work motivation for well‐being: Testing self‐determination theory in a Chinese work organisation |
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| Authors: | Youyan Nie Bee Leng Chua Alexander Seeshing Yeung Richard M. Ryan Wai Yen Chan |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Psychological Studies Academic Group, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore;2. Insitute for Positive Psychology and Education, Australian Catholic University, Strathfield, NSW, Australia;3. Department of Clinical and Social Sciences in Psychology, University of Rochester, Rochester NY, USA |
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| Abstract: | We examine relations between perceived organisational autonomy support and different types of work motivation and well‐being outcomes in 266 teachers from two government schools in China. We hypothesised that greater autonomy support would be associated with more autonomous forms of employee motivation, and that teacher motivation would in turn mediate the effects of autonomy support on indicators of work well‐being (i.e., job satisfaction, work stress and physical ill symptoms). Results generally supported the hypothesised relations between perceived autonomy support and SDT's five types of motivations. Findings also showed that perceived autonomy support predicted job satisfaction directly and indirectly through the mediating roles of intrinsic motivation, identified regulation, introjected regulation and external regulation. Perceived autonomy support predicted work stress directly and indirectly through the mediating roles of external regulation and amotivation. Autonomy support also predicted illness symptoms via the mediating roles of intrinsic motivation, introjected regulation and amotivation. The current findings highlight how perceived organisational support for autonomy relates to motivational differences in a Chinese work context, and the potential relevance of autonomy support for employee well‐being. |
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| Keywords: | Self‐determination theory Motivation Well‐being |
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