Evaluating mediation and moderation effects in call center employees: A correlational investigation into fatigue, general health, coping and sleep disturbances

Abstract

Sleep disturbance is usually present in night-shift workers. The objective of this study was to explore the relationships among fatigue, general health, coping and sleep disturbance together with mediating role of general health and moderating role of coping strategies i.e. Task, Emotion oriented &Avoidance in night-shift call center workers. Correlation research design was adopted with sample (N=200) assessed from call centers of Lahore by applying purposive sampling strategy. Data was obtained by administering Multi-dimensional Fatigue Inventory, General Health Questionnaire-28, Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations-21, and Screening Questionnaire for Sleep Disturbance in Shift Workers. Data was analyzed by using Pearson product moment correlation, Hierarchical Multiple Regression Analysis and Hayes Process Regression analysis. Results of this study state that fatigue correlated positively with general health and sleep disturbance. General health, task-oriented, emotion-oriented and avoidance coping strategies also have positive relationship with sleep disturbance. General health seems to have full mediation effect on the relationship of fatigue and sleep disturbance. Task and emotion-oriented coping strategies appear as a moderator while avoidance coping strategy does not appear as a moderator between the relationship of fatigue and sleep disturbance. This research has future implications for identifying night shift call centers workers having proneness to develop Shift work disorder due to sleep disturbance and provides them with better sleep hygiene guidelines to protect their health.