JOB SATISFACTION AMONG PSYCHIATRIC NURSES: A TEST OF PSYCHOLOGICAL CONTRACT THEORY.
Contributors: United States International University.
Published: 1994
Number of pages: 197
Subjects: Psychology, Industrial.; Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: The purpose of the present study was to test Dhammanungune's (1990) psychological contract theory by measuring psychiatric nurse job satisfaction vis-a-vis the strength of the psychological contract. The theory developed by Dhammanungune (1990) specifies individual variables and mathematical processes to quantitatively measure the level of psychological contract fulfillment between the employer and the employee. This level of psychological contract fulfillment is more specifically defined as the strength of the psychological contract (SPC). Dhammanungune's (1990) theory stipulates that there should be some relationship between the strength of the psychological contract and some measurable variable.

In the present study, it was hypothesized that the greater the strength of the psychological contract (measured by the work questionnaires), the greater the level of job satisfaction (as measured by the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire). One hundred staff nurses and their supervisors from psychiatric hospitals across the United States were interviewed by mailout questionnaires. Using correlational design, Pearson r statistic was employed to measure SPC with job satisfaction. Results indicated that there was no correlation between the SPC scores and the MSQ scores. The hypothesis, then, that the greater the strength of the psychological contract, the greater the level of job satisfaction, was not supported.

Data analyses indicated that total correlation of the critical variables on the Work Questionnaire with the MSQ was significant at p $<$.001, which suggests that the Work Questionnaire is a valid measure of job satisfaction. In addition, all three of the MSQ sub-scales (intrinsic, extrinsic, and general satisfaction) were positively correlated with each other at p $<$.001 level of significance. It is probable, then, that modifications must be made in psychological contract theory, the SPC formula, instrument development, and/or research design. Areas for future research were also discussed.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 56-07, Section: B, page: 4048.

Thesis (PH.D.)--UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY, 1994.

School code: 0239.