Keywords

psychology, job crafting, employees with chronic illnesses, identity, occupational health psychology

Abstract

This dissertation examined the impact of job, home, and leisure crafting on perceptions of five markers of positive work identity among employees with chronic mental and physical illnesses. It was hypothesized that all forms of crafting would be positively related to work identity perceptions when examined independently, and that job crafting would be the strongest predictor when the crafting categories were examined together. It was also predicted that home and leisure crafting would amplify the effects of job crafting on positive work identity. Based on qualitative data collected from focus groups comprised of individuals with a variety of chronic mental and physical illnesses, as well as a quantitative survey of employees with chronic mental and physical illnesses, the findings revealed that crafting efforts did positively impact work identity. As expected, job crafting emerged as a stronger predictor than home or leisure crafting. The moderator hypotheses were not supported, either in the full sample or when the data were analyzed separately for those with chronic mental or physical illnesses. Focus group data suggested that the lack of support for the moderator effects may have been due to crafting efforts in non-work domains being primarily aimed at recovery and largely independent of job crafting. These patterns held across a wide variety of mental and physical illnesses. Implications of these findings for future research on chronic illness, as well as for employees with chronic illnesses and their managers, are discussed.

Completion Date

2025

Semester

Fall

Committee Chair

Jex, Steve

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

College

College of Sciences

Department

Industrial/Organizational Psychology

Format

PDF

Identifier

DP0029797

Document Type

Thesis

Campus Location

Orlando (Main) Campus

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