%0 Journal Article %J J Behav Med %D 2015 %T The mediating role of interpersonal conflict at work in the relationship between negative affectivity and biomarkers of stress. %A Girardi, Damiano %A Falco, Alessandra %A De Carlo, Alessandro %A Benevene, Paula %A Comar, Manola %A Tongiorgi, Enrico %A Bartolucci, Giovanni Battista %X

This study examined the association between interpersonal conflict at work (ICW) and serum levels of three possible biomarkers of stress, namely the pro-inflammatory cytokines Interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β), Interleukin 12 (IL-12), and Interleukin 17 (IL-17). Additionally, this study investigated the role of negative affectivity (NA) in the relationship between ICW and the pro-inflammatory cytokines. Data from 121 employees in an Italian healthcare organization were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Results showed that ICW was positively associated with IL-1β, IL-12, and IL-17, after controlling for the effect of gender. Moreover, ICW completely mediated the relationship between NA and the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-12, and IL-17. This mediating effect was significant after controlling for the effect of gender. Overall, this study suggests that work-related stress may be associated with biomarkers of inflammation, and that negative affectivity may influence the stress process affecting the exposure to psychosocial stressors.

%B J Behav Med %V 38 %P 922-31 %8 2015 Dec %G eng %N 6 %1 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26186953?dopt=Abstract %R 10.1007/s10865-015-9658-x