Aysen, Savannah2025-04-302024Aysen, Savannah. (2024). Psychological Well-Being and South African Socio- Economic Stressors: The moderating role of Leaders creating Hope [Masters dissertation, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg]. WIReDSpace.https://hdl.handle.net/10539/44884A research report Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for a Master of Arts Organisational Psychology,, In the Faculty of Humanities , School of Human and Community Development, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024The current research study explored whether leaders creating hope in their employees moderates the relationship between South African socio-economic stressors and employee psychological well-being. Existing literature indicates that stressors have dire implications for the well-being of employees and that psychological capital is a meaningful resource to elevate deteriorating well-being (Slone et al., 1999; Charles et al., 2013). Moreover, research reveals the potential of leaders to create hope within their organisations which may aid in elevating deteriorating well-being levels (Yukl, 1998; Helland and Winston, 2005). Accordingly, this research aimed to explore whether leaders creating hope would moderate the relationship between South African socio-economic stressors and psychological well-being. This study utilised a quantitative non-experimental cross-sectional research design to explore the statistical relationships between South African socio-economic stressors, psychological well-being and leaders creating hope. Data was collected through an online self-report questionnaire (N=130). The questionnaire contained a self-developed demographic questionnaire, an adapted South African socio-economic stressors scale, the Psychological General Well-Being Index, and the adapted Leaders Creating Hope scale. Results of the study indicated that both South African socio-economic stressors and leaders creating hope were correlated with psychological well-being, and a multiple regression analysis revealed that both South African socio-economic stressors and leaders creating hope are predictors of psychological well-being within the sample. However, even though leaders creating hope was found to have a positive effect on psychological well-being it did not have a moderating effect on the relationship between South African socio-economic stressors and psychological well-being.en© 2024 University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.UCTDSouth African socio-economic stressorspsychological capital hopeleadersleaders creating hopepsychological well-beingDissertationUniversity of the Witwatersrand, JohannesburgSDG-3: Good health and well-beingSDG-8: Decent work and economic growth