Self-regulation, anxiety, depressiveness, personalisty styles, and work preoccupation in young adults

The aim of the study was to analyse the relationships between self-regulation, action/ state orientation, personality styles and the levels of anxiety and depression in people who are preoccupied with work, in their early adulthood. The theoretical background for our study was the conception of Action-Control and the Personality System Interaction theory developed by Julius Kuhl. In order to measure preoccupation with work the Preoccupation with Work Scale was used; the anxiety and depression levels were explored by means of the the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and Beck Depression Inventory, respectively. Self-regulation was assessed by means of the Volitional Component Questionnaire and action vs. state orientation by means of the Action Control Scale. The Personality Styles and Disorders Inventory was employed to measure the different personality styles. 80 company employees (36 women and 44 men) from corporate enterprises in Wroclaw and Krakow participated in the research. It was confi rmed that the levels of anxiety and depression can be viewed as predictors for preoccupation with work in early adulthood. The study also showed the protective effect of action orientation on the development of these psychological symptoms in people who are preoccupied with work. Those individuals most commonly displayed the obsessive-compulsive, narcissistic, and optimistic personality style.