Moderating Role of Psychhological Resilience on Work Related Stress and Mental well Being Among Aircraft Maintenance Personnel at Wilson Airport, Nairobi County, Kenya.
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Date
2025-12-04
Authors
Eunice Wambui Karanja
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Publisher
PAC University
Abstract
The aviation sector is known for vibrant operations with demands for aircraft operations to be better, quicker, and safer, which meant that the personnel working on the aircraft has to meet tight deadlines and sometimes unrealistic operational demands. This demand subsequently generate work-related stress, affecting the mental well-being of the engineers. The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of psychological resilience on mental well-being when an aircraft maintenance personnel is experiencing work related stress. In addition, the researcher aimed to understand whether the engineer’s level of resilience in bouncing back has a moderating effect in maintaining a stable mental well-being. The study was guided by three specific objectives: to determine the level of work-related stress among aircraft maintenance personnel at Wilson Airport in Nairobi, Kenya; to establish the relationship between work-related
stress and the mental well-being of aircraft maintenance personnel at Wilson Airport in Nairobi, Kenya; and to examine the moderating role of psychological resilience on the relationship between work-related stress and mental well-being among aircraft maintenance personnel at Wilson Airport in Nairobi, Kenya. Transactional theory, psychological well-being theory, and resilience theory served as the guiding frameworks for the study. The study employed a cross-sectional research design. A survey method was used to collect quantitative data, and a stratified sampling method was employed. The data was analyzed using statistical software, SPSS version 23. The variables were measured using instruments that had been validated and declared reliable. The respondents filled three self-report questionnaire scales: the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale, the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CDRISC-10), and the Work-related Stress Scale. The number of respondents participating in the study was 257, including aircraft engineers from different Approved Maintenance Organizations located at Wilson Airport. A majority of respondents (51.6%), reported experiencing fairly low levels of stress, which suggests that more than half of the personnel at Wilson Airport experienced low stress levels. The study established a significant negative correlation between work-related stress and mental well-being, r=−0.634, p<0.01. Work-related stress negatively predicted mental well-being, β=−0.587, t=−13.257, p<0.01 A significant positive correlation was found between mental well-being and psychological resilience (r=0.549, p<0.01). The correlation between work-related stress and psychological resilience was negative (r=−0.444, p<0.01). Conclusion was drawn that stress levels varied across the workforce, with the majority experiencing low to moderate stress. The obtained significant negative relationship between the work-related stress and mental wellbeing underscores the critical impact that workplace stress can have on employees’ mental health. Employees with higher levels of resilience are better equipped to handle stress, which helps protect their mental well-being. The study recommended that counseling practitioners should focus on providing targeted interventions that address the specific stressors faced by aircraft maintenance personnel. Developing specialized counseling programs that incorporate resilience-building techniques can help employees better manage stress. Practitioners should also collaborate with airline companies to ensure that counseling
services are accessible and tailored to the unique needs of the aviation workforce. A similar study should be conducted among other industry professionals such as pilots and cabin crew.