How to Mitigate Security-Related Stress: The Role of Psychological Capital

Abstract

In an organizational context, individuals are prone to feel stressed by overwhelming and complicated security requirements, which can result in noncompliance with security policies and guidelines. While previous research has mainly focused on identifying distinct dimensions of security- related stress (SRS) and their behavioral impact, this paper is the first to examine factors for mitigating SRS. A study with more than 130 participants reveals that psychological capital (PsyCap) – here comprising of domain-specific self-efficacy and resilience – may work as such a means as it significantly reduces perceived SRS. However, the positive effect of PsyCap diminishes when becoming a victim of cybercriminals. We discuss our results and highlight theoretical and practical implications for organizations.