Towards a comprehensive model of leader wellbeing

Abstract or Summary

As few SDT studies test more than one dimension, the present study tests a metamodel of SDT to include three facilitators (aspirations, mindfulness and motivation), the three needs (autonomy, competence and relatedness), and perceived autonomous support (PAS) towards the hedonic wellbeing of 386 New Zealand leaders. Findings showed that global aspirations was negatively related to negative affect, while mindfulness, global motivations and PAS were positively related to life satisfaction and positive affect and negatively to negative effect. Of the three needs, autonomy was positively related to life satisfaction, while competence was positively related to positive affect and negatively related to negative effect. PAS was also tested as a moderator and interacted significantly with relatedness towards life satisfaction and mindfulness towards negative affect. Overall, wellbeing is greater for those with high SDT dimensions and high PAS. As such, this study provides a comprehensive analysis of wellbeing through a metamodel design.