Study of the fitness of the causal‐structural relations among personality traits, stress and organizational citizenship behavior considering the mediating effects of individual accountability

The aim of the present study was to examine the mediating effect of individual accountability in causal relations among personality traits, stress and OCB. 250 faculty members from three state universities were selected using random stratified sampling. The data were gathered through NEO big five factor inventories and stress, OCB and individual accountability questionnaires. To evaluate the relations among latent variables, measured in conceptual model, the Structural Equation Modeling was used. The results showed that the personality trait of conscientiousness bears a negative and significant relation with stress, a positive and significant relation with felt accountability, and the personality trait of agreeableness bears a positive and significant relation with OCB and a negative and significant relation with accountability. The results also showed that the relation between conscientiousness and stress is mediated through accountability. Meanwhile, the mediating role of accountability in the relation between agreeableness and OCB was not confirmed. The results suggest on the necessity of reassessing the mediating role of accountability in surveying the causal relation among personality traits, stress and OCB.