Mental health, technostress and psychological capital in the information technology industry, Western Cape province

Abstract

The rapid integration of information and communication technologies (ICTs) into the workplace has led to notable productivity gains but also introduced new psychosocial challenges. This study investigated the relationships among technostress, mental health, and psychological capital (PsyCap) within the Information Technology (IT) sector in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. Grounded in the job demands-resources model, transactional stress theory, and social learning theory, the research explored the moderating role of psychological capital in the link between technostress and mental health outcomes. Using a quantitative, correlational research design, data were collected via structured questionnaires, including the Technostress Questionnaire (TSQ), Psychological Capital Questionnaire (PCQ-24), and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), from a sample of IT professionals. The results revealed a significant negative relationship between technostress and mental health, a positive association between psychological capital and mental health, and an inverse relationship between psychological capital and technostress. However, the hierarchical regression analysis showed that psychological capital did not significantly moderate the relationship between technostress and mental health. These findings suggest that, although psychological capital is an important positive psychological resource associated with better mental health, it may not be sufficient on its own to buffer the mental health effects of technostress among IT professionals. The study provides valuable insights for organisational policies, highlighting the need for organisations to address technostress directly while also strengthening employees’ positive psychological resources through targeted well-being, resilience-building, and mental health support strategies tailored to the digital workplace.