An investigation of psychological well-being among platform riders in mainland China

Francis CHEUNG; Dan WU; Yonglin ZHENG; Chen LI

doi:10.1186/s12889-025-22946-3

An investigation of psychological well-being among platform riders in mainland China

Francis CHEUNG^*, Dan WU, Yonglin ZHENG, Chen LI

^*Corresponding author for this work

Department of Psychology

Research output: Journal Publications › Journal Article (refereed) › peer-review

Abstract

Objectives
This study examined the relationships between work stressors (i.e., precarious work conditions, customer incivility, fast work pace, and job insecurity) and their relations with job satisfaction and emotional exhaustion among platform drivers in mainland China. In addition, we tested whether psychological capital (PsyCap) moderated the hypothesized relationships.

Methods
2539 platform drivers (Men = 2244; Women = 295, Mean age = 28.18, SD = 6.38) in Mainland China were recruited.

Results
Work stressors were positively related to emotional exhaustion but negatively associated with job satisfaction. Regarding the hypothesized moderating effect, PsyCap moderated the association between precarious work conditions and fast work pace in predicting job satisfaction. Furthermore, PsyCap also interacted with precarious work conditions, job insecurity, and customer incivility in predicting emotional exhaustion.

Conclusion
The occupational well-being of platform drivers was significantly related to their working conditions. PsyCap is a salient factor that alleviates the negative work stressors that affect these outcomes.

Original language	English
Article number	1647
Journal	BMC Public Health
Volume	25
Issue number	1
Early online date	3 May 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-22946-3
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 3 May 2025

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2025.

Funding

Shenzhen University-Lingnan University Joint Research Programme (SZU-LU005_2122) for Francis CHEUNG (Corresponding author) and Shenzhen University-Lingnan University Joint Research Programme (202202005) for Dan WU. Yonglin ZHENG and Chen LI receive no funding for the project.

Keywords

Occupational well-being
Platform riders
Psychosocial work stressors

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1186/s12889-025-22946-3Licence: CC BY-NC-ND

https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-025-22946-3

Cite this

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title = "An investigation of psychological well-being among platform riders in mainland China",

abstract = "ObjectivesThis study examined the relationships between work stressors (i.e., precarious work conditions, customer incivility, fast work pace, and job insecurity) and their relations with job satisfaction and emotional exhaustion among platform drivers in mainland China. In addition, we tested whether psychological capital (PsyCap) moderated the hypothesized relationships.Methods2539 platform drivers (Men = 2244; Women = 295, Mean age = 28.18, SD = 6.38) in Mainland China were recruited.ResultsWork stressors were positively related to emotional exhaustion but negatively associated with job satisfaction. Regarding the hypothesized moderating effect, PsyCap moderated the association between precarious work conditions and fast work pace in predicting job satisfaction. Furthermore, PsyCap also interacted with precarious work conditions, job insecurity, and customer incivility in predicting emotional exhaustion.ConclusionThe occupational well-being of platform drivers was significantly related to their working conditions. PsyCap is a salient factor that alleviates the negative work stressors that affect these outcomes.",

keywords = "Occupational well-being, Platform riders, Psychosocial work stressors",

author = "Francis CHEUNG and Dan WU and Yonglin ZHENG and Chen LI",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2025.",

year = "2025",

month = may,

day = "3",

doi = "10.1186/s12889-025-22946-3",

language = "English",

volume = "25",

journal = "BMC Public Health",

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T1 - An investigation of psychological well-being among platform riders in mainland China

AU - CHEUNG, Francis

AU - WU, Dan

AU - ZHENG, Yonglin

AU - LI, Chen

PY - 2025/5/3

Y1 - 2025/5/3

N2 - ObjectivesThis study examined the relationships between work stressors (i.e., precarious work conditions, customer incivility, fast work pace, and job insecurity) and their relations with job satisfaction and emotional exhaustion among platform drivers in mainland China. In addition, we tested whether psychological capital (PsyCap) moderated the hypothesized relationships.Methods2539 platform drivers (Men = 2244; Women = 295, Mean age = 28.18, SD = 6.38) in Mainland China were recruited.ResultsWork stressors were positively related to emotional exhaustion but negatively associated with job satisfaction. Regarding the hypothesized moderating effect, PsyCap moderated the association between precarious work conditions and fast work pace in predicting job satisfaction. Furthermore, PsyCap also interacted with precarious work conditions, job insecurity, and customer incivility in predicting emotional exhaustion.ConclusionThe occupational well-being of platform drivers was significantly related to their working conditions. PsyCap is a salient factor that alleviates the negative work stressors that affect these outcomes.

AB - ObjectivesThis study examined the relationships between work stressors (i.e., precarious work conditions, customer incivility, fast work pace, and job insecurity) and their relations with job satisfaction and emotional exhaustion among platform drivers in mainland China. In addition, we tested whether psychological capital (PsyCap) moderated the hypothesized relationships.Methods2539 platform drivers (Men = 2244; Women = 295, Mean age = 28.18, SD = 6.38) in Mainland China were recruited.ResultsWork stressors were positively related to emotional exhaustion but negatively associated with job satisfaction. Regarding the hypothesized moderating effect, PsyCap moderated the association between precarious work conditions and fast work pace in predicting job satisfaction. Furthermore, PsyCap also interacted with precarious work conditions, job insecurity, and customer incivility in predicting emotional exhaustion.ConclusionThe occupational well-being of platform drivers was significantly related to their working conditions. PsyCap is a salient factor that alleviates the negative work stressors that affect these outcomes.

KW - Occupational well-being

KW - Platform riders

KW - Psychosocial work stressors

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U2 - 10.1186/s12889-025-22946-3

DO - 10.1186/s12889-025-22946-3

M3 - Journal Article (refereed)

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SN - 1472-698X

VL - 25

JO - BMC Public Health

JF - BMC Public Health

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M1 - 1647

ER -

An investigation of psychological well-being among platform riders in mainland China

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

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Psychosocial work stressors on occupational well-being among delivery drivers in China: Testing the moderating role of psychological capital

Cite this

An investigation of psychological well-being among platform riders in mainland China

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Projects

Psychosocial work stressors on occupational well-being among delivery drivers in China: Testing the moderating role of psychological capital

Cite this