The Role of Air Traffic Controllers’ Mindfulness in Enhancing Air Traffic Safety: JDR Theory in the Saudi Arabian Aviation Context

Bader Alaydi (), Siew-Imm Ng and Xin-Jean Lim
Additional contact information
Bader Alaydi: College of Business Administration, Prince Sultan University, Riyadh 11586, Saudi Arabia
Siew-Imm Ng: School of Business & Economics, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia
Xin-Jean Lim: School of Business & Economics, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia

Logistics, 2025, vol. 9, issue 3, 1-24

Abstract: Background : Air traffic control is a stressful job and vital to aviation safety. Although technological developments have been introduced to enhance and facilitate the tasks of air traffic control officers (ATCOs), ATCOs still experience high levels of job stress. This study explores the influence of mindfulness and social work support (SWS) on the job performance and job stress of ATCOs in Saudi Arabia. Methods : Grounded in Job Demands–Resources (JDR) theory, this study used a cross-sectional design to survey 324 ATCOs, with a 72% response rate. Mindfulness and SWS were treated as individual and situation-specific resources that influence stress and performance outcomes. Results : The results indicated that mindfulness could reduce workplace stress and improve performance. Moreover, SWS was also critical in reducing the adverse impacts of stress on job performance, reflecting the buffering effect posited by JDR theory. Conclusions : This study demonstrates that JDR theory is applicable to the context of ATC since it validates the importance of mindfulness and SWS as critical resources in minimizing stress levels and improving performance. The findings have implications for the viability of mindfulness-based training interventions and peer-support programs in supporting the health of ATCOs and their ability to deal with highly stressful situations.

Keywords: air traffic safety; mindfulness; job stress; job performance; social work support; JDR theory (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: L8 L80 L81 L86 L87 L9 L90 L91 L92 L93 L98 L99 M1 M10 M11 M16 M19 R4 R40 R41 R49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6290/9/3/117/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6290/9/3/117/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jlogis:v:9:y:2025:i:3:p:117-:d:1725615

Access Statistics for this article

Logistics is currently edited by Ms. Mavis Li

More articles in Logistics from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().