Abstract This systematic review examines the relationship between psychological contract breach (PCB)/fulfilment (PCF) and employee well-being, with a specific focus on mediating and moderating mechanisms. A systematic search in four databases yielded 59 empirical studies published between 1990 and 2024. The findings indicate that PCB hinders employee well-being, whereas PCF supports a range of well-being outcomes, and there is no consensus on whether PCB or PCF has a greater impact on employee well-being. Evidence also suggests that PCB and PCF are related but distinct constructs. Synthesising mediators and moderators, the review advances a contingent and process-based understanding of how psychological contract evaluations shape employee well-being. The evidence further indicates that the relative impact of PCB or PCF on employee well-being is conditional rather than universal. These findings extend conservation of resources and social exchange theories, and highlight the need for more theoretically rigorous and causally robust future research.
Mahalekamge et al. (Tue,) studied this question.
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