FROM SILENCE TO STRESS: ASSESSING FEAR OF DISCLOSURE IN HIGH-PRESSURE SALES ENVIRONMENTS
Keywords:
Fear of Disclosure, Sales Representatives, Occupational Stigma, Confirmatory Factor Analysis, High-Pressure Work EnvironmentsAbstract
High-pressure sales environments are often associated with intense performance demands, occupational stigma, and psychological stress, yet the phenomenon of fear of disclosure among sales representatives remains underexplored. Sales representatives may experience apprehension about revealing their occupational identity or job-related difficulties due to anticipated social judgment and stigmatization, which can negatively affect their psychological well-being. The present study aimed to examine the underlying factor structure of fear of disclosure among sales representatives, to establish the construct validity, reliability, and internal consistency of the Fear of Disclosure Scale for Sales Representatives, and to investigate variations in fear of disclosure across gender, age, and educational groups. Using a cross-sectional research design, data were collected from 340 sales representatives in Pakistan. Confirmatory Factor Analysis was conducted using AMOS 20.0, while reliability analyses, descriptive statistics, and independent sample t-tests were performed using SPSS 26.0. The findings supported a two-factor structure—Fear of Social Disclosure and Public Stigmatization, and Internalized Occupational Stigma and Self-Devaluation—with satisfactory model fit indices and high internal consistency. Significant differences were found across gender, age, and education, with females reporting higher levels of fear of disclosure. The study concludes that fear of disclosure is a multidimensional and socially embedded construct, highlighting the need for culturally sensitive assessment tools and organizational interventions to promote psychological safety in sales environments.
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