Can a four-dimensional model of occupational commitment help to explain intent to leave the emergency medical service occupation?

Using a sample of 854 emergency medical service (EMS) respondents, this study supported a four-dimension model of occupational commitment, comprised of affective, normative, accumulated costs, and limited alternatives. When personal and job-related variables were controlled, general job satisfaction emerged as a negative correlate of intent to leave. Controlling for personal, job-related, and job satisfaction variables, affective and limited alternatives commitment were each significant negative correlates. There were small but significant interactive effects among the commitment dimensions in accounting for additional intent to leave variance, including a four-way interaction. "High" versus "low" cumulative commitment subgroups were created by selecting respondents who were equal to or above ("high") versus below ("low") the median on each of the four occupational commitment dimensions. A t-test indicated that low cumulative commitment EMS respondents were more likely to intend to leave than high cumulative commitment EMS respondents.