Introduction The Job Demand–Control–Support (JDCS) model suggests that a combination of job demands (JD), job control (JC), and job support (JS) forms eight different job types. In the last three decades, these constellations of job types have been explored by adopting the traditional variable-centered perspective. In this sense, these constellations of job types as postulated in the JDCS model have been rarely confirmed empirically and few studies were able to find all the hypothesized constellations.

Objectives The aim of this study was to expand previous research on the JDCS model by adopting a person-centered approach to identify relevant job type profiles.

Methods We applied latent profile analysis (LPA) to identify profiles in a sample of Italian workers (n=348). LPA including one to eight latent profiles were estimated by using MPlus 7 robust maximum likelihood estimator, considering the following goodness-of-fit indices: Bayesian information criterion, Akaike information criterion, Constant AIC; bootstrapped likelihood ratio p-value and the Lo-Mendell Rubin adjusted likelihood ratio.

Results LPA showed a five-latent-profiles solution: isolated high strain (high JD, low JC, low support; n=36, 10.35%), cowboy-hero (high JC, low support; n=16, 4.60%), moderate-strain (moderate JD, moderate JC, low support; n=125, 35.92%), collective-low-strain (low JD, high JC, high support; n=37, 10.63%), and supported (high support, n=134, 38.51%).

Conclusion Results from our study partially agree with JDCS theorization as it replicated three of the eight-profile solutions identified, finding two new constellations. In fact, we were not able to identify the passive jobs, active jobs, obedient comrade, and participatory leader constellations. This study extends previous research on JDCS, highlighting that future studies should consider empirically identified profiles rather than theoretically defined subgroups. Finally, one of the main theoretical contribution of the present study was the consideration of job support as an important component for job types identification, as postulated in the JDCS model.