Dentistry on the couch

This article outlines some of the occupational stresses in dental practice. In a profession which combines skillful precision with aesthetics many dentists are vulnerable to stress-yet most practitioners minimize or deny the suggestion that they face "burn-out'. Regular seminars on pressures pertaining to dental practice would provide support to practitioners (at risk).

Explaining urban-rural variations in health: a review of interactions between individual and environment

In order to gain insight into the relation between health and people's environment, literature published between 1985 and 1994 was gathered from several international databases. An introduction into existing theory regarding geographic disparities is presented: geographical drift and breeder hypotheses are discussed. This is followed by a critical review focusing on interaction effects of urbanicity and individual characteristics on health. This leads to two major conclusions. First, emphasis in past research has been primarily on urban constraints rather than opportunities. Positive aspects of urban living are often insufficiently appreciated. Second, positive and negative environmental aspects have an effect on health that is often dependent on individual characteristics. The extent to which the environment exerts influence on a person's health is dependent on that person's individual characteristics. These conclusions are relevant only for further developing the breeder hypothesis, however. Large scale individual based longitudinal data should be studied in order to gain more insight into the relative importance of the geographical drift hypothesis.

CROSS-CULTURAL SOCIAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY

This review considers recent theoretical and empirical developments in cross-cultural studies within social and organizational psychology. It begins with a description of the importance and the difficulties of universalizing psychological science. It then continues with an examination of theoretical work on both the internal-proximal and the external-distal constraints that mediate culture's influence on behavior. Influences on social cognition are documented by describing research on self-concept, self-esteem, emotions, attribution processes, person perception, interpersonal attraction, and justice. Group processes are addressed in the areas of leadership, decision-making, and negotiation, and research in organizational psychology is examined with respect to work motivation and work behavior. The review concludes that considerable improvement is evident in recent cross-cultural research. However, future research must include a broader range of cultures and attend more closely to the levels at which cultural effects should be analyzed, and cultural samples must be unpackaged in more psychologically useful ways.

Test Qualifications and Test Use in the UK: The Competence Approach

The paper describes the current British Psychological Society (BPS) approach to the development of professional test user qualifications through the use of a competence-based approach to the certification of test users. The rationale is described and contrasted with previous mechanisms for controlling standards in test use. The overall strategy is to develop more competent test users and to provide better information for them about tests. The latter is being accomplished through the establishment of a Register of Test Users with its associated journal Selection and Development Review; and the publication by BPS Books of regular test reviews and updates. To date, a Certification process has been implemented relating to psychological test use in occupational assessment settings. This comprises qualifications at two levels: “Level A” (tests of ability and aptitude) and “Level B” (personality assessment). The design and implementation of this system has raised many problems - theoretical, practical, political, and commercial. The focus of the new approach represents a radical change from past practice. It emphasises the competence of test users - rather than the means by which competence is attained. Standards have been defined and mechanisms established for assessing competence and for verifying and monitoring the quality of the assessment process.

Public attitudes toward dentists: a U.S. household survey

This article reports on research that assessed public attitudes toward dentists and the dental profession and compared them to dentists' own attitudes about their roles. Enhanced knowledge of patients' perceptions can help practicing dentists gain a better understanding of public perceptions of themselves and of dentistry as a profession, as well as enhance their relationships with patients.

Work motivation among high school students before and during the economic recession in the Swedish labour market

In 1990, 2349 high school pupils from 21 high schools in the Stockholm, Uppsala and Södertälje regions answered a questionnaire concerning how important different characteristics of work were in their future job. The questionnaire also included an open question, "How would you describe an ideal job?" In 1993 the same questionnaire was answered by 1171 high school students. The two measurement occasions were separated by economic changes leading, from a condition of economic security and full employment, to a condition characterised by economic insecurity and high unemployment especially among young people. Results showed that the economic insecurity of 1993 lowered the students' ratings of the importance of all characteristics of work with the exception of the security of work. A strong gender factor influenced the ratings. Thus, the female students rated the importance of the characteristics of work higher than the male students did. The only exception concerned "good pay", which was rated higher by the male. In 1993 these effects were less pronounced, although still evident. The motivational structure seemed to be unaffected by the economic insecurity. The same four motivational factors, i.e. (1) the expressive work goals, (2) the working conditions, (3) the benefits of work and (4) the social aspects of work, appeared in the analyses of both measurement occasions.

Quality behaviour for quality organizations

Goal setting and feedback techniques have previously been used to improve safety behaviour. Describes a pilot study of the application of a behaviour‐based quality improvement process in a continuous process production plant with a particular focus on certain aspects of the organizational structure and climate which might be conducive to the changes necessary to facilitate this approach. Since “quality improvement”, unlike “safety improvement”, is more likely to be contingent on interactions with other people, the need to optimize communication and interpersonal relationships at work are important. Suggests that an internal customer, linking‐pin model provides the optimal conditions required, and ensures a high level of employee participation in the process of continuous quality improvement.

Factors Affecting Union Member Involvement in a Closed Shop Setting

This study, based on responses from 283 union members, examined members' involvement in two union activities. Union loyalty was strongly related to a willingness to help organize a nonunion employer. In addition, occupying a union executive or shop steward position was associated with both helping organize a nonunion employer and voting in the most recent election.

Recruiting for success--the potential for using occupational personality questionnaires for the assessment of doctors

OBJECTIVES

to evaluate the Saville and Holdsworth Occupational Personality Questionnaire (OPQ) to assess its potential and validity as a tool in the recruitment of doctors. To determine the range of personality characteristics in a group of general practitioners.

DESIGN

an administered commercially available questionnaire.

SETTING

general practitioners in North and Mid. Stafftordshire.

SUBJECTS

133 general practitioners or trainees.

RESULTS

44% of general practitioners agreed to participate. The majority found it useful and recognised its potential to increase self-awareness, highlight weaknesses that might be improved and for future recruitment of others to their teams. Doctors' personality traits were similar to those of managerial/professional norms. The validity of the OPQ was supported by (a) significant associations with subjects' previously reported mental health problems and (b) 83% of respondents confirming that their reports correctly described their personalities at work.

CONCLUSIONS

OPQs have a place in the recruitment of doctors by identifying appropriate people to strengthen the team.

Prediction of Substance Use in the Workplace: Unique Contributions of Personal Background and Work Environment Variables

Relationships of personal and job factors with employee substance use in a sample of municipal workers were assessed. Logistic regression results showed that personal and job domains each significantly predicted substance use at and away from work, although the best fit was provided by a model including both domains. The profile of the employee most likely to be a substance abuser was a young male with low self-esteem and an arrest history, who came from a family with substance abuse problems, and associated with substance-using peers. The drug-using employee was also likely to be estranged from work and to work under risky job conditions.