Definition and conceptualization of stress in organizations

A narrative review of mechanisms linking romantic relationship experiences to sleep quality

Although a significant body of research has revealed associations between romantic relationship experiences and sleep quality, there has not been clarity regarding the mechanisms underlying such associations. Toward this end, we review the existing studies that have tested mechanisms linking romantic relationship experiences to sleep quality. Guided by both theory and existing research, we organize our review around five key categories of mechanisms that may explain associations between romantic relationship experiences and sleep quality: emotional/affective responses, self-perceptions, social perceptions, self-regulation, and biological functioning. Our review of the literature indicates strong evidence in support of the mediating effects of emotional/affective mechanisms (e.g. emotions and mood states) in explaining associations between various aspects of romantic relationships (e.g. relationship satisfaction, partner conflicts, and attachment orientation) and sleep quality. Although there is ample theoretical support for the other mechanisms proposed, and although all proposed mechanisms have been separately linked to both romantic relationship experiences and sleep quality, few studies have directly tested them, pointing to profitable directions for future research. Understanding underlying mechanisms will enable the development of wise, process-based interventions that target specific mechanisms to improve couple members' sleep quality and romantic relationship functioning.

Surgical Sabermetrics: A Scoping Review of Technology-enhanced Assessment of Nontechnical Skills in the Operating Room

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the current evidence for surgical sabermetrics: digital methods of assessing surgical nontechnical skills and investigate the implications for enhancing surgical performance.

BACKGROUND

Surgeons need high-quality, objective, and timely feedback to optimize performance and patient safety. Digital tools to assess nontechnical skills have the potential to reduce human bias and aid scalability. However, we do not fully understand which of the myriad of digital metrics of performance assessment have efficacy for surgeons.

METHODS

A systematic review was conducted by searching PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, and PSYCINFO databases following PRISMA-ScR guidelines. MeSH terms and keywords included "Assessment," "Surgeons," and "Technology". Eligible studies included a digital assessment of nontechnical skills for surgeons, residents, and/or medical students within an operative context.

RESULTS

From 19,229 articles screened, 81 articles met the inclusion criteria. The studies varied in surgical specialties, settings, and outcome measurements. A total of 122 distinct objective, digital metrics were utilized. Studies digitally measured at least 1 category of surgical nontechnical skill using a single (n=54) or multiple objective measures (n=27). The majority of studies utilized simulation (n=48) over live operative settings (n=32). Surgical Sabermetrics has been demonstrated to be beneficial in measuring cognitive load (n=57), situation awareness (n=24), communication (n=3), teamwork (n=13), and leadership (n=2). No studies measured intraoperative decision-making.

CONCLUSIONS

The literature detailing the intersection between surgical data science and operative nontechnical skills is diverse and growing rapidly. Surgical Sabermetrics may provide a promising modifiable technique to achieve desirable outcomes for both the surgeon and the patient. This study identifies a diverse array of measurements possible with sensor devices and highlights research gaps, including the need for objective assessment of decision-making. Future studies may advance the integration of physiological sensors to provide a holistic assessment of surgical performance.

The relation between Self-Esteem and Productivity: An analysis in higher education institutions

Background

Due to the importance of academic training, allowing upward socioeconomic mobility, and being key to getting out of poverty, as indicated by the United Nations in its 2030 Agenda, investment in quality education is key. The objective of this study is to analyze the impact of Self-Esteem in the work environment on Teaching and Research Productivity within the field of higher education in Spain.

Method

The research is carried out among the teaching staff of the Rey Juan Carlos University of Madrid (Spain). A structured questionnaire was used to ask about Self-Esteem and Productivity. Data analysis is conducted using 272 valid questionnaires analyzed with R-commander software. The validity of the variables is analyzed to check the quality of the questionnaire. Linear regression analysis is used to examine the relationship between Self-Esteem and Productivity and is completed with ANOVA analysis to study the most significant differences between these variables.

Results

We identified a positive correlation between Self-Esteem and Productivity, where significant differences have been observed depending on the age and seniority of the teaching staff.

Conclusion

This research contributes positively to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals 3 (SDG3) (Good Health and Wellbeing) and 4 (Quality Education), in addition to highlighting the importance of universities ensuring the Self-Esteem of their teachers, having a very positive impact on the education received by the students, on the quality and prestige of the teaching center, and society, increasing academic research and educational quality. Similarly, the results achieved can be extrapolated to other sectors.

Validation of online mindfulness-enhanced course for stress reduction in teachers

Background

Mindfulness-based interventions have gained popularity as a means of reducing stress and increasing resilience among the preclinical population. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of an online mindfulness-enhanced course on stress reduction in teachers, especially since online learning and teaching have been frequently applied to respond to emergencies such as COVID-19-relevant school suspension.

Methods

The study consisted of two phases. Phase 1 aimed to explore the relationship between teachers' perceived stress and mindfulness traits. In total of 6,252 teachers completed assessments of stress symptoms using the Chinese Perceived Stress Scale (CPSS) and occupational stress sources, as well as mindfulness using the Five Factor Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ). Phase 2 aimed to examine the effectiveness of the online mindfulness-enhanced course. In total of 132 teachers were randomly assigned to either receive a 3-week online mindfulness course specifically designed for stress reduction and emotion regulation (N = 66) or a matched active control group (N = 66) and their pre-training and post-training self-reported states (e.g., perceived stress, mindfulness level, practice time) were measured.

Results

The detection rate of Health Risk Stress (≥26 scores) was as high as 61.72%, and a negative association between the score of FFMQ and perceived stress level was found. Importantly, compared to the control group, the mindfulness training group showed a significant decrease in perceived stress and negative emotion, as well as an increase in understanding of the core mechanisms of mindfulness after training. Additionally, individual improvement in FFMQ scores was predicted by practice time.

Conclusions

The study showed a high percentage of teachers experiencing stress, and the data supported the reliability and validity of the brief online mindfulness-enhanced course designed to reduce stress and regulate emotion for frontline teachers.

Effects of Acceptance and Commitment Training on Treatment Integrity Amongst Behavioral Technicians

Behavioral technicians (BT) within the field of applied behavior analysis may be at greater risk for experiencing burnout and stress due to the nature of their clients, job demands, and work environments. Burnout and stress may negatively impact BT's work performances, more specifically, their treatment integrity. Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT) may be a useful tool to address the private events as well as the covert and overt behaviors associated with burnout and stress. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of an ACT intervention on improving treatment integrity and reducing work-related burnout and stress amongst BTs. Four BTs participated in an ACT workshop, and their treatment integrity as well as their burnout and stress levels were measured prior to and following the ACT workshop. Treatment integrity increased for all participants, suggesting that ACT-based interventions may be an effective approach to improving work performance (i.e., treatment integrity) amongst BTs who may experience workplace burnout and stress.

Defining the Primary Work Stress Factors of Chinese Coal Miners-A Mixed-Methods Study

BACKGROUND

Studies have indicated that coal miners in China have higher levels of perceived job stress. However, few studies have investigated the work stress structure of coal miners.

OBJECTIVE

Our study focused on the work stress of coal miners in China, with a primary aim to determine the work stress structure of coal miners in China using a mixed-methods approach.

METHODS

Semi-structured interviews were performed with thirty-three people (team leaders and frontline coal miners) conducted with participants from various state-owned large- and medium-sized coal mines in China. Grounded theory was used to construct an initial model for the concept of coal miners' work stress. Using the results of this initial survey and findings in the existing literature, we then constructed a preliminary questionnaire regarding coal miners' work stress and administered the questionnaire to 900 coal miners in the Shaanxi, Henan, Inner Mongolia, and Gansu provinces.

RESULTS

The results show that the work stress structure for coal miners differs from that for other occupational types in China, due to differences in the Chinese culture and foreign cultural influences. We revised our questionnaire based on these considerations and administered a new survey to the frontline production workers in coal mines. The preliminary questionnaires were revised and analyzed through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, resulting in a final formal model for work stress, which was supported by content and structural validity.

CONCLUSION

In this research, we used the framework of grounded theory to conduct an empirical analysis of the structure model of coal miners' work stress. The findings support that the primary work stress factors of Chinese coal miners included the stress of the work environment, job responsibility, interpersonal relationships, career development, the family environment, and organizational systems. Coal enterprises should therefore always take these factors into consideration when developing and implementing safety management policies aimed at to improve the occupational health status of coal miners.

How to Alleviate Hotel Employees’ Job Stress in the Associations between Job Stressors and Its Consequences

This study investigates the relationship between job insecurity, job stress, and the psychological well-being of hotel employees, and the moderating effect of emotional regulation control on the causal relationship between job stress and psychological well-being. A valid sample of 428 employees was used from three five-star hotels and two four-star hotels in Seoul and Busan, South Korea, for hypothesis testing. After confirming the construct validity and reliability of all measurements, a structural equation modeling and multi-group analysis examine the postulated hypotheses. The findings are as follows: (1) the positive effect of job insecurity on job stress is significant; (2) job stress negatively and significantly mediates the linkage between hotel employees’ job insecurity and psychological well-being, while the direct effect of job insecurity on psychological is not significant; (3) the negative relationship between hotel employees’ job stress and psychological well-being is dramatically alleviated by the seeking support strategy; (4) hotel employees’ active coping strategy also has a palliative negative effect of job stress on psychological well-being; (5) however, avoidance is not an effective strategy for stress relief in the context of hotel employees’ job stress and well-being due to the COVID-19 and job insecurity.

How Do Employees Understand Negative Leadership? The Non-linear Relationship Between Abusive Supervision and Employee Innovation Behavior: Job Performance as a Moderator

This study aims to investigate the non-linear relationship between abusive supervision and employee innovation behavior and further examine how job performance moderates this relationship. Two hundred and seventy-six employees across three industries (restaurant service, tourism, and financial service) in China participated in this study and completed the survey at two time points. The results of curve regression show as follows: (1) There exists a non-linear relationship between abusive supervision and innovation behavior, and (2) job performance moderates the non-linear relationship between abusive supervision and employee innovation behavior. For employees who perform well at work, there exists a U-shaped relationship between abusive supervision and innovative behavior. Whereas, for employees with poor job performance, when abusive supervision reaches a certain level, it will promote employee innovation behavior; and the excess of abusive supervision will inhibit employee innovation behavior, showing an inverted U-shaped curve relationship. The finding suggests it is important for managers to understand the stakes arising from abusive supervision. That is, managers should manipulate the right level of abuse supervision to promote employee innovation behavior.

Fear of Losing Jobs during COVID-19: Can Psychological Capital Alleviate Job Insecurity and Job Stress?

Job insecurity is a growing concern among bank employees. In this research, we examined whether psychological capital can alleviate bank workers’ perceptions of job insecurity and job stress during COVID-19. In particular, we aimed to examine this relationship at both the individual and work-unit levels of analysis. Based on the data collected from 520 bank tellers in 53 bank branches in Thailand, our multilevel structural equation modeling (MSEM) analyses revealed that there was significant between-branch variation in the levels of psychological capital (15%), job insecurity (23%) and job stress (24%). In particular, perceptions of job insecurity were found to have a positive effect on job stress at both levels of analysis. We also found that psychological capital significantly reduced perceptions of job insecurity and job stress at the individual level. These findings emphasize that perceptions of job insecurity can emerge at both the individual and work-unit levels. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

A Meta-Analysis of the Relationships Between Emotional Intelligence and Employee Outcomes

Emotional intelligence is an emerging field since the 1990s due to its important outcomes for employees. This study is a psychometric meta-analysis examining the links between emotional intelligence and organizational commitment, organizational citizenship behavior, job satisfaction, job performance, and job stress of employees. In this meta-analysis, carefully selected studies on emotional intelligence since the origin of the concept in 1990 were included along with studies examining its outcomes. For this analysis, three streams of emotional intelligence, consistent with previous meta-analyses, were considered: ability, self-report, and mixed emotional intelligence. This meta-analysis is an attempt to add to the literature by analyzing the relationships between emotional intelligence and selected employee outcomes over a period of time beginning in 1990. The three streams of emotional intelligence were separately analyzed to examine their relationship with employee outcomes. These outcomes were included in the study based on select research studies. Our study results showed that emotional intelligence and its three streams were positively related to organizational commitment, organizational citizenship behavior, job satisfaction, and job performance and negatively related to job stress.

Preferences and Perceptions of Workplace Participation: A Cross-Cultural Study

Despite the amount of theorization on the forms and effects of participation, relatively little research directly examines what the concept of workplace participation entails in the minds of employees, and whether employees across cultures think positively when the concept of participation is activated in their mental representation. Three studies (n = 1,138 full-time employees) investigated the perceptions and preferences of full-time employees from the United States and China, cultures that might be expected to differ in their societal participation norm. Using a free association test and text analyses, Study 1 demonstrated that Chinese and American employees differed in their construal of workplace participation, yet both culture groups associated positive valence to the concept of participation. Study 2 showed that employees' preference for workplace participation is positively related to their perceptions of its outcomes on productivity, job satisfaction, and workplace conflict. Study 3 had employees interact with either a prototypically high or low participation work environment and tested whether clear cultural contrasts might occur. American employees expressed unambiguous endorsement and predicted positive outcomes of a high participation workplace, whereas Chinese employees expressed slightly higher endorsement to a low participation work environment and associated it with higher productivity. This research provides insights on how workplace participation is construed by employees from different cultures, especially from cultures where democratic participation is not the normative default. Different perspectives on workplace participation across cultures may inform practitioners of the goals and approaches when shaping a more participatory workplace and a more democratic society.

Stress management strategies and quality of life in undergraduate nursing and midwifery students in Poland: A pilot study

AIM

To establish the level of the quality of life (QOL) and its determinants in nursing and midwifery students, evaluate stress management strategies and find the correlation between the frequency of specific strategies and the QOL.

DESIGN

Diagnostic survey.

METHODS

The study was conducted in June 2019. Two hundred thirty-four undergraduate students were examined with the use of Mini-Cope Inventory of Stress Management Measurement (Mini-Cope) and World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument Brief Form.

RESULTS

The average QOL of the respondents was found as good (4.06 ± 0.73). The students graded their QOL in the social relationship domain the highest (15.98 ± 2.97) and the lowest in the physical health domain (14.38 ± 2.75). The QOL was influenced by material status and the source of income. In stressful situations, the respondents most commonly used Active Coping (2.09 ± 0.57) and Seeking Emotional Support (2.09 ± 0.77) strategies. The latter correlated most positively with the QOL in social relationship (r = .514, p < .001) and environmental (r = .387, p < .001) domains.

The Moral Distress-Appraisal Scale: Scale development and validation study

AIMS

Moral distress-arising when one is constrained from moral action-has been receiving increased attention in nursing research. The phenomenon is associated with negative outcomes and is shown to impact a broad range of healthcare professions. The context-specific nature of existing measures, however, makes it difficult, if not impossible, to compare the prevalence and impact of moral distress across nursing settings and healthcare professions. This study presents an appraisal approach to the assessment of moral distress. The aims of this study were to develop and to investigate the reliability and validity of the Moral Distress-Appraisal Scale as a context-independent assessment instrument for moral distress.

DESIGN

This is a cross-sectional correlational validation study.

METHODS

Between September 2018 and June 2019, a total of 406 healthcare employees (mainly nurses) completed a quantitative survey consisting of a standard moral distress measure (Moral Distress Scale-Revised) and the Moral Distress-Appraisal Scale. A subsample (n = 164) received extra questions on work characteristics, well-being and attitudinal outcomes. Confirmatory factor analysis, Pearson correlations and regression analyses were conducted in order to evaluate the psychometric properties of the newly developed scale.

RESULTS

Confirmatory factor analysis provided evidence for the predicted structure of the 8-item Moral Distress-Appraisal Scale. As expected, the scale is positively correlated with the Moral Distress Scale-Revised and with job demands, burnout, depressive symptoms, and turnover intentions and negatively with job resources and job satisfaction. Furthermore, the scale showed incremental validity in predicting wellbeing and attitudinal outcomes above and beyond both known predictive work characteristics and the Moral Distress Scale-Revised.

CONCLUSION

This study provides first empirical evidence for the reliability and validity of the Moral Distress-Appraisal Scale.

IMPACT

The Moral Distress-Appraisal Scale can be used across healthcare professions and contexts. The proposed appraisal approach may facilitate integration of the scale into occupational health research and practice.

The Role of Filial Piety in the Relationships between Work Stress, Job Satisfaction, and Turnover Intention: A Moderated Mediation Model

In China, filial piety, which usually refers to showing respect and obedience to parents, has exerted an important effect in the relationship between work stress and turnover intention. However, the mechanism behind this effect is still unclear. To address this gap in the existing literature, we developed and tested a moderated mediation model of the relationship that work stress shares with job satisfaction and turnover intention. In accordance with the dual filial piety model and the stress-moderation model, our hypothesized model predicted that the mediating effect of job satisfaction on the relationship between work stress and turnover intention would be moderated by reciprocal filial piety (RFP) and authoritarian filial piety (AFP). The analytic results of data that were obtained from 506 employees of manufacturing industries in China supported this model. Specifically, RFP and AFP, as a contextualized personality construct, positively moderated the direct relationship between work stress and turnover intention as well as the corresponding indirect effect through job satisfaction. In particular, RFP and AFP strengthened the positive effect of work stress on turnover intention. Based on these findings, recommendations to help employees fulfill their filial duties and reduce the effect of work stress on turnover intention among employees of Chinese manufacturing industries are delineated.

Linking Diversity and Mental Health: Task Conflict Mediates Between Perceived Subgroups and Emotional Exhaustion

Diversity and psychological health issues at the workplace are pressing issues in today’s organizations. However, research linking two fields is scant. To bridge this gap, drawing from team faultline research, social categorization theory, and the job-demands resources model, we propose that perceiving one’s team as fragmented into subgroups increases strain. We further argue that this relationship is mediated by task conflict and relationship conflict and that it is moderated by psychological empowerment and task interdependence. Multilevel structural equation models on a two-wave sample consisting of 536 participants from 107 work teams across various industries and work contexts partially supported the hypotheses: task conflict did indeed mediate the positive relationships between perceived subgroups and emotional exhaustion while relationship conflict did not; effects on stress symptoms were absent. Moreover, contrary to our expectations, neither empowerment, nor task interdependence moderated the mediation. Results indicate that team diversity can constitute a job demand that can affect psychological health. Focusing on the mediating role of task conflict, we offer a preliminary process model to guide future research at the crossroads of diversity and psychological health at work.

Stressed decision makers and use of decision aids: a literature review and conceptual model

Purpose

Decision making is inherently stressful since the decision maker must choose between potentially conflicting alternatives with unique hazards and uncertain outcomes. Whereas decision aids such as decision support systems (DSS) can be beneficial in stressful scenarios, decision makers sometimes misuse them during decision making, leading to suboptimal outcomes. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between stress, decision making and decision aid use.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conduct an extensive multi-disciplinary review of decision making and DSS use through the lens of stress and examine how stress, as perceived by decision makers, impacts their use or misuse of DSS even when such aids can improve decision quality. Research questions examine underlying sources of stress in managerial decision making that influence decision quality, relationships between a decision maker’s perception of stress, DSS use/misuse, and decision quality, and implications for research and practice on DSS design and capabilities.

Findings

The study presents a conceptual model that provides an integrative behavioral view of the impact of a decision maker’s perceived stress on their use of a DSS and the quality of their decisions. The authors identify critical knowledge gaps and propose a research agenda to improve decision quality and use of DSS by considering a decision maker’s perceived stress.

Originality/value

This study provides a previously unexplored view of DSS use and misuse as shaped by the decision and job stress experienced by decision makers. Through the application of four theories, the review and its findings highlight key design principles that can mitigate the negative effects of stressors on DSS use.

The Effects of Exposure to Psychological Violence in the Workplace on Commitment and Turnover Intentions: The Moderating Role of Social Support and Role Stressors

Exposure to workplace violence has been identified as a serious and universal issue facing modern organizations. The present study focuses more specifically on exposure to psychological violence, and its association with turnover intentions as mediated by workplace affective commitment. In addition, we also explore the moderating role of various facets of job demands (role stressors) and resources (social support) on the aforementioned relations. Data collected from 1,228 university employees indicated that experiencing psychological violence at work was associated with lower levels of workplace affective commitment and higher levels of turnover intentions, and that the relation between psychological violence and turnover intentions was partially mediated by commitment. Furthermore, role stressors and social support were found to moderate the negative relation between exposure to psychological violence and workplace affective commitment, as well as between commitment and turnover intentions, but not the direct relation between psychological violence and turnover intentions. Theoretical and research implications for the literature on psychological violence and practical suggestions for minimizing its damaging consequences are proposed.

Positive organizational scholarship in healthcare: The impact of employee training on performance, turnover, and stress

Based on positive organizational scholarship in healthcare, this study examined the relationships between four dimensions of employee perception of training: workplace stress, organizational outcomes, job performance, and turnover intentions. We hypothesized that employee training perception would have a negative relationship with workplace stress and that stress would mediate the relationship between employee training perception, job performance, and turnover intentions. We obtained data on 317 elderly-care workers in Northern Cyprus and analyzed it using structural equation modeling. Employee training perception was negatively related to workplace stress, and stress was negatively related to job performance and positively related to turnover intention. In line with Job Demand-Resource theory (JD-R), workplace stress partially mediated the relationship between employee training perception and organizational outcomes. The study contributes to the literature by confirming that elderly-care organizations that provide training opportunities for employees can reduce workplace stress, build organizational strengths, and facilitate positive outcomes.

I Am So Tired… How Fatigue May Exacerbate Stress Reactions to Psychological Contract Breach

Previous research showed that perceptions of psychological contract (PC) breach have undesirable individual and organizational consequences. Surprisingly, the PC literature has paid little to no attention to the relationship between PC breach perceptions and stress. A better understanding of how PC breach may elicit stress seems crucial, given that stress plays a key role in employees' physical and mental well-being. Based on Conservation of Resources Theory, we suggest that PC breach perceptions represent a perceived loss of valued resources, subsequently leading employees to experience higher stress levels resulting from emerging negative emotions. Moreover, we suggest that this mediated relationship is moderated by initial levels of fatigue, due to fatigue lowering the personal resources necessary to cope with breach events. To tests our hypotheses, we analyzed the multilevel data we obtained from two experience sampling designs (Study 1: 51 Belgian employees; Study 2: 53 US employees). Note that the unit of analysis is "observations" rather than "respondents," resulting in an effective sample size of 730 (Study 1) and 374 (Study 2) observations. In both studies, we found evidence for the mediating role of negative emotions in the PC breach-stress relationship. In the second study, we also found evidence for the moderating role of fatigue in the mediated PC breach-stress relationship. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Burnout Study of Clinical Nurses in Vietnam: Development of Job Burnout Model Based on Leiter and Maslach's Theory

PURPOSE

This study aimed to create a Vietnamese version of both the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS) and Areas of Worklife Scale (AWS) to assess the burnout state of Vietnamese clinical nurses and to develop a causal model of burnout of clinical nurses.

METHODS

We conducted a descriptive design using a cross-sectional survey. The questionnaire was hand divided directly by nursing departments to 500 clinical nurses in three hospitals. Vietnamese MBI-GS and AWS were then examined for reliability and validity. We used the revised exhaustion +1 burnout classification to access burnout state. We performed path analysis to develop a Vietnamese causal model based on the original model by Leiter and Maslach's theory.

RESULTS

We found that both scales were reliable and valid for assessing burnout. Among nurse participants, the percentage of severe burnout was 0.7% and burnout was 15.8%, and 17.2% of nurses were exhausted. The best predictor of burnout was "on-duty work schedule" that clinical nurses have to work for 24 hours. In the causal model, we also found similarity and difference pathways in comparison with the original model.

CONCLUSION

Vietnamese MBI-GS and AWS were applicable to research on occupational stress. Nearly one-fifth of Vietnamese clinical nurses were working in burnout state. The causal model suggested a range of factors resulting in burnout, and it is necessary to consider the specific solution to prevent burnout problem.

Mental Stress from Animal Experiments: a Survey with Korean Researchers

Animal experiments have been widely conducted in the life sciences for more than a century, and have long been a subject of ethical and societal controversy due to the deliberate infliction of harm upon sentient animals. However, the harmful use of animals may also negatively impact the mental health of researchers themselves. We sought to evaluate the anxiety level of researchers engaged in animal use to analyse the mental stress from animal testing. The State Anxiety Scale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was used to evaluate how researchers feel when they conduct animal, as opposed to non-animal, based experiments (95 non-animal and 98 animal testing researchers). The Trait Anxiety Scale of STAI was employed to measure proneness to anxiety, namely the base trait of the researchers. Additionally, the information on sex, age, education, income, and total working periods was collected. While the Trait Anxiety scores were comparable (41.5 ± 10.9 versus 42.9 ± 10.1, p = 0.3682, t-test), the State Anxiety scores were statistically significantly higher for animal users than non-animal users (45.1 ± 10.7 versus 41.3 ± 9.4, p = 0.011). This trend was consistent for both male and female. Notably, younger animal testers (≤ 30 years of age) with less work experience (≤ 2 years) and lower income level (≤ 27,000 USD) exhibited higher anxiety scores, whereas these factors did not affect the anxiety level of non-animal users. The present study demonstrated that participation in animal experiments can negatively impact the mental health of researchers.

Relating Therapist Characteristics to Client Engagement and the Therapeutic Alliance in an Adolescent Custodial Group Substance Misuse Treatment Program

BACKGROUND

Client engagement in substance misuse treatment programs is directly associated with positive treatment outcomes. The nature of these programs means there are often difficulties engaging and retaining clients, but authors have consistently found a strong therapeutic alliance is associated with client engagement. While research has focused on the association between the alliance and engagement, the factors that influence the therapeutic alliance have received less attention.

OBJECTIVE

To examine therapists' characteristics, namely therapists' stress and empathy levels, as potential predictors of client engagement and the therapeutic alliance, within an adolescent substance misuse group treatment program.

METHOD

The sample included 84 adolescent clients and 14 therapists from a Secure Training Centre in England. Client engagement in the treatment program was observed, while self-reporting measures assessed the therapeutic alliance (client and therapist-rated), and therapists' stress and empathy levels.

RESULTS

Multiple regression analysis revealed that therapists' stress levels negatively influenced the therapeutic alliance and had a curvilinear relationship with client engagement, indicating that stress is not exclusively negatively related to engagement. Although stress was found to negatively impact both cognitive and affective empathy, neither cognitive nor affective empathy were significantly related to client engagement or the therapeutic alliance.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates the importance of therapist characteristics on client engagement and the therapeutic alliance. Within practice stress can have a positive impact on clients' engagement. Nevertheless, therapists may need additional support to deal with stress effectively. Therapists' empathy may too be fundamental to client engagement, but only it if is perceived by clients.

Heart Rate Variability (HRV) Analysis: A Methodology for Organizational Neuroscience

Recently, the application of neuroscience methods and findings to the study of organizational phenomena has gained significant interest and converged in the emerging field of organizational neuroscience. Yet, this body of research has principally focused on the brain, often overlooking fuller analysis of the activities of the human nervous system and associated methods available to assess them. In this article, we aim to narrow this gap by reviewing heart rate variability (HRV) analysis, which is that set of methods assessing beat-to-beat changes in the heart rhythm over time, used to draw inference on the outflow of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). In addition to anatomo-physiological and detailed methodological considerations, we discuss related theoretical, ethical, and practical implications. Overall, we argue that this methodology offers the opportunity not only to inform on a wealth of constructs relevant for management inquiries but also to advance the overarching organizational neuroscience research agenda and its ecological validity.

Antecedents and consequences of organizational politics: a select study of a central university

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between perceived organizational politics and three levels of antecedents (i.e. organizational, work environment and individual levels) and its consequents. It further aims to examine the relative importance of the three levels of antecedents in influencing employees’ POP. The study has been conducted at a central university in India.

Design/methodology/approach

A conceptual framework and a set of hypotheses were first developed on the basis of a review of previous studies of organizational politics (OP). A questionnaire was then developed, carrying 55 items related to eight constructs and the demographic characteristics of its respondents. Judgmental sampling was used to choose the university. The respondents were selected on the basis of convenience. Primary data were collected via a structured questionnaire from 45 faculty members at the university. The sample was made up of professors, associate professors and assistant professors from its various departments. To test the hypotheses, data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equations modeling (PLS-SEM).

Findings

The results have indicated that all the three levels of antecedents have significant impacts on POP. The antecedents of workforce diversity (the organizational level), relationship conflict (the work environment level) and a need for power (the individual level) have a significant positive impact on POP. No relationship was found between role conflict and POP. Of the three levels of antecedents, it was observed that the organizational level contributed most significantly to POP. Of the three consequences, the intention to turnover and job anxiety were found to be positively related to POP, while organizational commitment was negatively related to it.

Practical implications

The study provides managerial insights for both organizations and managers. Workforce diversity is a primary driver of POP and it is under the purview of organizations. Thus, to control the unfavorable consequences of POP, organizations must design effective policies to manage workforce diversity. Specifically, human resource processes must be formalized. Since human managers often make decisions in favor of those who are relatively homogeneous to them (homosocial reproduction), the distribution of resources and benefits is restricted to a few people only. Those who do not get their share of organizational resources perceive such acts of homosocial reproduction to be political. If policies are formalized, people have to take decisions within the boundaries of well-defined sets of rules and procedures. Those who are not homogeneous with decision-makers (the outgroup) should get a fair share of organizational resources in such a formalized environment. They neither need to play political games to gain power, nor will they perceive the organizational processes and environment to be political. It is also suggested that managers design effective development programs for enhancing the political skills of “outgroups” and minorities. This would help them to understand how to deal with political situations. Thus, the detrimental effects of employees’ political perceptions on work-related outcomes would be reduced.

Originality/value

Although a large number of studies on the antecedents and consequents of POP have been reported, the antecedents and consequences mentioned herein have never been examined previously by a single study. Four antecedents are introduced at three levels. Furthermore, in previous research, the relationships examined have treated OP either as a dependent variable or an independent variable. However, for this paper, the authors have provided a PLS-SEM-based model, which allows for simultaneous treatment of organizational politics as an independent variable in some relationships, and as a dependent variable in other relationships.

Job Stress and the Buffering Effect of Supervisory Support

This investigation examined the buffering model of social support with respect to the moderating effect of supervisory support on the relationship between job stress and job dissatisfaction for 96 employed graduate and undergraduate business students. Although a cross-sectional design was employed, results are consistent with the hypothesis that supervisory support acts as a stress buffer only for individuals who are relationship—oriented—as measured by Fiedler's (1967) esteem for least preferred co-worker (LPC) scale. Implications for organizational interventions and for linking of leadership theory with the stress-buffering model of supervisory support are discussed.

Social Stressors on the Job: Recommendations for a Broadened Perspective

Recent job-stress research indicating the impact of psychosocial stressors on employees is outlined. Four suggestions are presented to broaden the job-stress research while keeping the psychosocial emphasis. These suggestions are: (1) search for additional psychosocial stressors; (2) expand the types of social support investigated as moderating variables; (3) research outcomes of job stress other than employee strains; and (4) consider the use of theories other than role theory in developing research hypotheses. It also is recommended that research be integrated with stress-management programs, and specific research designs are suggested for the evaluation of such programs. The link between on-the-job stressors and off-the-job strains, the joint interaction of social stressors and physical stressors, and the standardization of diagnostic instruments to measure job stress are recommended for examination.

The Interactive Effects of Politics Perceptions and Trait Cynicism on Work Outcomes

The current study examined the interactive relationship of politics perceptions and trait cynicism on two work outcomes: job satisfaction and citizenship behaviors. Trait cynicism is characterized as a personality trait that is stable across settings. Using a diverse sample of 311 full-time employees drawn from a variety of organizations, trait cynicism moderated the relationship between politics perceptions and both outcomes. Specifically, for those possessing higher levels of trait cynicism, politics perceptions were associated with lower job satisfaction scores and less participation in citizenship behaviors. Implications of these findings, strengths and limitations, and avenues for additional research are provided.

Differential Impact of Role Conflict and Ambiguity on Selected Correlates: A Two-Sample Test

The relationships between role conflict and ambiguity and their antecedents and consequences are the focus of much research. In such studies, however, the differential impact of role conflict as compared to role ambiguity on various correlates has not been empirically tested. In this study, results from such tests for two samples suggest that role conflict and ambiguity have comparable associations with nine widely researched correlates.

The Money or The Job: The Decision to Leave Policing

The constituents of job satisfaction and morale amongst police workers have received some research attention overseas, but to date there has been relatively little work in this area in Australia. Recent controversy has been generated in Victoria concerning the issue of police morale amidst the introduction of a new superannuation scheme which has seen a dramatic increase in voluntary departures from the Victoria Police since 1987. This article reports the findings of a survey of departed and serving members of that organisation, conducted to identify the reason for departure and to gauge the importance of work-related attitudes in the decision to leave. The findings suggest that work dissatisfaction was strongly implicated in the decision to leave, particularly for those departures who resigned before 50 years of age. A comparable degree of work dissatisfaction was found amongst a sample of serving police workers, who expressed significantly more negative attitudes towards police work than those who retired early after reaching 50 years. The most prominent sources of dissatisfaction appeared to derive from the organisation and management of the Victoria Police, rather than from the nature of police work itself or factors external to the police organisation.

Individual Strategies for Coping with Stress during Organizational Transitions

This article examines the coping mechanisms employees used to adapt to a major organizational transition. Research was conducted to assess both coping resources and coping responses. The sample consisted of employees of the Bell Telephone System who had to cope with the company's recent divestiture. The results of a multivariate analysis suggest that perceived uncertainty and fears about the impact of the transition were related to employee stress. This relationship was only moderately affected by the coping mechanisms. Feelings of personal control and the ability to tolerate ambiguity were linked with improved stress levels, whereas active attempts to structure the situation by obtaining information and feedback either failed to affect or actually increased stress levels. The author concludes with implications of this research for the management of change.

Sources and Management of Organizational Stress in Nursing Sub-units in Canada

The main objectives in this research were to explore differences in kinds of stress in varying types of nursing sub-units in hospitals and to examine the relative importance of sub-unit characteristics such as the technology, size, environment, context, structure, and internal sub-unit processes in contributing to sub-unit stress. Five kinds of stress were identified: stress from traumatic emotional experiences, psychogeriatric work load, scheduling of work, physician-nurse relationships, and personality role stress; some of these were found to be associated with variations in the technology of the sub units, but did not appear likely to be modifiable through changes in structural design and organizational processes. Other types of stress were related to both the technology and the sub-unit environment and these appeared to be more amenable to modification through the type of structure and internal processes of the sub-unit.

Stress Coping

This article presents a two-pronged attempt to synthesize the research on stress coping: (1) a review of models and taxonomies of behaviors and resources related to stress coping and (2) a meta-analysis of recent experimental and quasi- experimental studies of stress coping. The review led to the construction of a taxonomy and, in conjunction with the meta-analysis, to a comprehensive model of stress coping in two parts (stress and coping). In the meta-analysis an unbiased effect size of .57 was obtained by comparing groups administered treatments to reduce stress with comparison groups. Social skills training, problem solving, cognitive restructuring, and relaxation training appeared to be among the more effective treatments. In comparing the frequency of treatments identified in the meta-analysis with those in the taxonomy, some treatment domains (such as problem solving) were well represented in the taxonomy but appeared infrequently in the meta-analysis. Implications for stress-coping treatment and research are offered.

Multidimensional Constructs in Organizational Behavior Research: An Integrative Analytical Framework

Multidimensional constructs are widely used to represent several distinct dimensions as a single theoretical concept. The utility of multidimensional constructs relative to their dimensions has generated considerable debate, and this debate creates a dilemma for researchers who want the breadth and comprehensiveness of multidimensional constructs and the precision and clarity of their dimensions. To address this dilemma, this article presents an integrative analytical framework that incorporates multidimensional constructs and their dimensions, using structural equation modeling with latent variables. This framework permits the study of broad questions regarding multidimensional constructs along with specific questions concerning the dimensions of these constructs. The framework also provides tests of issues underlying the multidimensional construct debate, thereby allowing researchers to address these issues on a study-by-study basis. The framework is illustrated using data from studies of the effects of personality on responses to conflict and the effects of work attitudes on employee adaptation.

The effects of extrinsic stress on somatic markers and behavior are dependent on animal housing conditions

Properties of the environment play an important role in animal wellbeing and may modulate the effects of external threats. Whereas stressors can affect emotion and impair cognition, environmental enrichment may prevent the occurrence of such negative sequelae. Animals exposed to semi-natural group-housing experience a complex environment; whereas environmental enrichment might protect against stressors, a socially-enriched environment(SEE) could entail aggressive inter-male encounters with additive stress effects. In the present study, we investigated the effects of exposure to external stressors, footshocks and forced swimming, on adrenal gland and body weights as well as on behavior in rats housed under SEE or standard, non-enriched environment (NEE), conditions. We found that SEEs reduced the anxiogenic effects of stress. Moreover, SEEs improved the performance in an operant task and prevented the increase in impulsive behavior produced by external stressors on NEE animals. Whereas these findings are indicative of stress-buffering effects of SEEs, adrenal gland weights were increased while total body weights were decreased in SEE rats, suggesting that SEEs may simultaneously exacerbate physiological measurements of stress. Finally, in the SEE, total aggressive behaviors and body wounds were paradoxically reduced in animals that received external stressors in comparison to non-stressed controls. The consequences of the external stressors applied here are not uniform, varying according to the housing condition and the outcome considered.

Workplace spirituality as a moderator in relation between stress and health: An exploratory empirical assessment

The present study explores the role of workplace spirituality in moderating the relationship between occupational stress and the health of managerial personnel in India. A sample of 150 managers working in different public and private organizations was used to measure workplace spirituality, occupational stress, and health using the Spirituality at Work scale, the Occupational Stress Index and the 28-item General Health Questionnaire, respectively. The findings reveal that workplace spirituality moderates the negative relationship of stress and health. The study also found that stress has a negative impact on health while workplace spirituality positively correlated with health. The findings also support the practical importance of spirituality in the workplace for improving health conditions by providing a healthy atmosphere and meaningful work for employees. This exploratory study encourages future research to understand the role of spirituality in the workplace.

Organizational stressors associated with job stress and burnout in correctional officers: a systematic review

Background

In adult correctional facilities, correctional officers (COs) are responsible for the safety and security of the facility in addition to aiding in offender rehabilitation and preventing recidivism. COs experience higher rates of job stress and burnout that stem from organizational stressors, leading to negative outcomes for not only the CO but the organization as well. Effective interventions could aim at targeting organizational stressors in order to reduce these negative outcomes as well as COs’ job stress and burnout. This paper fills a gap in the organizational stress literature among COs by systematically reviewing the relationship between organizational stressors and CO stress and burnout in adult correctional facilities. In doing so, the present review identifies areas that organizational interventions can target in order to reduce CO job stress and burnout.

Methods

A systematic search of the literature was conducted using Medline, PsycINFO, Criminal Justice Abstracts, and Sociological Abstracts. All retrieved articles were independently screened based on criteria developed a priori. All included articles underwent quality assessment. Organizational stressors were categorized according to Cooper and Marshall’s (1976) model of job stress.

Results

The systematic review yielded 8 studies that met all inclusion and quality assessment criteria. The five categories of organizational stressors among correctional officers are: stressors intrinsic to the job, role in the organization, rewards at work, supervisory relationships at work and the organizational structure and climate. The organizational structure and climate was demonstrated to have the most consistent relationship with CO job stress and burnout.

Conclusions

The results of this review indicate that the organizational structure and climate of correctional institutions has the most consistent relationship with COs’ job stress and burnout. Limitations of the studies reviewed include the cross-sectional design and the use of varying measures for organizational stressors. The results of this review indicate that interventions should aim to improve the organizational structure and climate of the correctional facility by improving communication between management and COs.

Informal eldercare and work-related strain

OBJECTIVES

In light of an aging workforce, reconciling informal eldercare and paid work becomes increasingly pertinent. This article investigates the association between informal eldercare and work-related strain and tests for both the "competing demands" and "expansion" hypotheses.

METHOD

The sample of 938 Austrian employees consisted of employees caring for older relatives and a control group of employees without eldercare obligations. We ran a Tobit regression model on work-related strain with different measures of informal eldercare as explanatory variables and controls for both personal and workplace characteristics.

RESULTS

Accounting for different characteristics of eldercare within one estimation model revealed that informal eldercare was associated with work-related strain in 2 ways, that is, it increased with both care hours and subjective care burden. However, after controlling for these burdensome attributes of eldercare, the carer status as such was found to be negatively associated with work-related strain. In addition and independently of care commitments, work-related factors, such as advanced skills and job motivation, reduced work-related strain.

DISCUSSION

This article lends support to both the "competing demands" and the "expansion" hypotheses. Commitment to eldercare can enhance work-related outcomes but entails work-related problems if care burden and time demands of eldercare are substantial. Thus, workers with eldercare responsibilities cannot be considered less productive from the outset. An individual assessment of their situation, considering the care and work setting, is required. Findings from this study support the design of workplace initiatives to uphold workers' productivity in general and bring specific attention to policies alleviating workers' eldercare burden.

Employee stress claims: increasing implications for health promotion programming

Abstract Characterized as "the Nation's fastest growing occupational disease" by the National Council on Compensation Insurance, stress has become a major issue for corporate leaders today. With the recent rise in high cost stress claims, organizations have become interested in preventing potential stress problems. This article discusses types of stress claims, individual and occupational risks, reasons given for filing claims, efforts aimed at prevention, and future outlooks. Finally, the implications for health promotion programming in providing a multi-dimensional approach to preventing the physical, psychological and economic impact of stress, are discussed.