Die Job-Angst-Skala (JAS). Ein Fragebogen zur Erfassung arbeitsplatzbezogener Ängste

Psychometric properties of the job anxiety scale

Background

Occupational stress and specifically job anxiety are crucial factors in determining health outcomes, job satisfaction as well as performance. In order to assess this phenomenon, the Job Anxiety Scale (JAS) is one of the instruments available. It consists of 70 items that are clustered in 14 subscales and five dimensions. This manuscript is a revised version of a retracted article that analyzed the properties of a short version of the JAS. Rather than shortening the scale, the authors of the JAS recommend to further assess the scale in its current state without modification of the factor structure. Hence, the aim of this paper is to assess the psychometric properties of the original JAS.

Methods

The sample consists of 991 - mostly psychosomatic - patients from two different clinics. We applied methods of factor analysis and bivariate correlations to explore and test factor structure and the nomological net of related constructs.

Results

The Job Anxiety Scale evinced satisfactory psychometric properties. We found very high internal consistency, and invariance across participant age. It displayed good discriminant validity and we found the expected pattern of convergent correlations. However, the model fit is not convincing.

Conclusion

With the Job Anxiety Scale, researchers can assess job related worries in a reliable manner. The questionnaire is particularly useful in large-scale surveys, in therapy or work-related contexts. However, the scale could be modified in order to aim for a better fit and assess job related anxiety in a more efficient way.

Being a Psychotherapist in Times of the Novel Coronavirus Disease: Stress-Level, Job Anxiety, and Fear of Coronavirus Disease Infection in More Than 1,500 Psychotherapists in Austria

This study investigated stress-level, degree of job-related anxiety, and fear of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infection in psychotherapists in the early weeks of the COVID-19 lockdown in Austria. One thousand five hundred and forty-seven psychotherapists participated in an online survey, assessing stress [Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10)], work-related worries and fears of existence [Job Anxiety Scale (JAS)], fear of COVID-19 infection during face-to-face psychotherapy, and adherence to five protective measures against COVID-19 infection during face-to-face psychotherapy. Stress-levels were higher than in a representative sample (p < 0.001). When psychotherapy was the sole income, stress-level (p = 0.020) and job anxiety (p < 0.001) were higher. Experiences with teletherapy, the psychotherapy format used during COVID-19, as well as reductions in number of patients treated during COVID-19, had no effect on stress-level or job anxiety. Psychotherapists still conducting face-to-face psychotherapy during COVID-19 reported less fear of infection compared to those conducting no face-to-face psychotherapy (p < 0.001), whereby the fear of infection was further reduced when they were more able to adhere to protective measures against COVID-19 (p < 0.01). Mental hygiene is important for psychotherapists to manage stress and job-related anxiety during COVID-19, especially in those whose income relies on psychotherapy.

Psychometric properties of a short version of the Job Anxiety Scale

BACKGROUND

Occupational stress and specifically job anxiety are crucial factors in determining health outcomes, job satisfaction as well as performance. In order to assess this phenomenon, the Job Anxiety Scale is one of the instruments available. It consists of 70 items that are clustered in 14 subscales and five dimensions. The aim of this paper is to create a more efficient, short version of the Job Anxiety Scale, while retaining the five dimensions, and to assess its psychometric properties.

METHODS

The sample consists of 991 - mostly psychosomatic - patients from two different clinics. We applied methods of factor analysis and bivariate correlations to explore and test factor structure and the nomological net of related constructs.

RESULTS

After reducing the item pool via the construction of subsets and tests using ant-colony-optimization, a 15-item version of the Job Anxiety Scale evinced very good psychometric properties. We found very good model fit, high internal consistency, and invariance across participant age and sex. It displayed improved discriminant validity compared to the original scale, and we found the expected pattern of convergent correlations.

CONCLUSIONS

With this short version of the Job Anxiety Scale, researchers can assess job related worries in a much more economic manner. The questionnaire is particularly useful in large-scale surveys and/or in samples that struggle with extensive assessments.

A Person-Centered Representation of Basic Need Satisfaction Balance at Work

Abstract. This study examines how a global overarching need satisfaction construct, together with three specific dimensions (autonomy, competence, and relatedness needs satisfaction) combine within different profiles of workers among two independent samples ( n = 1,419 and n = 677). In addition, this research investigates the role of job demands and resources in the prediction of profile membership, and documents the relation between these profiles and maladaptive outcomes (anxiety and physical fatigue). The results revealed four distinct profiles. Job resources (e.g., participation, organizational support, and work scheduling autonomy) predicted an increased likelihood of membership in the normative profile in both samples. The globally dissatisfied yet moderately autonomous profile was also associated with the highest anxiety levels relative to all other profiles.

Examining the Roles of Work Autonomous and Controlled Motivations on Satisfaction and Anxiety as a Function of Role Ambiguity

Past research in the self-determination theory has shown that autonomous motivation is associated with positive outcomes (e.g., work satisfaction), whereas controlled motivation is related to negative outcomes (e.g., anxiety). The purpose of the present research was to examine the moderating function of role ambiguity on the relationships between work autonomous and controlled motivations on the one hand, and work satisfaction and anxiety on the other. Six hundred and ninety-eight workers (449 men and 249 women) participated in this study. Results revealed that autonomous motivation was most strongly related to satisfaction when ambiguity was low. In addition, controlled motivation was most strongly related to anxiety when ambiguity was high. In other words, the present findings suggest that the outcomes associated with each form of motivation may vary as a function of role ambiguity. The present study thus offers meaningful insights for organizations, managers, and employees.

Arbeitsbezogene Ängste in Forschung und Praxis

Arbeitsplätze besitzen ihrer Natur nach zahlreiche potentiell angstauslösende oder angstverstärkende Charakteristika. Manifestieren sich arbeitsbezogene Ängste, können Absentismus und Langzeitarbeitsunfähigkeit bis hin zur Erwerbsunfähigkeit die Folgen sein. Bei Rehabilitanden findet man in 30 – 60 % der Fälle arbeitsbezogene Ängste, die die berufliche Wiedereingliederung erschweren. Aber auch bei psychisch gesunden Erwerbstätigen wurde bei 5 % der Beschäftigten eine arbeitsangstbedingte Neigung zur Krankschreibung gefunden. In der zukünftigen Forschung sollte arbeitsbezogenen Ängsten nicht erst in der Rehabilitation, sondern bereits präventiv am Arbeitsplatz selbst Aufmerksamkeit geschenkt werden. Das Konzept bietet Ansatzpunkte für psychische Gefährdungsanalysen, sowie Arbeitsplatzgestaltung und -passung.

Zu Risiken und Nebenwirkungen lesen Sie …–Negative Effekte von Coaching

Coaching hat sich in der Personalentwicklung etabliert. Der wissenschaftliche Blick auf die Wirksamkeit und Wirkfaktoren von Coaching ist aber bisher eingeschränkt. Während in verschiedenen anderen Bereichen (z. B. in der Psychotherapie- oder Mentoringforschung) auch negative Effekte untersucht werden, findet dies in der Coachingforschung kaum statt. In der vorliegenden Studie wurden negative Effekte von Coaching erstmals systematisch untersucht. In einer qualitativen Vorstudie wurden potentielle negative Effekte von Coaching ermittelt und anschließend die Häufigkeit, Intensität und Dauer explorativ erforscht. Dazu wurden per Onlinefragebogen 123 Coachings aus der Perspektive der Coaches evaluiert. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass pro Coaching durchschnittlich zwei negative Effekte auftreten, die jedoch eine niedrige Intensität besitzen. Weiterhin wurden Faktoren erfasst, welche die Coaches als ursächlich für die negativen Effekte wahrnehmen. Dies sind insbesondere Klientenvariablen, aber auch der Umgang des Coaches mit psychischer Erkrankung des Klienten sowie Zeitknappheit. Darüber hinaus besteht ein positiver Zusammenhang zwischen der Anzahl behandelter Themen und der Häufigkeit negativer Effekte.

The significance of job-anxiety in a working population

BACKGROUND

Job-anxiety, as distinguished from trait-anxiety, is associated with long-term sickness absence. The prevalence of job-anxiety within a working population is not known. Identifying individuals who would benefit from intervention might be useful.

AIMS

To investigate job-anxiety in employees not undergoing treatment for mental health illness, firstly by assessing the level of job-anxiety and work-related avoidance tendencies in a working sample, and secondly by testing whether job-anxiety is distinguishable from trait-anxiety.

METHODS

Cross-sectional survey of a convenience sample obtained through personal contact distribution. Employees from different professional settings completed an anonymous questionnaire and provided information on their employment status. The State-Trait-Anxiety Inventory (STAI-T) was used to measure trait-anxiety and the Job-Anxiety-Scale (JAS) was used to assess job (state) anxiety.

RESULTS

There was a 69% response rate (240 responses); 188 responses were available for analysis of whom 62% were women. There were no employees with high trait-anxiety. Ten employees (5%) reported increased job-anxiety and of these nine employees reported high 'tendencies of avoidance and workplace absence'. Avoidance was most often accompanied by the comorbid job-anxieties 'job-related social anxiety', 'fear of changes at work' and 'fears of existence', 'anticipatory' and 'conditioned' job-anxiety and 'panic symptoms'.

CONCLUSIONS

In this sample, self-reported job-anxiety appeared as a specific type of anxiety as opposed to trait-anxiety. In the workplace job-anxiety can present as job-avoidance and sickness absence and should be distinguished from trait-anxiety. In practice, employers and occupational health practitioners should be aware of those employees prone to sickness absence.

Specific job anxiety in comparison to general psychosomatic symptoms at admission, discharge and six months after psychosomatic inpatient treatment

OBJECTIVE

Job anxiety is a severe problem in many patients with chronic mental disorders, as it usually results in specific participation problems in the workplace and long-term sick leave. The aim of this study was to explore the development of sick leave in dependence on general psychosomatic complaints and job anxiety from admission to a psychosomatic inpatient treatment until 6 months after discharge.

METHOD

A convenience sample of 91 patients, suffering from multiple mental disorders, filled in self-rating questionnaires on job anxiety (Job Anxiety Scale) and on general psychosomatic symptom load (Symptom Checklist-90-Revised) at the beginning, the end, and 6 months after discharge from an inpatient psychosomatic treatment. Additionally, sick leave status and employment status were assessed before and 6 months after the treatment.

RESULTS

15.4% of 91 patients were on sick leave before inpatient treatment and at follow-up (SS group), 20.9% were fit for work at intake and follow-up (FF group), 6.6% were fit for work initially and on sick leave later (FS group), and 57.1% on sick leave first and working at follow-up (SF group). In regard to general psychosomatic complaints, there were initially high scores on the SCL, a marked reduction during inpatient treatment, and a bouncing back to initial levels at follow-up for all 4 patient groups. SS and FS patients showed the highest scores at intake and follow-up. Concerning job anxiety, SS patients had the highest scores at all three assessments, while FF patients had significantly lower scores, with only low variation between assessments. SF patients started with comparatively high scores of job anxiety, which even increased before reentering work, but decreased in the follow-up period when they were confronted with work again. FS patients started low (like the FF patients) at intake, reduced their job anxiety further till discharge, but increased to higher scores at follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

General psychosomatic symptom load and job anxiety show a different course during treatment and are differently related to sick leave. General psychosomatic symptom load can be understood as a measure of the degree of the chronic illness status, whereas job anxiety reflects specific additional context-related problems, i.e. problems with work. A core finding is that job anxiety is related to work avoidance, but work exposure may reduce job anxiety. This has direct consequences for putting patients on sick leave or not.

The relationship between job-anxiety and trait-anxiety--a differential diagnostic investigation with the Job-Anxiety-Scale and the State-Trait-Anxiety-Inventory

Job-related anxiety, in contrast to general trait-anxiety, is by its very nature associated with problems of participation at work. The aim of this study is to investigate the relation between general trait-anxiety and specific job-related anxiety and to examine whether job-anxiety and trait-anxiety are differently associated with sick leave. 190 inpatients of a psychosomatic and orthopaedic rehabilitation center with mental and somatic disorders filled in the Job-Anxiety-Scale (JAS) and the State-Trait-Anxiety-Inventory (STAI-T). Additionally, informations on age, gender, the current duration of sick leave in weeks, employment status, duration of unemployment, and position at the workplace were collected. Highest scores of job-anxiety were found for the JAS-dimensions "job-related worries" and "health anxieties", followed by "cognitions of insufficiency," "stimulus-related anxieties," and "social anxieties." JAS and STAI-T were significantly correlated. Job-anxiety, in contrast to trait-anxiety, was significantly related to duration of sick leave. Women showed higher scores on the STAI-T but not on the JAS. It can be concluded that job-anxiety is related to but not identical with trait-anxiety. Job-anxiety is important to understand sick leave and appears as a multidimensional and clinically important phenomenon.

Arbeits- und organisationspsychologische Forschung und betriebliche Praxis – zwei ferne Königskinder?

Der Wissenstransfer zwischen der arbeits- und organisationspsychologischen Forschung und der betrieblichen Praxis ist ein zentrales Anliegen der Zeitschriften für Arbeits- und Organisationspsychologie sowie für Personalpsychologie. Dieser Beitrag beleuchtet die in den Jahren 2007 und 2008 in diesen Zeitschriften erschienenen Forschungsbeiträge auf ihre praktische Relevanz und unternimmt dabei eine Aktualisierung und Erweiterung der Studie von Deller und Albrecht (2007) . Als Kriterien für Praxisrelevanz wurden Zeitnähe der Veröffentlichung, praktische Implikationen, Organisationszugehörigkeit der Autoren, Herkunft der Forschungsfrage, Anwendungsbezug sowie – über Deller und Albrecht (2007) hinausgehend – die Art der Studie, die Art und Aktualität des Themas, die Struktur der Artikel (Anteile von Einleitungs- und Diskussionsteil) und eine differenzierte quantitative Textanalyse im Hinblick auf Praxisbezug herangezogen. Resümierend lässt sich eine erfreuliche Entwicklung hin zu verstärkter Praxisrelevanz der veröffentlichten Beiträge beobachten, sowohl wenn man die Kriterien von Deller und Albrecht (2007) als auch die erweiterten Kriterien zugrunde legt.