Job characteristics: their relationship to job satisfaction, stress and depression

Decomposition analysis of the difference in depressive symptoms between urban and rural employed people in China: Unpaid work plays an important role

OBJECTIVE

Focusing on the relationship between unpaid labor and the occurrence of depressive symptoms, this study aimed to explore the factors influencing the inequality of depressive symptoms and their contribution among Chinese urban and rural employed people.

METHODS

This study utilized the 2020 China Family Panel Studies' national resampling data. Multivariate logistic regression was used to explore the factors influencing the occurrence of depressive symptoms among employed persons in urban and rural areas in China, respectively. Fairlie decomposition was used to explore the contribution of influencing factors such as unpaid labor to the difference in the occurrence of depressive symptoms between urban and rural areas.

RESULTS

About 2,136 (21.70%) participants had depressive symptoms, of which 1,197 (24.75%) rural employed people had depressive symptoms and 939 (18.75%) urban employed people had depressive symptoms. The results of Fairlie decomposition analysis showed that 70.51% of the differences in depressive symptoms between urban and rural Chinese employed people could be explained by the covariates included in this study, including education level (52.44%), age (-11.91%), housework time (10.42%), self-rated health status (10.22%), self-rated income status (2.53%), exercise (2.36%), job satisfaction status (1.99%), chronic disease status (1.90%), and marital status (1.79%).

CONCLUSION

This study found that the proportion of depressive symptoms was lower among urban employed residents than among rural employed residents. This difference was mainly caused by unpaid labor time, socioeconomic status, personal lifestyle, and health status. Housework, which is one of the unpaid labor, contributed to this depressive symptom difference in the third place.

Satisfied with Life? The Protective Function of Life Satisfaction in the Relationship between Perceived Stress and Negative Mental Health Outcomes

Life satisfaction is a key index of well-being, yet few studies have examined its role as a protective factor in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The current study expands the research in this area through an examination of the role of life satisfaction in the relationship between perceived stress and negative indices of mental health. Participants were university students (N = 322) who completed the Perceived Stress Scale, the Satisfaction with Life Scale, and short forms of the trait scale of the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Center for Epidemiological Depression Scale, and the Beck Hopelessness Scale. The results indicate that life satisfaction had a health-sustaining effect on indices of well-being. It also moderated the relationship between perceived stress, on the one hand, and anxiety and hopelessness, on the other hand. Further, life satisfaction played a partial mediating role in the relationship between perceived stress and indices of mental health. The findings suggest that life satisfaction could be a protective factor in the context of stressful life events. Cultivating life satisfaction through mindfulness training and the enhancement of gratitude could potentially sustain mental health.

Toward a Positive Life beyond COVID-19: Problem-Solving Appraisal as a Resistance Resource in the Relationship between Stress and Well-Being in Students

The COVID-19 pandemic is a major global stressor that has been associated with elevated risk of negative mental health symptoms. As a helping profession, our main task should be identifying factors that may shield individuals from the negative consequences of stress, rather than only focusing on the causes and symptoms of stress. One such factor, identified in the literature, is an individual's perception of their problem-solving skills. In this study we investigate the role of problem-solving appraisal in the association between perceived stress and psychological well-being. Participants were students (n = 322) who completed the Problem Solving Inventory, the Perceived Stress Scale, the short forms of the trait scale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Beck Hopelessness Scale. The results demonstrate the health-sustaining benefits of problem-solving appraisal, as all dimensions of problem-solving appraisal (problem-solving confidence, approach-avoidance style, and problem-solving control) were directly associated with hopelessness and anxiety. The stress-buffering role of problem-solving appraisal with respect to hopelessness was demonstrated through the interaction between perceived stress and problem-solving appraisal. However, problem-solving appraisal did not buffer the effects of stress on anxiety. The findings indicate that problem-solving appraisal may be an important protective resource that could be beneficial for coping with other negative events and experiences beyond COVID-19. The implications of these findings for interventions are discussed.

Perceived ethnic discrimination and job satisfaction amongst mental health nurses of color in Venezuela

Venezuela's social and economic crisis of the past eight years has had an impact on healthcare services. However, because Venezuela has traditionally been thought to be a country with low levels of racism, it has been assumed that mental health nurses' satisfaction is the same across ethnic groups. The present study tests that hypothesis. Results come out showing that, as compared to whites, mental health nurses of color in Venezuela have lower levels of job satisfaction, and higher levels of perceived ethnic discrimination. Results also show that amongst mental health nurses of color in Venezuela, perceived ethnic discrimination and job satisfaction are negatively correlated.

Persian version of the work design questionnaire: measurement of its psychometric characteristics

Background

Work design questionnaire (WDQ), as a comprehensive and integrative tool, is one of the most important instruments frequently used to assess work characteristics. The aim of this study was to measure the psychometric characteristics of the Persian version of WDQ.

Methods

Translation and cross-cultural adaptation procedures were applied in translating the original WDQ into Persian. A total of 270 participants participated in this study. The validity of the questionnaire were measured using face validity, content validity, convergent validity, and construct validity based on confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Reliability was assessed through internal consistency.

Results

Mean content validity index was 0.95. The CFA results indicated support for a 21-factor solution. There were significant correlations between dimensions of WDQ and both job satisfaction and perceived stress. Cronbach's alpha of all items was 0.87.

Conclusion

Results indicated that the WDQ exhibited very good psychometric properties and can be applied as a useful tool to assess work characteristics among Iranian employees. Accordingly, the authors recommend its administration in future studies. The work characteristics was significantly associated with job satisfaction and job stress. Therefore, improved work design would reduce negative consequences, such as job stress, and increase positive behaviors, such as job satisfaction.

The Role of Facets of Job Satisfaction in the National and Socioeconomic Differences in Overall Job Satisfaction: A Comparison Between Studies of Civil Servants in Great Britain and Japan

OBJECTIVE

To explore national and socioeconomic differences in overall job satisfaction, we examined whether those differences can be explained by what job-related factors.

METHODS

Our datasets for this study are from the Whitehall II study and the Japan Civil Servant Study. Of the participants who were 5540 cases, with 3250 people from Great Britain and 2290 from Japan.

RESULTS

The odds ratio for job dissatisfaction was more than double in Japan compared with Britain. However, after adjusting the related factors-especially the facets of job satisfaction variables-the difference was reversed. Also, regarding the occupational differences, lower occupational grades had lower risks of overall job dissatisfaction, after adjusting for related factors.

CONCLUSIONS

The national and socioeconomic differences in overall job satisfaction were strongly related to facets of job satisfaction rather than job stress factors.

Perceived work environment and patient-centered behavior: A study of selected district hospitals in the central region of Ghana

Introduction

Quality work environment has been established as a marker of employee value creation. A plethora of qualitative evidence suggested that sustained focus on employee satisfaction through changes in the work environment, communication of patient-centered care strategic vision, management of staff workload, and workplace social support are factors that stimulate Patient-centered care. Yet, it seems that the effect of work environment on the patient-centered behavior of hospital employees has not been statistically estimated, and it is unclear which of the elements of the work environment best predict patient-centered behavior.

Methods

Using a survey design and quantitative methods to gather and analyze data, a sample of 179 respondents from three district hospitals were included in the study using a multi-stage proportional sampling technique. Data were collected using self-administered Likert item questionnaires. Simple linear regression was used to estimate the influence of work environment elements on patient-centered behavior. Stepwise multiple regression was used to determine the best predictors of patient-centered behavior of hospital employees.

Results

Perceived internal communication of patient-centered care strategies (β = 0.23; P<0.001), supervisor support (β = 0.31; P<0.001), coworker support (β = 0.50; P<0.001), and working conditions (β = 0.18; P<0.013) had a positive significant effect on patient-centered behavior of employees. Good predictors of employees’ patient-centered behavior were perceived coworker support (β = 0.51; P<0.001) and job characteristics (β = 0.16; P<0.01).

Conclusion

The work environment of hospital employees significantly affects their patient-centered behavior. Co-worker support and job characteristics were the best predictors of the patient-centered behavior of hospital employees. Hospitals Managers seeking to improve patient-centered behavior through employee value creation may consider improved job characteristics in combination with workplace social support and or communication of PCC strategies and goals.

The Contributions Made by Job Satisfaction and Psychosocial Stress to the Development and Persistence of Depressive Symptoms: A 1-Year Prospective Study

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to determine the factors that contributed to the development and persistence of depression over the course of 1 year in work environment.

METHODS

The subjects were 992 Japanese civil servants aged between 19 and 65 years. Baseline data and linked with data collected at 1-year follow up.

RESULTS

After adjusting for baseline depression levels, job satisfaction, and work-related psychosocial stress (job control and job demand) were significantly related to depression at 1-year follow up. Moreover, those who reported job dissatisfaction were at higher risk of developing depression (odds ratios [ORs]: 1.94) and persistent depression associated with low job control (ORs: 2.64) and high job demand (ORs: 2.20).

CONCLUSIONS

Job satisfaction, and psychosocial stress at baseline predicted development of and recovery from depression at 1-year follow up, respectively.

Assessment of Job Satisfaction Level and Its Associated Factors among Health Workers in Addis Ababa Health Centers: A Cross-Sectional Study

Health workers account for the largest share of public expenditures on health and play an important role in improving the quality of health services. There is concern that poor health worker performance limits the effectiveness of health systems strengthening efforts. A cross-sectional study was conducted from September to October 2016 in Addis Ababa health centers. Data were collected from 420 healthcare workers using a pretested and structured questionnaire by trained data collectors. EPI Info 7 was used for data entry, and analysis was done by SPSS version 20. Bivariate and multivariate logistic analyses were used to identify factors associated with the outcome variable and to control confounders. $P$ values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. The overall job satisfaction level accounts for 53.8% with 95% CI of (48.9%, 59.0%). Marital status and professional qualification were the potent predictors of job satisfaction. Respondents who never married were 1.65 times more likely to be satisfied in their job than those married or divorced (AOR: 1.65 (95% CI: 1.02, 2.66)). Laboratory professionals and nursing professionals were 2.74 and 1.97 times more likely to be satisfied in their job compared to health officers (AOR: 2.47 (95% CI: 1.14, 6.59) and AOR: 1.97 (95% CI: 1.12, 3.48), respectively). More than half of the healthcare workers in the study area were satisfied in their job. Marital status and healthcare workers’ profession type were predictors of job satisfaction. Research studies indicate that there is a positive relationship between performance and job satisfaction. Accordingly, the present study aimed at determining the level of job satisfaction of health workers and its associated factors in the health centers of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

A Game Theory-Based Model for Predicting Depression due to Frustration in Competitive Environments

A computational model based on game theory is here proposed to forecast the prevalence of depression caused by frustration in a competitive environment. This model comprises a spatially structured game, in which the individuals are socially connected. This game, which is equivalent to the well-known prisoner's dilemma, represents the payoffs that can be received by the individuals in the labor market. These individuals may or may not have invested in a formal academic education. It is assumed that an individual becomes depressed when the difference between the average payoff earned by the neighbors in this game and the personal payoff surpasses a critical number, which can be distinct for men and women. Thus, the transition to depression depends on two thresholds, whose values are tuned for the model accurately predicting the percentage of individuals that become depressed due to a frustrating payoff. Here, this tuning is performed by using data of young adults living in the United Kingdom in 2014-2016.

Are social conflicts at work associated with depressive symptomatology? Results from the population-based LIFE-Adult-Study

Background

Psychosocial stressors in the workplace can be detrimental to mental health. Conflicts at work, e.g. aggression, hostility or threats from coworkers, supervisors or customers, can be considered a psychosocial stressor, possibly increasing risk for depressive symptoms. Existing studies, however, differ in the assessment of social conflicts, i.e. as individual- or job-level characteristics. Here, we investigated the association between conflicts at work assessed as objective job characteristics, and depressive symptomatology, using data from a large population-based sample. Additionally, we investigated gender differences and the impact of personality traits and social resources.

Methods

We used data from the population-based LIFE-Adult-Study from Leipzig, Germany. Information on conflicts at work, assessed as job characteristics, were drawn from the Occupational Information Network, depressive symptoms were assessed via the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. Multilevel linear regression models with individuals and occupations as levels of analysis were applied to investigate the association between conflicts at work and depressive symptoms.

Results

Our sample included 2164 employed adults (age: 18-65 years, mean: 49.3, SD: 7.9) in 65 occupations. No association between conflicts s at work and depressive symptomatology was found (men: b = - 0.14; p = 0.74, women: b = 0.17, p = 0.72). Risk for depression was mostly explained by individual-level factors like e.g. neuroticism or level of social resources. The model showed slightly higher explanatory power in the female subsample.

Conclusion

Conflicts at work, assessed as objective job characteristics, were not associated with depressive symptoms. Possible links between interpersonal conflict and impaired mental health might rather be explained by subjective perceptions of social stressors and individual coping styles.

The role of optimism in the relationship between job stress and depressive symptoms. Longitudinal findings from the German Ageing Survey

BACKGROUND

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of job stress on depressive symptoms and whether optimism moderates this relationship longitudinally. Data were used from 2002 until 2014 (wave 2 to 5) of the German Ageing Survey. The sample consists of community-dwelling individuals living in Germany aged from 40 to 95 years (7086 observations in fixed effects regression analysis).

METHODS

A self-report questionnaire was used to measure depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale), job stress (scale 1 to 5) and optimism (Optimism Scale of Brandtstaedter & Wentura).

RESULTS

Adjusting for potential confounders, fixed effects regression analysis revealed that an increase in job stress was associated with an increase in depressive symptoms, whereas an increase in optimism was associated with a decrease in depressive symptoms. Optimism significantly moderated the relation between job stress and depressive symptoms.

LIMITATIONS

The possibility of a small sample selection bias cannot be dismissed.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study highlights the moderating role of optimism in the relation between job stress and depressive symptoms longitudinally. Thus, efforts to increase optimism in individuals might be beneficial in reducing depressive symptoms among individuals with high job stress.

Age-Differential Effects of Job Characteristics on Job Attraction: A Policy-Capturing Study

Based on an integration of job design and lifespan developmental theories, Truxillo et al. (2012) proposed that job characteristics interact with employee age in predicting important work outcomes. Using an experimental policy-capturing design, we investigated age-differential effects of four core job characteristics (i.e., job autonomy, task variety, task significance, and feedback from the job) on job attraction (i.e., individuals' rating of job attractiveness). Eighty-two employees between 19 and 65 years (M_age = 41, SD = 14) indicated their job attraction for each of 40 hypothetical job descriptions in which the four job characteristics were systematically manipulated (in total, participants provided 3,280 ratings). Results of multilevel analyses showed that the positive effects of task variety, task significance, and feedback from the job were stronger for younger compared to older employees, whereas we did not find significant age-differential effects of job autonomy on job attraction. These findings are only partially consistent with propositions of Truxillo et al.'s (2012) lifespan perspective on job design.

Slaughtering for a living: A hermeneutic phenomenological perspective on the well-being of slaughterhouse employees

Slaughterhouses constitute a unique work setting exposing employees to particular physical and psychological health challenges. Research that focuses on the well-being of slaughterhouse employees is limited, and the aim of this study was to explore their well-being by conducting a hermeneutic phenomenological study of specifically the slaughterfloor employees’ work-life experiences. The study was conducted in a South African commercial abattoir setting. Thirteen slaughterfloor employees and two managers of the slaughterfloor section participated in unstructured interviews. A hermeneutic phenomenological approach to data analysis was adopted following the stages of a naïve reading, a structural thematic analysis, and a comprehensive understanding. Data analysis resulted in four process-related themes representing the different stages of becoming a slaughterer, (mal)adjusting to slaughter work, coping with and maintaining the work, and living with the psycho-social consequences of slaughter work. Results facilitate an understanding of how employee well-being manifests in each of these stages of being a slaughterfloor employee. The risk potential of employees suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome was evident throughout the stages of being a slaughterfloor employee and offers a useful diagnostic framework to facilitate employee well-being assistance. Slaughterhouse management should develop a holistic focus addressing employee well-being needs evident in each of the stages of being a slaughter worker and by extending well-being interventions to the broader communities that the slaughterhouse functions in.