Does Gratitude Ensure Workplace Happiness Among University Teachers? Examining the Role of Social and Psychological Capital and Spiritual Climate

Exploring the influence of the spiritual climate on psychological empowerment among nurses in China: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Psychological empowerment notably impacts nurses' work engagement and high-quality care. A spiritual climate is a work environment that respects individuals and encourages them to express personal views. Previous studies have shown that a spiritual climate enhances psychological empowerment, however, the relationship between them among the nursing population remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the effect of a spiritual climate on nurses' psychological empowerment and provide a scientific basis for improving psychological empowerment among nurses.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey of 837 nurses from five hospitals in Sichuan Province, Southwest China, was conducted using a convenience sampling method; this survey included nurses' demographic characteristics, the Psychological Empowerment Scale (PES), and the Chinese version of the Spiritual Climate Scale (C-SCS). The data were analysed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression.

RESULTS

The sample of 837 nurses attained a psychological empowerment score of (45.49 ± 6.42) and a spiritual climate score of (75.25 ± 16.75). The one-way ANOVA revealed that psychological empowerment scores among nurses varied based on differences in age, department, years of work experience, professional title, level of work intensity, and children (yes/no). Pearson's correlation analyses revealed a significant positive correlation between the spiritual climate and nurses' psychological empowerment (r = 0.564, P < 0.001), and multiple linear regression analysis showed that working in the intensive care unit (ICU), work intensity, and the four items pertaining to spiritual climate influenced nurses' psychological empowerment, explaining 32.6% of the total variance in psychological empowerment.

CONCLUSION

The findings suggested that the spiritual climate perceived by nurses and psychological empowerment are moderately high. Working in the ICU, work intensity, and the four items pertaining to spiritual climate influence nurses' psychological empowerment. Nursing managers should pay attention to the daily work intensity of nurses, especially ICU nurses, organize work tasks reasonably, promote dynamic and balanced nurse human resource deployment based on patients' conditions and nurses' workloads, and implement scientific scheduling plans to establish a positive spiritual climate in the workplace. Additionally, group workshops and systematic training programs can effectively enhance psychological empowerment among nurses.

The associations among gratitude, job crafting, teacher-student relationships, and teacher psychological well-being

Introduction

This study explores the complex dynamics among gratitude, job crafting, teacher psychological well-being, and teacher-student relationships within the context of Chinese English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers.

Methods

A sample of 456 Chinese EFL teachers participated in this study. Valid scales were administered to collect data on gratitude, job crafting, teacher psychological well-being, and teacher-student relationships. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed to investigate these relationships.

Results

The findings reveal significant connections between gratitude, job crafting, teacher psychological well-being, and teacher-student relationships. SEM analysis demonstrates that gratitude and job crafting have direct effects on teacher psychological well-being. Furthermore, teacher-student relationships were identified as a mediator in these relationships.

Discussion

This study underscores the importance of gratitude and job crafting in enhancing the psychological well-being of EFL teachers. It highlights the mediating role of positive teacher-student relationships in the associations between gratitude, job crafting, and teacher psychological well-being. These results have implications for the development of interventions and practices aimed at promoting gratitude, job crafting, and positive teacher-student relationships in the EFL teaching context.

Validation of the Transpersonal Gratitude Scale (TGS) and the Relationship between Transpersonal Gratitude, Spiritual Well-Being and Distress in India

This study explores the psychometric properties of the transpersonal gratitude scale (TGS) in the Indian context. It also examines the relationship between transpersonal gratitude, spiritual well-being, and distress. The psychometric properties (reliability and validity) of the TGS were evaluated with the help of two studies. In the first study, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) reported a four-factor solution. These four factors- expression of gratitude, value of gratitude, transcendent gratitude, and spiritual connection- explained 74.1% of the total variance. Further, CFA results indicated an excellent model fit of four-factor structure derived from EFA. These findings recommended appropriate factorial validity of TGS in the Indian context. In the second study, Cronbach's alpha and composite reliability values recommended reliability of TGS among Indians. Also, the average variance explained (AVE) values and the Fornell-Larcker test concluded convergent and discriminant validity of the scale. In addition, positive correlations were reported between TGS, GRAT-16 (gratitude resentment and appreciation scale), and spiritual well-being scale scores. Also, a negative linkage was reported between TGS and distress score. These associations established criterion validity of the scale. Overall, the scale reported acceptable psychometric properties in the Indian context.

How trait gratitude relates to teachers' burnout and work engagement: job demands and resources as mediators

The benefits of gratitude in the workplace, in general, and for teachers, in particular, are still understudied. In the present study, we investigated whether teachers' trait gratitude is linked to their work engagement and burnout. Moreover, we explored whether perceived job demands and job resources mediate the relation between employees' gratitude and these two outcomes. A sample of 312 Romanian teachers participated in the study. Participants filled out questionnaires assessing trait gratitude, perceived job characteristics, as well as burnout and work engagement. Results indicated that teachers' trait gratitude was positively associated with their work engagement and negatively with burnout. The relation between trait gratitude and work engagement was mediated by perceived job resources, whereas the link between trait gratitude and burnout was mediated by both job demands and job resources. Our findings suggest that educational institutions could cultivate teachers' gratitude in order to create a healthier and more motivated workforce.