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Bruno A, Buono C, Falco A, Brondino M, Capone V, Dell’Aversana G, Giancaspro ML, Gilardi S, Girardi D, Guglielmi D, Ingusci E, Miglioretti M, Pace F, Platania S, Signore F, Spagnoli P. First validation of the technical and administrative staff quality of life at work tool (TASQ@work) in academia. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1346556. [PMID: 38680287 PMCID: PMC11048465 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1346556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Based on the job demands-resources (JD-R) model, the present study aimed to validate "The Technical and Administrative Staff Quality of Life At Work" (TASQ@work), a new tool to assess the quality of life at work in academia focused on technical and administrative staff. Methods This tool was developed by the QoL@Work research team, a group of expert academics in the field of work and organizational psychology affiliated with the Italian Association of Psychologists. The TASQ@work was elaborated in different steps. The first phase was aimed at the identification of the dimensions of the tool. The second phase was aimed to assess the psychometric properties of the tool. The validation process involved confirmatory analysis and measurement invariance of the various constructs selected. The analyses were performed in a convenience sample of two Italian universities in different regions (one in the Northwest and the second in Central Italy). Results The sample was composed of 1820 Administrative Staff, comprising 69.4% from University 1 (N = 1,263) and 30.6% from University 2 (N = 557). The TASQ@work presented satisfactory psychometric properties (normality of the items, reliability and content, construct and nomological validity) and measurement invariance across gender, seniority, and Athenaeum. Discussion The results indicate that the tool can be considered a reliable and valid instrument to assess job demands, job resources, and outcomes in the working life of technical and administrative academic staff. In this perspective, the present study represents the first contribution to the debate on the psychosocial risks in academic contexts by presenting a new tool, the TASQ@work, aimed at contextualizing the JD-R model to understand the role played by psychosocial aspects in affecting the well-being of the academic employees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreina Bruno
- Department of Education Sciences, University of Genoa, Genova, Italy
| | - Carmela Buono
- Department of Psychology, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Caserta, Italy
| | - Alessandra Falco
- Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology (FISPPA), University of Padua, Padova, Italy
| | | | - Vincenza Capone
- Department of Humanities, University of Naples “Federico II”, Napoli, Italy
| | | | | | - Silvia Gilardi
- Department of Social and Political Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Damiano Girardi
- Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology (FISPPA), University of Padua, Padova, Italy
| | - Dina Guglielmi
- Department of Education Studies “Giovanni Maria Bertin”, Alma Mater Studiorum—University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Emanuela Ingusci
- Human and Social Sciences Department, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
| | | | - Francesco Pace
- Department of Economic, Business and Statistic Science, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Silvia Platania
- Department of Educational Sciences, Section of Psychology, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Fulvio Signore
- Department of Humanities, Letters, Cultural Heritage and Educational Studies, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | - Paola Spagnoli
- Department of Psychology, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Caserta, Italy
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Sanseverino D, Molinaro D, Spagnoli P, Ghislieri C. The Dynamic between Self-Efficacy and Emotional Exhaustion through Studyholism: Which Resources Could Be Helpful for University Students? INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:6462. [PMID: 37569004 PMCID: PMC10418312 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20156462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
While university students have experienced increased stress, anxiety, and study obsession (studyholism) during the COVID-19 emergency, supportive university environments and academic self-efficacy (ASE) were found to be protective factors. However, the perception of overstudying could have impaired ASE's protection against studyholism, akin to workaholism. Following the job-demands resource model, this contribution examines the moderating roles of study load and teaching staff support in the relationship between ASE and exhaustion, mediated by studyholism. 6736 students from 11 universities (69.8% females; Mean age 24.67 years) completed a self-report survey concerning various academic and life aspects. Results showed that ASE was partially mediated by studyholism in its negative relationship with exhaustion. Both study load and support moderate this relationship, although the interaction effect between studyholism and ASE is positive. Nonetheless, ASE plays a protective role for all levels of study load and support, while studyholism is confirmed to have a significant impact on exhaustion, both directly and through its mediating role. Considering the high scores of both studyholism and exhaustion in this sample, the enhancement of ASE should be complemented by teacher support centered around opportunities to review study strategies with the students and strong attention to preventive measures, such as in itinerant evaluation, which could enhance both the perception of positive support and strengthen ASE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Domenico Sanseverino
- Department of Psychology, University of Turin, 10124 Turin, Italy; (D.S.); (C.G.)
| | - Danila Molinaro
- Department of Psychology, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 81100 Caserta, Italy;
| | - Paola Spagnoli
- Department of Psychology, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 81100 Caserta, Italy;
| | - Chiara Ghislieri
- Department of Psychology, University of Turin, 10124 Turin, Italy; (D.S.); (C.G.)
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Emotional Exhaustion and Engagement in Higher Education Students during a Crisis, Lessons Learned from COVID-19 Experience in Italian Universities. SOCIAL SCIENCES 2023. [DOI: 10.3390/socsci12020109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Italian university students face an uncertain future characterised by a competitive neoliberal academic environment with high demands and a weak labour market that often cannot hire those who are best qualified. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated students’ uncertainty and negatively affected their well-being. The purpose of this study is to explore perceptions of academic life during the pandemic and to examine the relationship between study load, reduced academic performance, internet addiction, academic self-efficacy, and engagement and emotional exhaustion. A sample of university students (N = 10,298) from 11 Italian universities completed a self-report questionnaire about their academic and personal lives between May and June 2021. We performed two multiple linear regressions and one ANOVA to highlight gender differences. Results indicate that female students reported lower levels of engagement and academic self-efficacy, and higher levels of exhaustion and study demands compared to male students, while older students generally appear to exhibit higher levels of well-being. Study load, reduced academic performance, and internet addiction showed a negative association with engagement, particularly the first two, and a positive association with exhaustion, while self-efficacy was positively associated with engagement and negatively associated with exhaustion. The results suggest the need to introduce additional forms of support, such as psychological support, internet addiction awareness courses or counseling services.
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Karatuna I, Jönsson S, Muhonen T. Job Demands, Resources, and Future Considerations: Academics' Experiences of Working From Home During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic. Front Psychol 2022; 13:908640. [PMID: 35832908 PMCID: PMC9272753 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.908640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has severely affected workers, workplaces, and working practices. In the higher education setting, universities have shifted to distance learning, resulting in profound changes in academics' work. In this study, we aimed to describe academics' job demands and resources related to changes in working conditions during the pandemic, and to examine how these changes have affected the perceived occupational wellbeing of academics. Additionally, we aimed to investigate academics' expectations and concerns for future academic working practices following the pandemic. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 26 academics working at various universities in Sweden. A content analysis was used to identify the key themes from the transcribed interviews. The results indicated that academics experienced a lack of face-to-face communication, absence of an academic environment, work overload, and work-home interference as demanding during the pandemic. In relation to resources, online communication options, appropriate working conditions, organizational-social support, and individual factors were perceived as important. Most respondents perceived negative occupational wellbeing outcomes. However, academics who had the appropriate resources were less likely to be affected by job demands. Academics' expectations for future academic work included continuation of working online, flexibility in the choice of workspace, and strengthened digital capacity. Their concerns were related to a lack of face-to-face interaction, management actions and economic implications, and pure digital education. This paper contributes to the literature by illustrating the complexity and diversity of experiences and preferences among academics that are important for universities to consider when organizing and managing future academic work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Işıl Karatuna
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Beykoz University, Istanbul, Turkey
- *Correspondence: Işıl Karatuna
| | - Sandra Jönsson
- Department of Urban Studies, Centre for Work Life and Evaluation Studies (CTA), Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Tuija Muhonen
- Department of School Development and Leadership, Centre for Work Life and Evaluation Studies (CTA), Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden
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