A Demonstration of the Impact of Stress Abatement Programs on Reducing Employees' Accidents and Their Costs

A Study of Brain Function Characteristics of Service Members at High Risk for Accidents in the Military

Military accidents are often associated with stress and depressive psychological conditions among soldiers, and they often fail to adapt to military life. Therefore, this study analyzes whether there are differences in EEG and pulse wave indices between general soldiers and three groups of soldiers who have not adapted to military life and are at risk of accidents. Data collection was carried out using a questionnaire and a device that can measure EEG and pulse waves, and data analysis was performed using SPSS. The results showed that the concentration level and brain activity indices were higher in the general soldiers and the soldiers in the first stage of accident risk. The body stress index was higher for each stage of accident risk, and the physical vitality index was higher for general soldiers. Therefore, it can be seen that soldiers who have not adapted to military life and are at risk of accidents have somewhat lower concentration and brain activity than general soldiers, and have symptoms of stress and lethargy. The results of this study will contribute to reducing human accidents through EEG and pulse wave measurements not only in the military but also in occupations with a high risk of accidents such as construction.

Supervisor role overload and emotional exhaustion as antecedents of supervisor incivility: The role of time consciousness

Studies up to great extent have focused on investigating the possible consequences of supervisor incivility in organizations; however, surprisingly very little research has concentrated on its antecedents. Drawing on affective event theory, the aim of this study is to identify how role overload may cause the supervisor behavior uncivil toward their subordinates in the project environment by examining the mediating role of emotional exhaustion and moderating effect of time consciousness. Data were collected from both supervisors and their immediate subordinates from project-based organizations of Pakistan. After data consolidation, the final sample was 296 supervisor–subordinate dyads. The results revealed that supervisor role overload and emotional exhaustion is positively related with supervisor incivility and emotional exhaustion mediates this relationship. Time consciousness moderates the link between supervisor role overload and emotional exhaustion. The practical and theoretical implications of our findings are provided.

The Mediating Role of Job Strain in the Transformational Leadership⁻Safety Behavior Link: The Buffering Effect of Self-Efficacy on Safety

Although some previous studies have examined the impact of transformational leadership on safety behavior, those works have paid relatively less attention to the intermediating role of employees’ job strain in the link as well as contingent variables that moderate the relationship. Considering that not only job strain substantially affects employees’ perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors in an organization, but also there are some contextual factors that moderate the relationships, we investigated intermediating mechanisms (i.e., mediator and moderator) in the relationship between transformational leadership and safety behavior. Relying on the context-attitude-behavior framework, we conducted a structural equation modeling analysis with a moderated mediation model. Specifically, we hypothesized that the level of an employee’s job strain would mediate the transformational leadership–safety behavior link. We also hypothesized that an employee’s self-efficacy regarding safety would moderate the association between job strain and safety behavior. Using survey data from 997 South Korean employees, we found that all of our hypotheses were supported. The findings suggest that the level of an employee’s job strain mediates and elaborately explains the transformational leadership–safety behavior link. Moreover, an employee’s self-efficacy regarding safety is a buffering factor which decreases the harmful effects of job strain on safety behavior.

The role of emotion in patient safety: Are we brave enough to scratch beneath the surface?

Healthcare professionals work in emotionally charged settings; yet, little is known about the role of emotion in ensuring safe patient care. This article presents current knowledge in this field, drawing upon psychological approaches and evidence from clinical settings. We explore the emotions that health professionals experience in relation to making a medical error and describe the impact on healthcare professionals and on their professional and patient relationships. We also explore how positive and negative emotions can contribute to clinical decision making and affect responses to clinical situations. Evidence to date suggests that emotion plays an integral role in patient safety. Implications for training, practice and research are discussed in addition to strategies to facilitate health services to understand and respond to the influence of emotion in clinical practice.

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.

Stress management in work settings: a critical review of the health effects

PURPOSE

To review critically the research literature on the health effects of worksite stress-management interventions.

SEARCH METHODS

Stress-management interventions were defined as techniques that are designed to help employees modify their appraisal of stressful situations or deal more effectively with the symptoms of stress. Stress-management studies that were worksite based, assessed a health outcome, and were published in the peer-reviewed literature were included in this review. The main search method was the one described in the lead article to this special issue of the JOURNAL, but supplementary sources included prior reviews of the research literature and expert contacts. Sixty-four studies met the criteria for inclusion in this review.

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

A variety of stress-management techniques was used in worksite studies, including muscle relaxation, meditation, biofeedback, cognitive-behavioral skills, and combinations of these techniques. The most common techniques used were muscle relaxation, cognitive-behavioral skills, and combinations of two or more techniques. Outcome measures to evaluate the success of stress interventions included physiologic and psychologic measurements, somatic complaints, and job-related measures. Nearly three-fourths of the studies offered the training to all workers and did not specifically recruit high-stress employees. Over half the studies were randomized control trials, but only 30% conducted posttraining follow-up evaluations. The effectiveness of stress interventions varied according to the health-outcome measure used; some techniques were more effective for psychologic outcomes (e.g., cognitive-behavioral skills), whereas others were more effective for physiologic outcomes (e.g., muscle relaxation). Biofeedback was the least frequent technique used in work settings and also seemed to be the least effective technique. Meditation produced the most consistent results across outcome measures but was used in only six studies. In general, studies using a combination of techniques (e.g., muscle relaxation plus cognitive-behavioral skills) seemed to be more effective across outcome measures than single techniques.

CONCLUSIONS

The large number of different stress-management techniques coupled with the wide range of health outcome measures used in stress intervention studies makes it difficult to draw firm conclusions about the efficacy of each technique and each outcome. Also, the quality of the methodology varied substantially among studies. Nevertheless, the most positive results across the various health outcomes were obtained with a combination of two or more techniques. None of the stress interventions was consistently effective in producing effects on job/organization-relevant outcomes, such as absenteeism or job satisfaction. To produce changes on these types of measures, stress interventions will need to alter or modify the sources of stress in the work environment. It can be said that stress management in work settings can be effective in enhancing worker physical and psychologic health, but the choice of which stress-management technique to use should be based on the specific health outcomes that are targeted for change.

Psychosocial issues in the prevention of chronic low back pain--a literature review

This chapter has reviewed research on psychological and social factors associated with the onset and progression of low back pain. From this review it can be concluded that psychosocial traits appear to be important contributors to the course of pain and disability though methodologically well-designed longitudinal studies are rare. For this reason it is difficult to assess the relative importance of, for example, psychological distress compared with work stress. Furthermore, the mechanisms by which specific variables effect back pain remain unknown. The answer, no doubt, lies in longitudinal studies which employ multicausal models. It has been noted the psychosocial treatments which have proven effective for chronic pain populations are rarely assessed with acute pain patients. Some problems are the inaccessibility of acute back pain sufferers to psychologists, the difficulty of isolating the effect of one component of a multidisciplinary programme and the lack of uniform practice of psychosocial techniques. None the less, programmes which include psychosocial interventions appear to have superior results to those which do not. Since these techniques are often simple and inexpensive to include they should be incorporated into all treatment programmes where the potential for chronic pain syndrome exists. Gaps and flaws in current research methodologies have been identified and suggestions for future investigations have been proposed. In addition we have attempted to provide some practical guidelines for health care professionals to help them identify salient psychosocial issues which may effect the course of their patient's treatment. Recommendations for assessment and referral are also provided.

Healthy people--healthy business: a critical review of stress management programs in the workplace

Although stress management programs continue to be cited by both employers and employees as the number one program priority, many programs in place do not seem to be cost effective or health effective. Some common characteristics of the most efficacious programs can be identified, and some potentially different approaches should be considered.