Wisdom and Hard Times: The Ameliorating Effect of Wisdom on the Negative Association Between Adverse Life Events and Well-Being

Purpose This study aims to examine the impact of stress as a result of adverse life events on a salesperson’s ability to effectively manage customer relationships. The framework identifies burnout as a key mediating variable and salesperson grit as a coping mechanism. Design/methodology/approach Survey data is gathered from 364 B2B salespeople and investigated using structural equation modeling in Mplus 8.2. Findings The findings reveal adverse life events and their corresponding stress diminish a salesperson’s ability to manage customer relationships effectively through the mediators of reduced personal accomplishment and depersonalization. Thus, negative events of a personal nature can have a significant impact on salesperson outcomes and should be taken with the same level of seriousness as job-related stress. Furthermore, results show that salesperson grit provides mixed results as a coping mechanism. Practical implications The findings indicate that practitioners should be mindful of the negative impact adverse life events can have on work-related outcomes. Organizations and sales managers must be intentional in managing relationships with their salespeople and strategic in the structure they use to manage customer relationships. Recommendations include the use of regular one-on-one meetings to open up a dialogue about work or personal issues the salesperson is experiencing and assigning multiple resources or staff to service valuable customers, thereby not relying on solitary salespeople. Originality/value Employee well-being contributes to firm value; yet, this is the first study in sales to explore the impact of adverse life events on salesperson outcomes.

Download Full-text

Chronic and cumulative adverse life events in patients of premature ovarian insufficiency with unknown cause: an exploratory qualitative study

10.21203/rs.3.rs-961197/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Junyan Sun ◽

Yihui Fan ◽

Ying Guo ◽

Huiying Pan ◽

Chen Zhang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Life Events ◽

Family Stress ◽

Intervention Strategy ◽

Well Being ◽

Premature Ovarian Insufficiency ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Case Control Studies ◽

Adverse Life Events ◽

Ovarian Insufficiency

Abstract Background Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) has serious physical and psychological consequences due to estrogen deprivation, leading to increased morbidity and mortality. However, the causes of most POI cases remain unknown (idiopathic POI). Environmental factors play an important role in the occurrence of complex diseases. To explore whether chronic and cumulative adverse life events occur in patients before POI diagnosis. Searching for the potential relative risk factors may find an intervention strategy to prevent POI in young women.Results Forty-three women (mean age=33·8 years) were recruited who were newly- diagnosed with idiopathic POI in a Chinese Ob/Gyn hospital to participate in semi-structured interviews through convenience sampling. The main questions covered by the topic guide were designed to explore adverse life events prior to POI diagnosis. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed and analyzed thematically. Data were analyzed from June 2019 to August 2020. Among the POI patients, the mean age at diagnosis of POI was 33·8 years (range from 19 to 39 years), and the average time between the onset of irregular menstruation and POI diagnosis was 2.3 years. These patients had a relatively normal menstrual cycle before the diagnosis of POI. A number of stressful life events prior to POI diagnosis were discussed by them as important factors influencing their health and well-being. Four core themes emerged: 1) persistent exposure to workplace stress, 2) persistent exposure to family stress, 3) chronic sleep problem/disturbance existed in patients before POI diagnosis, and 4) participants' general cognition and concerns about POI. Conclusions Persistent exposures to adverse life events related to work stress, family stress and sleep disturbance exist in idiopathic POI patients. In addition, patients and their families generally have incorrect cognition of POI disease and its treatment. Future case-control studies should demonstrate whether chronic and cumulative adverse life events are risk factors of POI disease. Provision of tailored interventions (i.e. preventing or mitigating impact of adverse life events) aimed at high-risk populations is urgently needed to prevent new POI cases and promoting understanding of disease may improve health conditions of POI patients.

Download Full-text

Resilience

Current Directions in Psychological Science ◽

10.1177/0963721411424740 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 20 (6) ◽

pp. 390-394 ◽

Cited By ~ 99

Author(s):

Mark D. Seery

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Care ◽

Life Events ◽

Chronic Back Pain ◽

Well Being ◽

Care Utilization ◽

Negative Consequences ◽

Adverse Life Events ◽

History Of ◽

Health And Well Being

When adverse life events occur, people often suffer negative consequences for their mental health and well-being. More adversity has been associated with worse outcomes, implying that the absence of life adversity should be optimal. However, some theory and empirical evidence suggest that the experience of facing difficulties can also promote benefits in the form of greater propensity for resilience when dealing with subsequent stressful situations. I review research that demonstrates U-shaped relationships between lifetime adversity exposure and mental health and well-being, functional impairment and health care utilization in chronic back pain, and responses to experimentally induced pain. Specifically, a history of some lifetime adversity predicts better outcomes than not only a history of high adversity but also a history of no adversity. This has important implications for understanding resilience, suggesting that adversity can have benefits.

Download Full-text

Different Discussion Partners and Their Effect on Depression among Older Adults

Social Sciences ◽

10.3390/socsci10060215 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (6) ◽

pp. 215

Author(s):

Keunbok Lee

Keyword(s):

Social Support ◽

Older Adults ◽

Life Events ◽

Well Being ◽

Romantic Partners ◽

Depression Symptoms ◽

Negative Effects ◽

Adverse Life Events ◽

Discussion Partners ◽

Support Relationships

Although the multidimensionality of core discussion networks has been well established and widely studied, studies of the effects of social support on depression rarely consider the multifaceted aspects of dyadic discussion partner ties. This article proposes defining dyadic social relationships as a construct comprising several tie-level attributes and differentiating multiple forms of support relationships by assessing the configuration pattern of multiple attributes. The current study examines various forms of older adults’ discussion partners and identifies which form of discussion partner relationship is effective at buffering the negative effects of adverse life events on depression symptoms. Results from the University of California Social Network Survey show that older adults’ discussion partners can be classified into five distinct types of dyadic ties: spouse/romantic partners, close neighbors, remote type, social companions, and acquaintances. The discussion network with more close neighbor confidants is more effective at buffering the negative effects of adverse life events. These results offer an alternative way of investigating the differential significance of various social support relationships in mental well-being.

Download Full-text

Gender differences in mental health symptoms and risk factors in Australian elite athletes

BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine ◽

10.1136/bmjsem-2020-000984 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

pp. e000984

Author(s):

Courtney C Walton ◽

Simon Rice ◽

Caroline X Gao ◽

Matt Butterworth ◽

Matti Clements ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Gender Differences ◽

Women Athletes ◽

Life Events ◽

Elite Athletes ◽

Well Being ◽

Mental Health Symptoms ◽

Adverse Life Events ◽

Health Symptoms ◽

Meta Regression

ObjectivesTo examine gender differences in the reporting of, and contributors to, mental health symptoms.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional observational study of adult athletes within a national elite sporting system (n=523; women=292;56%), who completed a battery of assessments including measures of mental health and adverse life events. Group differences across a range of scores were examined, followed by gender-stratified bootstrapped linear regression and meta-regression on measures where gender differences were observed.ResultsWomen athletes reported higher rates of mental health symptoms, and lower rates of mental well-being, although there were no differences in general psychological distress or life satisfaction. Women reported experiencing several adverse life events at higher rates than men; particularly interpersonal conflict, financial hardship and discrimination. Low self-esteem was consistently associated with poorer mental health outcomes for all athletes. While a range of factors were associated with poor mental health in men or women athletes, meta-regression suggested that experiencing financial difficulty and social media abuse were more uniquely associated with mental health symptoms in men.ConclusionGender differences in mental health in elite athletes are apparent. Approaches to increasing well-being are required in elite sport.

Download Full-text

Interdependent transformations: Integrating insights from relationship science to advance post-traumatic growth and personality change research

European Journal of Personality ◽

10.1177/08902070211022119 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 089020702110221

Author(s):

Veronica M Lamarche

Keyword(s):

Life Events ◽

Well Being ◽

Personality Change ◽

Adverse Life Events ◽

Psychological Theories ◽

Post Traumatic Growth ◽

Relationship Outcomes ◽

Interdependence Theory ◽

Post Traumatic ◽

Research Relationships

People have a tremendous ability to grow and change for the better following adverse life events. This capacity for growth has captured the attention of psychologists interested in understanding the mechanisms underpinning both personality and well-being. This paper advocates for a greater integration of relationship science into this area of study as a means of advancing post-traumatic growth and personality change research. Relationships, both as an impetus for change and as evidence of growth, have featured consistently in the post-traumatic growth and adversity literatures. Drawing from interdependence theory in particular, this paper highlights how the unique structure of close relationships and relationship dynamics can be applied to address outstanding theoretical questions related to the advancement of post-traumatic growth research as well as offers a critique of the practice of using relationship outcomes (e.g., connection) as evidence of post-traumatic growth. Finally, this paper encourages psychologists across subdisciplines to share their unique skills and insights to help generate more robust psychological theories and methods.

Download Full-text

Analysis of Well Being of People Practicing Yoga

International Journal of Indian Psychology ◽

10.25215/0402.118 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

Author(s):

K. Madhava Chandran

Keyword(s):

Life Events ◽

Well Being ◽

Survey Method ◽

Relaxation Techniques ◽

Subjective Well Being ◽

Yoga Practice ◽

Adverse Life Events ◽

Awareness Programs ◽

Somatic Disorders ◽

Yoga Practitioners

Background: De-stressing for achieving a sense of well being has become an absolute necessity for people to reduce psycho-somatic disorders. The degree to which one experiences control over one’s response to life events will have a buffering effect for adverse life events and will enhance wellbeing. Subjective wellbeing indicates how people evaluate their lives in terms of feelings of wellbeing or the lack of it. Yoga helps in significant reduction of stress, contributing to a feeling of better wellbeing. Aim: This study analyses the effect of yoga on subjective well being of people. Research Design: Survey method was adopted for the study. Sample: Consisted of 100 randomly selected yoga practitioners. Tools used: They were interviewed using a questionnaire consisting of 13 subjective well being parameters (OECD, 2013), with three responses, scored as 3, 2 and 1. Subjective Well Being Index (SWBI) was worked out as the sum of the scores of the parameters. The data was analyzed through analysis of variance. Results: The mean SWBI of yoga practitioners mostly improves with the years of yoga practice. However, even up to two years of yoga practice contributes to a very promising condition of well being, with more than 89% of the respondents experiencing either very much or slight improvement / reduction in all the well being parameters. More than 10 years of yoga practice gives the maximum SWBI of 37, equivalent to about 95% of the maximum possible index, while 6 to 10 years of yoga contributes to an index of about 34. Even though the SWBI of up to 2 years, 2 to 4 years and 4 to 6 years of yoga practice are statistically on par, they differ significantly from that of the yoga practice categories above 6 years. 6 to 8 years and 8 to 10 years of yoga contribute to SWBI, which is also significantly different from the SWBI of more than 10 years practitioners. Conclusion: The results of the study establish the effect of yoga in achieving a feeling of well being among people, which would ultimately contribute to better physical health also for them. Hence, psycho-somatic disorders existing under the fast, hectic and tense conditions in the society can be reduced considerably through the practice of relaxation techniques such as yoga. In this context, it will be worthwhile if institutions such as yoga centres, recreational clubs, residents’ associations, schools, offices etc. take initiative in popularizing such mind – body relaxation techniques through awareness programs which also include information from research carried out, demonstration of the techniques etc. with the objective of creating a healthy society.

Download Full-text

Perceived Overprotection and Its Association With Quality of Life in Dementia

GeroPsych ◽

10.1024/1662-9647/a000207 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 32 (3) ◽

pp. 125-134

Author(s):

Mechthild Niemann-Mirmehdi ◽

Andreas Häusler ◽

Paul Gellert ◽

Johanna Nordheim

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Patient Autonomy ◽

Positive Association ◽

Well Being ◽

Negative Association ◽

Significant Positive Association ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

People With Dementia ◽

Mental Well Being

Abstract. To date, few studies have focused on perceived overprotection from the perspective of people with dementia (PwD). In the present examination, the association of perceived overprotection in PwD is examined as an autonomy-restricting factor and thus negative for their mental well-being. Cross-sectional data from the prospective DYADEM study of 82 patient/partner dyads (mean age = 74.26) were used to investigate the association between overprotection, perceived stress, depression, and quality of life (QoL). The analyses show that an overprotective contact style with PwD has a significant positive association with stress and depression, and has a negative association with QoL. The results emphasize the importance of avoiding an overprotective care style and supporting patient autonomy.

Download Full-text