Effects of Rest-Break Intention on Rest-Break Frequency and Work-Related Fatigue

Objectives: The present paper presents findings from two studies addressing the effects of the employee’s intention to have rest breaks on rest-break frequency and the change of well-being during a workday. Background: Rest breaks are effective in avoiding an accumulation of fatigue during work. However, little is known about individual differences in rest-break behavior. Method: In Study 1, the association between rest-break intention and the daily number of rest breaks recorded over 4 consecutive workdays was determined by generalized linear model in a sample of employees ( n = 111, 59% females). In Study 2, professional geriatric nurses ( n = 95 females) who worked over two consecutive 12-hour day shifts recorded well-being (fatigue, distress, effort motivation) at the beginning and the end of their shifts. The effect of rest-break intention on the change of well-being was determined by multilevel modeling. Results: Rest-break intention was positively associated with the frequency of rest breaks (Study 1) and reduced the increase of fatigue and distress over the workday (Study 2). Conclusion: The results indicate that individual differences account for the number of breaks an employee takes and, as a consequence, for variations in the work-related fatigue and distress. Application: Strengthening rest-break intentions may help to increase rest-break behavior to avoid the buildup of fatigue and distress over a workday.

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Humor at work: validation of the short work-related Humor Styles Questionnaire (swHSQ)

Humor - International Journal of Humor Research ◽

10.1515/humor-2015-0118 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 29 (3) ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Tabea Scheel ◽

Cornelia Gerdenitsch ◽

Christian Korunka

Keyword(s):

Individual Differences ◽

Turnover Intentions ◽

Well Being ◽

Work Relationships ◽

Humor Styles ◽

Work Context ◽

Psychological Well Being ◽

Work Related ◽

Daily Interactions ◽

Integral Element

AbstractAs part of daily interactions humor is an integral element of work relationships with consequences for well-being or turnover intentions. However, its adequate assessment in the work context has yet to be improved. While the Humor Styles Questionnaire (HSQ; Martin et al. 2003. Individual differences in uses of humor and their relation to psychological well-being: Development of the Humor Styles Questionnaire.

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Secrets, Psychological Health, and the Fear of Discovery

Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin ◽

10.1177/0146167220946195 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 014616722094619

Author(s):

Christopher G. Davis ◽

Hannah Brazeau ◽

Elisabeth Bailin Xie ◽

Kathleen McKee

Keyword(s):

Individual Differences ◽

Negative Affect ◽

Romantic Relationships ◽

Relationship Satisfaction ◽

Multilevel Modeling ◽

Psychological Health ◽

Well Being ◽

Longitudinal Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Over Time

Keeping secrets from one’s partner has been associated with lower well-being and relationship satisfaction. Previous research has suggested that individual differences in self-concealment account for these effects. However, we propose that the fear of discovery (FoD)—defined as the fear that one’s secret may be revealed by means other than deliberate disclosure—predicts the extent to which secrets affect well-being beyond the effects attributable to individual differences. Both a cross-sectional and a longitudinal survey (combined N = 471; 54.4% female; Mage = 39.5) of adults in romantic relationships confirmed that FoD predicted greater preoccupation with the secret, more negative affect, and less relationship satisfaction and commitment beyond that of self-concealment. Multilevel modeling in Study 2 indicated that changes in FoD predicted changes in preoccupation over time. The data are consistent with the notion that FoD promotes greater preoccupation, greater negative affect, and lower levels of relationship well-being.

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Evaluation of Two Self-Managed Rest Break Systems for VDT Users

Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting ◽

10.1177/154193129503901207 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 39 (12) ◽

pp. 780-784 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Robert A. Henning ◽

Eric A. Callaghan ◽

Jason I. Guttman ◽

Heather A. Braun

Keyword(s):

Heart Rate ◽

Well Being ◽

Feedback Condition ◽

Behavioral Changes ◽

Musculoskeletal Discomfort ◽

Experimental Conditions ◽

Feedback Information ◽

Rest Break ◽

Continuous Feedback ◽

Rest Breaks

Two self-managed rest break systems for video display terminal (VDT) users were evaluated using measures of heart rate and heart rate variability, breathing, and work-physiological synchronization in addition to conventional measures of performance, mood, user acceptance, and musculoskeletal discomfort. Undergraduate typists (N=30) entered lines of randomized words during a 55-min work period. Cognitive demand was increased by having typists reverse-type a specified word in each line. In the feedback condition, typists were continuously informed of the discrepancy between a target rest break standard of 30 s every 8 min and their discretionary rest breaks. This feedback information was absent in the control condition. Management of discretionary rest breaks was better in the feedback condition and VDT users reported less task disruption and lower back discomfort. Time-related trends in performance and physiological response reflected behavioral changes associated with fatigue, but did not differentiate between experimental conditions. The lack of adverse psychophysiological responses in the feedback condition supports the conclusion that continuous feedback about rest break behavior can help VDT users self-manage discretionary rest breaks, with no untoward effects on performance or well-being.

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A compensatory rest break system for VDT operators

Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting ◽

10.1177/154193129303701211 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 37 (12) ◽

pp. 905-909 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Robert A. Henning ◽

George V. Kissel ◽

Douglas C. Maynard

Keyword(s):

Well Being ◽

Computer Work ◽

Musculoskeletal Discomfort ◽

Work Period ◽

Correction Rate ◽

Rest Break ◽

Lower Case ◽

Before And After ◽

Vdt Operators ◽

Rest Breaks

Short rest breaks at 10 or 15-min intervals are being proposed as a means to moderate health problems and discomfort associated with continuous VDT use. This laboratory study evaluated an alternative to administering frequent breaks on a regimented schedule; short breaks were not administered unless the operator's spontaneous rest pauses were insufficient. Undergraduate volunteer typists (N=38) were assigned to one of two conditions: regimented (20-sec breaks every 5 min), or compensatory (20-sec breaks every 5 min only if the spontaneous pauses did not total 20 sec). Participants entered lines of randomized upper and lower-case characters that appeared on their VDT during a 48-min work period. Mood and musculoskeletal discomfort were assessed before and after the work period, followed by a questionnaire about the break system. Performance measures included keystroke output, error rate, and correction rate (backspace use). Large pre-to-post work period differences in both mood and musculoskeletal discomfort were found. Both the number and length of computer-administered breaks decreased in the compensatory condition. Back discomfort was lower in the compensatory condition, however, no differences in performance, mood, nor acceptance of the break system were found. These results indicate that rest breaks administered on a compensatory basis during repetitive computer work can eliminate unnecessary breaks and improve well-being without being any more disruptive to work than regimented breaks.

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Examining a Model of Stress Reactions of Bank Directors

European Journal of Psychological Assessment ◽

10.1027/1015-5759.12.3.212 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 12 (3) ◽

pp. 212-223 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Gerard Seegers ◽

Thérèse van Elderen

Keyword(s):

Individual Differences ◽

Social Research ◽

Well Being ◽

Personality Characteristics ◽

University Of Michigan ◽

Stress Reactions ◽

Work Related ◽

Causal Assumptions ◽

The University

The purpose of this study was to investigate to what level work-related and environmental/personality characteristics explain individual differences in psychological and physical well-being, and absenteeism. The Michigan model, as developed by the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan, was used as a base for further analyses. A number of 376 bank directors was included in the study. Using the LISREL program for testing causal assumptions, a model resulted that explained substantial amounts of variance for psychological and physical well-being. The model, however, was not effective to explain absenteeism.

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Individual Determinants of Rest-Break Behavior in Occupational Settings

Healthcare ◽

10.3390/healthcare9101330 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (10) ◽

pp. 1330

Author(s):

Gerhard Blasche ◽

Johannes Wendsche ◽

Theresa Tschulik ◽

Rudolf Schoberberger ◽

Lisbeth Weitensfelder

Keyword(s):

Attitude Control ◽

Behavioral Control ◽

Well Being ◽

Job Control ◽

Minor Role ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Rest Break ◽

Individual Determinants ◽

Rest Breaks ◽

And Control

Aims: Work breaks improve well-being, productivity, and health. The aim of this study was to investigate the individual determinants of rest-break behavior during work using the theory of planned behavior (TPB). Methods: The association between attitude, control, and subjective norm and rest-break intention (i.e., taking rest breaks regularly), and rest-break behavior (average number of rest breaks/workhour) was analyzed with stepwise linear regression in a cross-sectional design. The study participants included 109 clerical employees, and 215 nurses. Results: Attitude and control were positively associated with rest-break intention. Intention and control were positively associated with rest-break behavior. The effect of intention was moderated by occupation, with intention being more weakly associated with rest-break behavior in nurses who had less behavioral control. Conclusions: Job control is the major predictor of rest-break behavior, with attitudes playing a minor role, and social norm playing no role. To increase rest-break behavior, a greater extent of job control is necessary.

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Self Management of Rest Breaks by VDT Users

Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting ◽

10.1177/154193129403801208 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 38 (12) ◽

pp. 754-758 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Robert A. Henning ◽

Anna M. Ortega ◽

Eric A. Callaghan ◽

George V. Kissel

Keyword(s):

Heart Rate ◽

Performance Feedback ◽

Well Being ◽

Self Management ◽

Video Display ◽

Musculoskeletal Discomfort ◽

Correction Rate ◽

Rest Break ◽

Before And After ◽

Rest Breaks

Video display terminal (VDT) users can benefit from frequent, short rest breaks in terms of improved productivity and well-being. However, VDT users report that scheduled breaks can seriously disrupt some tasks. This laboratory study tested if performance feedback would promote better self management of discretionary rest breaks. Undergraduate typists (N=31) entered lines of randomized words for 65 min. A mandatory rest break was administered whenever discretionary rest breaks did not total 30 s every 10 min. Typists in the experimental condition received feedback indicating how their discretionary breaks compared to a criterion. Typists in the control condition received no such feedback. Mood and musculoskeletal discomfort were assessed before and after the work period, followed by a questionnaire about the break system. Performance measures included keystroke rate, error rate, and correction rate (backspace use). Measures of heart rate and heart rate variability were also collected. Both the number of full-length mandatory breaks and correction rate were lower in the feedback condition. No significant differences in mood, musculoskeletal discomfort, physiological response, nor acceptance of the break system were found. These results suggest that self management of discretionary breaks as well as keystroke performance are improved by feedback, with no untoward effects on well-being.

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