scholarly journals Working With a Psychopath: Is There Light at the End of the Tunnel?

Author(s):  
Jayme Stewart ◽  
Adelle Forth ◽  
Janelle Beaudette

Having a supervisor with psychopathic characteristics is related to being bullied, poorer job satisfaction, work/family life conflict, financial instability, and distress. To date, all research on corporate psychopathy victims considers how they are negatively impacted rather than potential positive outcomes. In response, this study examined how working with a psychopath impacts posttraumatic growth (PTG). Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, this study draws upon the experiences of 285 individuals who have worked with a colleague or supervisor with alleged psychopathic characteristics. Results indicated that approach coping and psychopathic characteristics predicted PTG. Qualitative analyses revealed that the majority of participants used various coping strategies (e.g., emotion-focused), received support (e.g., emotional), and underwent post-experiential growth or learning (e.g., positive personal growth); not all growth/learning was positive, however (e.g., less trusting). Results suggest that cultivating approach-focused coping strategies may enhance PTG following a traumatic event.

Author(s):  
Georgia Libera Finstad ◽  
Gabriele Giorgi ◽  
Lucrezia Ginevra Lulli ◽  
Caterina Pandolfi ◽  
Giulia Foti ◽  
...  

The COVID-19 pandemic represents a traumatic event that has profoundly changed working conditions with detrimental consequences for workers’ health, in particular for the healthcare population directly involved in addressing the emergency. Nevertheless, previous research has demonstrated that traumatic experiences can also lead to positive reactions, stimulating resilience and feelings of growth. The aim of this narrative review is to investigate the positive aspects associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and the possible health prevention and promotion strategies by analyzing the available scientific evidence. In particular, we focus on the constructs of resilience, coping strategies and posttraumatic growth (PTG). A literature search was performed on the PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar and Psycinfo databases. Forty-six articles were included in the literature synthesis. Psychological resilience is a fundamental variable for reducing and preventing the negative psychological effects of the pandemic and is associated with lower levels of depression, anxiety and burnout. At the individual and organizational level, resilience plays a crucial role in enhancing wellbeing in healthcare and non-healthcare workers. Connected to resilience, adaptive coping strategies are essential for managing the emergency and work-related stress. Several positive factors influencing resilience have been highlighted in the development of PTG. At the same time, high levels of resilience and positive coping strategies can enhance personal growth. Considering the possible long-term coexistence and consequences of COVID-19, organizational interventions should aim to improve workers’ adaptive coping skills, resilience and PTG in order to promote wellbeing.


2017 ◽  
Vol 80 (1) ◽  
pp. 104-119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nina Ogińska-Bulik ◽  
Magdalena Kobylarczyk

The aim of the study was to determine the mediating role of coping strategies in the relationship between intensity of trauma resulting from the loss of a child and posttraumatic growth (PTG). The study included a group of 76 persons who regarded the loss of a child as a traumatic event. The majority (55.3%) of respondents were women. The age of the participants ranged from 18 to 62 years ( M = 35.88; SD = 9.52). A visual scale to measure intensity of trauma was used, and the Polish versions of the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory and Coping Inventory (Brief-Cope). The subjects revealed PTG, primarily in terms of appreciating of life and relating to others. Seeking social support, both emotional and instrumental, plays a mediating role between the intensity of trauma and PTG. Encouraging people who have experienced trauma to seek social support may not only enable adaptation to the situation but also contribute to the occurrence of PTG.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nik Ruzyanei Nik Jaafar ◽  
Norhaliza Abd Hamid ◽  
Nur Amirah Hamdan ◽  
Rama Krsna Rajandram ◽  
Raynuha Mahadevan ◽  
...  

Despite an enormous number of studies addressing the importance of posttraumatic growth (PTG) among cancer patients, the literature lacks data regarding how different coping strategies affect PTG among head and neck cancer (HNC) patients over time. This longitudinal study investigated the PTG trend and coping over 5–7months among a cohort of HNC patients within the first year after their diagnosis. It determined an association between coping strategies and PTG over time. The study’s HNC respondents were administered a socio-demographic and clinical characteristics questionnaire during their baseline assessments. Additionally, the Malay versions of the “PTG Inventory-Short Form” (PTGI-SF) and the “Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory” (Brief COPE) were administered during respondents’ baseline assessments and follow-up assessments (5–7months after the baseline assessments). In total, 200 respondents reported an increasing PTG trend and approach coping (active coping, planning, positive reframing, acceptance, emotional support, and instrumental support) and a decreasing trend of avoidant coping (self-distraction and denial) over time. Two approach coping strategies (acceptance and planning) significantly increased PTG while denial was the only avoidant coping strategy that significantly lowered PTG, after controlling for socio-demographic and clinical characteristics, over time. Our study’s findings identified the need to incorporate psychosocial interventions that enhance approach coping and reduce avoidant coping into HNC patients’ treatment regimes.


2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 407-415 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rocío Rodríguez-Rey ◽  
Alba Palacios ◽  
Jesús Alonso-Tapia ◽  
Elena Pérez ◽  
Elena Álvarez ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
pp. 106907272110067
Author(s):  
Chunyu Zhang ◽  
Bryan J. Dik ◽  
Zengyun Dong

The positive outcomes of calling have been examined in a large and growing number of studies, yet little is known about how calling relates to the work-family interface. In this study, we adopted a person-centered approach using latent profile analysis to explore how living a calling relates to different work-family interface profiles. With a sample of 267 Chinese university counselors, we found three work-family interface profiles: slightly conflictual (51%), experiencing slightly higher than average levels of work-to-family conflict (WFC) and family-to-work conflict (FWC) and slightly lower than average levels of work-to-family enrichment (WFE) and family-to-work enrichment (FWE); work-to-family conflictual (15%), with higher levels of WFC and lower levels of FWC, WFE, and FWE; and enriched (34%), indicated by higher levels of WFE and FWE and lower levels of WFC and FWC. The results revealed that the greater the extent to which participants were living their calling, the more likely they were to be classified into the enriched profile. Our findings contribute to the literature on calling by offering person-centered insights on the relation between calling and the work-family interface.


1994 ◽  
Vol 74 (1) ◽  
pp. 115-123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim A. Burley

This study examined the relationships among gender, coping, and anticipated work-family conflict for career-bound men and women. 256 university students enrolled in a university in northern Louisiana participated. Multivariate and univariate analyses were used to examine (a) potential gender differences with respect to anticipated work-family conflict and work-family coping mechanisms and (b) the role coping processes may play in mediating the relationship between gender and anticipated work-family conflict. The results indicated significant differences between the sexes with respect to anticipated work-family conflict as well as to expected use of various coping strategies to manage anticipated work-family conflict. Contrary to expectations, coping strategies did not mediate the relationship between gender and work-family conflict. The issue of coping as a mediator variable as well as the study's primary implications for students and professional educators are addressed.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanaz Aazami ◽  
Khadijah Shamsuddin ◽  
Syaqirah Akmal

We examined the mediating role of behavioral coping strategies in the association between work-family conflict and psychological distress. In particular, we examined the two directions of work-family conflict, namely, work interference into family and family interference into work. Furthermore, two coping styles in this study were adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 429 Malaysian working women using self-reported data. The results of mediational analysis in the present study showed that adaptive coping strategy does not significantly mediate the effect of work-family conflict on psychological distress. However, maladaptive coping strategies significantly mediate the effect of work-family conflict on psychological distress. These results show that adaptive coping strategies, which aimed to improve the stressful situation, are not effective in managing stressor such as work-family conflict. We found that experiencing interrole conflict steers employees toward frequent use of maladaptive coping strategies which in turn lead to psychological distress. Interventions targeted at improvement of coping skills which are according to individual’s needs and expectation may help working women to balance work and family demands. The important issue is to keep in mind that effective coping strategies are to control the situations not to eliminate work-family conflict.


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