Personal Growth and Well-Being at Work: Contributions of Vocational Psychology

2017 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bryan J. Dik ◽  
William F. O’Connor ◽  
Adelyn B. Shimizu ◽  
Ryan D. Duffy
Keyword(s):  
Career Development ◽  
Positive Psychology ◽  
Career Counseling ◽  
Personal Growth ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Vocational Psychology ◽  
Work Behavior ◽  
Career Adaptability ◽  
Ongoing Research ◽  
The Impact

Positive psychology’s focus on human strengths, personal growth, and well-being is frequently applied to career development and the workplace. Such applications also fall within the purview of vocational psychology, yet despite its clear historic and contemporary emphases that support positive psychology goals, the impact of vocational psychology theory, research, and practice on positive psychology has fallen short of its potential. We encourage greater cross-fertilization by explicating how major theoretical paradigms within vocational psychology (person–environment fit, developmental/relational/constructivist perspectives, and social–cognitive career theory) support positive psychology aims. We also summarize recent work on three vocational psychology constructs (work volition, career adaptability, and a sense of calling) that may help to broaden and advance positive psychology’s applications to career development and work behavior. Finally, we discuss future directions for ongoing research related to the vocational and positive psychology intersection, and we outline several implications for career counseling practice.

Studying Subjective Well-Being during a Quarantine

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Browning ◽  
E. Scott Geller
Keyword(s):  
Positive Psychology ◽  
Mood State ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Potential Effect ◽  
Mood States ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Psychology Class ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Impact

To investigate the impact of writing a gratitude letter on particular mood states, we asked students in two university classes (a research class and a positive psychology class) to complete a 15-item mood assessment survey (MAS) twice a day (once in the morning and once at night). The research students who signed up for one or two pass/fail field-study credits in a research class also completed the MAS twice a day, but they did not write the weekly gratitude letter that was expected from the students in the positive psychology class. Each mood state was averaged per each day for the participants in each group and compared between the Gratitude Group and the Control Group. No group difference occurred for some mood states like “incompetent,” but for the “unmotivated” mood state, a significant difference was found. To investigate the potential effect of weekday, we compared the average mood rating between groups for each day of the week. For the mood state of “unmotivated”, a remarkable dip occurred on Wednesday for the Gratitude group, but not for the Control group. These results indicated that writing a gratitude letter increased the benefactor’s motivation, especially on the day when it was accomplished.

Editorial | Stop the Academic Bullying: Our Internal Reflections for a Fairer Peer Reviews [Hentikan Perundungan Akademik: Refleksi Internal untuk Penilaian Sejawat yang Lebih Adil]

2021 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Edwin Adrianta Surijah
Keyword(s):  
Career Development ◽  
Peer Review ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Editorial Note ◽  
Peer Reviews ◽  
Academic Bullying ◽  
New Guidelines ◽  
The Impact

Academic bullying in peer reviews is a cultural problem. This Editorial Note is intended to identify the unhelpful comments/critiques and to highlight the impact of unprofessional peer reviews toward the well-being and career development of fellow researchers. We acknowledge that we are part of the problems, and the necessary steps are needed to break the chain of the academic bullying culture in peer reviews. New guidelines for editors and reviewers are part of the solutions to promote constructive comments, as well as stronger internal consolidation throughout the peer reviews process.   Perundungan akademik dalam penilaian sejawat (peer review) adalah sebuah permasalahan kultur. Catatan Editorial ini bertujuan mengindentifikasi komentar atau kritik yang tidak membangun, serta menggarisbawahi dampak penilaian sejawat yang tidak profesional terhadap kesejahteraan dan pengembangan karir sesama peneliti. Kami menyadari bahwa kami merupakan bagian dari permasalahan ini, dan diperlukan langkah-langkah untuk memutus rantai kultur perundungan akademik dalam penilaian sejawat. Pedoman baru bagi editor dan mitra bestari merupakan bagian dari solusi untuk mendorong komentar yang konstruktif, serta konsolidasi internal yang lebih kuat dalam proses penilaian sejawat.

Walking Toward a New Me: The Impact of Prescribed Walking 10,000 Steps/Day on Physical and Psychological Well-Being

2010 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 299-307 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy L. Morgan ◽  
David A. Tobar ◽  
Lauren Snyder
Keyword(s):  
Personal Growth ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychological Benefits ◽  
Walk Distance ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Cardiovascular Endurance ◽  
Cardiovascular Performance ◽  
Daily Plan ◽  
Changes Over Time ◽  
The Impact

Purpose:To determine whether individuals participating in a program designed to accumulate 10,000 steps/ day demonstrate health, fitness and psychological benefits.Methods:Sedentary individuals (22 F, 7 M; age 59.8 ± 5.78 yr) were randomly assigned into a walking (W, n = 14) or control (C, n = 15) group. Following baseline assessment, the W group was given a daily plan to reach 10,000 steps/day within 3 weeks and asked to maintain this level for 12 weeks; the C group was asked to maintain their current activity. Participants were evaluated for cardiovascular endurance, resting and postexercise HR, functional ability, cholesterol, psychological well-being, and exercise self-efficacy before and following the 15-week program.Results:Significant changes over time were noted between groups (G×T; P < .05) with the W group demonstrating improvements in postexercise HR (−6.51%), total cholesterol (TC: −7.74%), and personal growth (2.53%). While not statistically significant, the W group also demonstrated improvements in 6 min walk distance (2.32%), total/HDL ratio (−10.09%), 8 foot up-and-go time (−3.35%), chair stands (6.17%), flexibility (128%), and environmental mastery (4.54%).Conclusion:A 15-week program aimed at accumulating 10,000 steps/day improves cardiovascular performance and personal growth and also positively influences many variables that are indicators of health, fitness and psychological well-being.

Emotion regulation processes as mediators of the impact of past life events on older adults’ psychological distress

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 199-209
Author(s):  
Virginia Fernández-Fernández ◽  
Andrés Losada-Baltar ◽  
María Márquez-González ◽  
Teresa Paniagua-Granados ◽  
Carlos Vara-García ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Emotion Regulation ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Life Events ◽  
Personal Growth ◽  
Experiential Avoidance ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Past Life ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACTObjective:Although it is known that certain emotion regulation processes produce a buffering effect on the relationship between life events and well-being, this issue has been poorly studied in the elderly population. Thus, the aim of the present study is to test and confirm a comprehensive model of the impact that past life events have on older adults’ psychological distress, exploring the possible mediating roles of emotion regulation processes. These include rumination, experiential avoidance, and personal growth.Methods:In this cross-sectional study, 387 people over 60 years old residing in the community were assessed on life events, physical functioning, emotion regulation variables, psychological well-being, as well as symptoms of anxiety and depression.Results:The structural model tested achieved a satisfactory fit to the data, explaining 73% of the variance of older adults’ psychological distress. In addition, the main results suggest possible mediation effects of both the physical functioning and the emotional variables: rumination, experiential avoidance, and personal growth in the face of hardship.Conclusions:These findings confirm the importance of emotion regulation processes in the final stages of life. They reveal the various adaptive and maladaptive mechanisms that underlie the relationship between life events and psychological distress. The findings suggest – both in the explanatory models of psychological well-being and in psychotherapeutic interventions – the importance of emotion regulation in the elderly population’s health.

Impact on personal growth and environment conservation self-perception in a volunteering program with adults with severe mental illness (SMI)

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. s280-s281
Author(s):  
D. Cabezas Sánchez ◽  
A. Ramírez Macías ◽  
J. Sáiz Galdós
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Personal Growth ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Green Area ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Competing Interest ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The City

Introduction“Viaje del Parnaso” is a volunteering project developed at the Day Center Aranjuez2 (CD2) for helping adults with SMI to get a satisfactory and responsible occupation through their implication in a volunteering work in the community, while involved in the maintenance of a green area in the city of Aranjuez.Objectives/aimsThe aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the project on the volunteers’ lives in terms of personal growth and environment conservation and compare its results with non-volunteers also attended at the CD2.MethodsThe project was carried once a week during 45 weeks. 11 volunteers participated on the project, plus 5 non-volunteers were considered as cuasi-control group. The instruments applied were an item on “environment conservation” and 2 subscale items of “Personal Growth” from the Ryff Scales of psychological well-being. Measures were applied at baseline, 6 and 12 months after.ResultsSignificant differences were found on the environment conservation item between volunteers at baseline and 6 months after (P < 0.05). Results also revealed a significant difference (P < 0.05) between volunteers and non-volunteers at both variables (“environment conservation” and “Personal Growth”) in baseline and 6 months after treatment.ConclusionsThe data from this study suggest that a volunteering program seems to be an effective intervention for bringing about improvements in well-being of people with SMI, and also for increasing their environmental awareness. These improvements may also help to change the stigma of SMI reinforcing mental health patient's contributions to society.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

The emergence of personal growth amongst healthcare professionals who care for dying children

2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 298-307 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Beaune ◽  
Barbara Muskat ◽  
Samantha J. Anthony
Keyword(s):  
Compassion Fatigue ◽  
Personal Growth ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Secondary Analysis ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Dying Children ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACTObjective:Compassion fatigue, burnout, and vicarious traumatization are prominent topics in the current literature on the impact of the rewarding but challenging work of healthcare professionals who care for patients with life-limiting illnesses. The positive effects of caregiving constitute a newly emerging outcome that has been relatively unexplored in the pediatric literature, and yet they may play an important role in contributing to the satisfaction and well-being of the healthcare professionals who care for children who have a life-limiting illness.Method:This paper reports the results of a secondary analysis of qualitative interview transcripts that explored the experiences of hospital-based pediatric healthcare providers caring for children with varied life-limiting illnesses. In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with 25 healthcare professionals (9 social workers, 8 nurses, and 8 physicians). The majority of participants were women (80%), with an age range between 20 and 60 years, and most (84%) had the experience of caring for more than 15 dying children. Thematic analysis was conducted using interpretive description and constant comparison.Results:Every healthcare professional interviewed experienced personal growth as a result of their providing care for dying children. Three dimensions of personal growth were most consistently reported: (1) new or altered life perspectives, (2) enhanced personal resources, and (3) benevolence.Significance of results:A deeper understanding of the phenomenon of personal growth could help healthcare organizations to implement innovative approaches that would counterbalance compassion fatigue, and thereby enhance both healthcare provider well-being and child and family outcomes.

scholarly journals Values Narratives for Personal Growth: Formative Evaluation of the Laws of Life Essay Program

2015 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 269-293
Author(s):  
Victoria Banyard ◽  
Sherry Hamby ◽  
Ed de St. Aubin ◽  
John Grych
Keyword(s):  
Character Education ◽  
Process Evaluation ◽  
Personal Growth ◽  
Expressive Writing ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Writing Exercises

Evidence that even very brief writing exercises can change the way people see themselves and promote more positive mental and physical health has led to increased interest in their use in school settings and elsewhere. To date, however, research designs rely heavily on samples of college students and experimental studies of writing tasks carried out in the lab. There has been less investigation of the potential impact of more naturally occurring expressive writing exercises that exist in places like schools and that focus on adolescents. The current study was a process evaluation of the Laws of Life Essay, a values-based narrative program that was part of participants’ secondary school experience. It examined participants’ views of the impact of the program on their personal growth and, given the age range of participants, allowed for process evaluation of its perceived short- and long-term effects. Qualitative, semistructured interviews with 55 adolescent and adult participants were collected. Themes in participants’ responses included the importance of reflection and reappraisal of values, adversity, and relationships. Participants also discussed the importance of an audience for their writing, a novel finding that suggests one possible way to increase the impact of other narrative programs. Participants described variability in their engagement with expressive writing. This is one of the few studies that examined participants’ own views of the value of expressive writing and their responses suggest directions for future research and implications for designing expressive writing tasks to support social emotional learning and character education in schools and promote well-being at key developmental moments.

scholarly journals The Intertwined Relationship Between Job Crafting, Work-Related Positive Emotions, and Work Engagement. Evidence from a Positive Psychology Intervention Study

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 210-221 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arianna Costantini ◽  
Riccardo Sartori
Keyword(s):  
Positive Psychology ◽  
Work Engagement ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Job Crafting ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Positive Psychology Intervention ◽  
Public Organisation ◽  
Emotions In The Workplace ◽  
The Impact

Purpose: The present study examines the impact of a positive psychology intervention on job crafting, positive emotions and work engagement. Design: A sample of 43 employees working in a public organisation received a three day-long resource-based intervention grounded on meaningfulness and practical exercises. Findings: Results showed that the intervention had a positive effect on job crafting, positive job-related affective well-being and work engagement. Moreover, findings from a mediation model show that the intervention was effective in sustaining work engagement resulting from experienced positive emotions, which in turn resulted from job crafting behaviours. Originality/Value: To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to investigate the intertwined relationships between job crafting behaviours, positive emotions in the workplace, and work engagement. Moreover, our findings provide evidence of the effectiveness of the proposed positive psychology intervention to support work engagement resulting from proactive adjustment to the work environment and the positive emotions deriving from it.

Self-Determination

2009 ◽  
pp. 356-366 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael L. Wehmeyer ◽  
Todd D. Little ◽  
Julie Sergeant
Keyword(s):  
Positive Psychology ◽  
Human Agency ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Self ◽  
Self Determination ◽  
Psychological Construct ◽  
Human Behaviors ◽  
Human Functioning ◽  
Theoretical View ◽  
The Impact

Self-determination is a general psychological construct within the organizing structure of theories of human agency which refers to self- (vs. other-) caused action—to people acting volitionally, based on their own will. Human agency refers to the sense of personal empowerment involving both knowing and having what it takes to achieve goals. Human agentic theories share the meta-theoretical view that organismic aspirations drive human behaviors. An organismic perspective of self-determination that views people as active contributors to, or “authors” of their behavior, where behavior is self-regulated and goal-directed, provides a compelling foundation for examining and facilitating the degree to which people become self-determined and the impact of that on the pursuit of optimal human functioning and well-being. Further, an organismic approach to self-determination requires an explicit focus on the interface between the self and context. This chapter discusses the self-determination construct within an organismic perspective, surveys the construct's history and usage in philosophy and psychology, and summarizes four overarching theories of self-determination that are applicable to the field of positive psychology, as well as examining a number of complementary views of human agency as a process of self-determination. Finally, research implications based upon existing knowledge and research in self-determination and positive psychology are identified.

scholarly journals Positive psychology and the training of psychologists: Students’ perspectives

2010 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tharina Guse
Keyword(s):  
Positive Psychology ◽  
Professional Training ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Sense Of Self ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Qualitative Research Design ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
Value Add ◽  
The Impact

Orientation: The development of positive psychology interventions have burgeoned internationally and are relevant to the professional training of psychologistsResearch purpose: The aim of this study was to explore the personal and professional impact of including positive psychology in the professional training of clinical and counselling psychologists.Motivation for the study: It is not known how students previously educated in a pathogenic paradigm experience the exposure to positive psychology, and resultant paradigm shift, as part of their professional training.Research design, approach and method: A qualitative research design was implemented. Data consisted of written documents submitted by the participants and was analyzed by means of thematic analysis.Main findings: Integrating positive psychology in the professional training curriculum was valuable and enriching on both a professional and personal level. The participants reported an experience of positive emotions and increased sense of self-understanding and psychological well-being. Professionally they experienced a sense of increased self-efficacy.Practical/managerial implications: Positive psychology should be considered as part of the basic training of psychologists since it may enhance the development of trainee psychologists’ professional self, enhance aspects of psychological well-being as well as prevent stress and burnout.Contribution/value-add: This is the first South African study to explore the impact of including positive psychology principles and interventions in professional training.

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