Challenges or Hindrances? Implications of Work Characteristics Appraisals for Employees’ Well-Being

Previous research on the association between job characteristics and employee well-being has returned mixed results. In particular, the possible impact of individual appraisal of these job characteristics has not been well-acknowledged. To address this limitation, we drew on appraisal theory and examined (a) how workers appraise particular job characteristics, and (b) how these appraisals affect the relationships between these job characteristics and well-being (i.e., work engagement and burnout). We tested our hypotheses across two studies. In a cross-occupation survey (Study 1, n = 514), we found that job characteristics of “demands” (time urgency, role conflict, and emotional demands) and “resources” (autonomy, supervisor and colleague support, and feedback) can to some degree be appraised as both challenges and hindrances. In addition, moderation analysis showed that challenge appraisal can mitigate the negative impact of job demands on burnout. Interestingly, the beneficial effects of job resources on employee well-being (i.e., increasing engagement, and decreasing burnout) were weaker if workers appraised a certain resource as hindering. In Study 2 (n = 316 nurses in a hospital), the results generally supported our predictions again. These findings on the effects of appraisal contribute by broadening the theory on job characteristics-outcomes relationships.

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In the Eye of the Beholder: Challenge and Hindrance Appraisals of Work Characteristics and Their Implications for Employee’s Well-Being

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.708309 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Peikai Li ◽

Maria C. W. Peeters ◽

Toon W. Taris ◽

Yejun Zhang

Keyword(s):

Employee Engagement ◽

Job Demands ◽

Well Being ◽

Job Characteristics ◽

Job Resources ◽

Future Research ◽

Appraisal Theory ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Future Research Directions ◽

Detrimental Impact

Previous research on the association between job characteristics and employee well-being has returned mixed results. In particular, the possible impact of individual appraisal of these job characteristics has not been well-acknowledged. To address this limitation, we drew on appraisal theory and examined: (a) how workers appraise particular job characteristics, and (b) how these appraisals affect the relationships between these job characteristics and well-being (i.e., work engagement and burnout). We tested our hypotheses across two studies. In a cross-occupation sample (Study 1, n = 514), we found that job demands and resources can be appraised as both challenges and hindrances. In addition, challenge appraisals can mitigate the detrimental impact of job demands on engagement and burnout; and hindrance appraisals can strengthen the detrimental effects of job demands on burnout. Further, hindrance appraisals of job resources reduce their beneficial effects on engagement and burnout. Study 2 (n = 316 nurses in a hospital) further showed that challenge appraisals of job demands can reduce their impact on burnout while challenge appraisals of job resources will strengthen their positive effect on employee engagement and burnout. We discuss study implications as well as future research directions.

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Do cognitive appraisals moderate the link between qualitative job insecurity and psychological-behavioral well-being?

International Journal of Workplace Health Management ◽

10.1108/ijwhm-01-2018-0008 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. 424-441 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Morteza Charkhabi

Keyword(s):

Public Hospital ◽

Job Insecurity ◽

Cognitive Appraisals ◽

Well Being ◽

Appraisal Theory ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Private Hospitals ◽

Content Type ◽

Research Designs ◽

Challenge Appraisal

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to detect the association between qualitative job insecurity and well-being related outcomes and to determine the extent to which cognitive appraisals of job insecurity moderate this association. According to appraisal theory, it is anticipated a hindrance appraisal of job insecurity to amplify and a challenge appraisal of job insecurity to buffer this association. Design/methodology/approach To test the hypotheses, 250 healthcare employees from different departments of an Iranian large public hospital were recruited. Participants responded to scales on qualitative job insecurity, cognitive appraisals, job satisfaction, emotional exhaustion, absenteeism and presenteeism. Findings Results showed that qualitative job insecurity negatively influenced both psychological and behavioral well-being; however, this influence was greater for psychological well-being than for behavioral well-being. Besides, the moderation tests showed that only the hindrance appraisals of job insecurity amplified the link between job insecurity and psychological outcomes. Research limitations/implications This study sampled employees from a public hospital and did not include employees from private hospitals. This may limit the generalizability of the findings. Also, due to using a cross-sectional research design we encourage future studies to replicate the same findings using other different research designs. Practical implications The findings aid occupational health psychologists to design particular interventions for protecting those aspects of employee’s well-being that are more vulnerable when qualitative job insecurity is chronically perceived. Originality/value Together, these findings suggest that the hindrance appraisals of qualitative job insecurity are more likely to moderate the link between job insecurity and well-being outcomes.

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Impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on patients with migraine: a web-based survey study

The Journal of Headache and Pain ◽

10.1186/s10194-020-01183-6 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Jasem Y. Al-Hashel ◽

Ismail Ibrahim Ismail

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Eating Habits ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Quality Care ◽

Well Being ◽

Survey Study ◽

Migraine Treatment ◽

Infection Period ◽

Poor Outcome ◽

Migraine Frequency

Abstract Background Since the declaration COVID-19 as a pandemic, healthcare systems around the world have faced a huge challenge in managing patients with chronic diseases. Patients with migraine were specifically vulnerable to inadequate medical care. We aimed to investigate the “real-world” impact of COVID-19 pandemic on migraine patients, and to identify risk factors for poor outcome. Methods We administered an online, self-reported survey that included demographic, migraine-related, COVID-19-specific and overall psychosocial variables between July 15 and July 30, 2020. We recruited a sample of patients with migraine from headache clinic registry and via social media to complete an anonymous survey. Outcomes included demographic variables, change in migraine frequency and severity during the lockdown period, communication with treating physician, compliance to migraine treatment, difficulty in getting medications, medication overuse, symptoms of anxiety and/or depression, sleep and eating habits disturbance, screen time exposure, work during pandemic, use of traditional medicine, effect of Botox injection cancellation, and overall worries and concerns during pandemic. Results A total of 1018 patients completed the survey. Of the respondents, 859 (84.3%) were females; 733 (71.9%) were aged 20 to 40 years, 630 (61.8%) were married, and 466 (45.7%) reported working during the pandemic. In comparison to pre-pandemic period, 607 respondents (59.6%) reported increase in migraine frequency, 163 (16%) reported decrease in frequency, and 105 (10.3%) transformed to chronic migraine. Severity was reported to increase by 653 (64.1%) respondents. The majority of respondents; 626 (61.5%) did not communicate with their neurologists, 477 (46.9%) reported compliance to treatment, and 597 (58.7%) reported overuse of analgesics. Botox injections cancellation had a negative impact on 150 respondents (66.1%) from those receiving it. Forty-one respondents (4%) were infected with COVID-19; 26 (63.4%) reported worsening of their headaches amid infection period. Sleep disturbance was reported by 794 (78.1%) of respondents, and 809 (79.5%) reported having symptoms of anxiety and/or depression. Conclusions and relevance COVID-19 pandemic had an overall negative impact on patients with migraine. Several risk factors for poor outcome were identified. Long-term strategies should be validated and implemented to deliver quality care for patients with migraine, with emphasis on psychosocial well-being.

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Capturing Interactive Work for Nurses—First Validation of the German IWDS-N as a Multidimensional Measure

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18157786 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (15) ◽

pp. 7786

Author(s):

Jan Digutsch ◽

Maria Velana ◽

Gerhard Rinkenauer ◽

Sabrina Sobieraj

Keyword(s):

Coping Strategies ◽

Online Survey ◽

Time Pressure ◽

Factor Model ◽

Well Being ◽

Job Characteristics ◽

Survey Study ◽

Complex Nature ◽

Work Demands ◽

Work Demand

The theoretical framework of interactive work provides a multi-dimensional perspective on the interpersonal demands of nurses in nurse–patient interactions. It is defined by four dimensions: emotional labor directed to the self and others, cooperative work, and subjective acting. While the framework stems from qualitative research, the aim of the current study is to translate it into a quantitative scale to enable measurement of the high interpersonal demands that so often remain implicit. For this reason, we conducted an online survey study (N = 157; 130 women, 25 men, 2 divers) among professional nurses in Germany (spring 2021) to test the derived items and subscales concerning interactive work, which resulted in a 4-factor model that was verified with confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The survey further captured additional information on established constructs concerning job-related well-being (e.g., burn out, meaningfulness), job characteristics (e.g., work interruptions, time pressure) and individual resources (coping strategies) that are supposed to correlate with interactive work demand scales for nurses (IWDS-N), to determine the quantitative nature of their relations. The results show that the subscales of the IWDS-N have adverse effects on indicators of work-related well-being. Moreover, negative job characteristics, such as time pressure, are positively correlated with subscales of the IWDS-N and are therefore problem-focused coping strategies as an individual resource. The results emphasize that a multidimensional consideration of self-regulatory processes is useful to capture the subtle and complex nature of the interactive work demands of nurses. The current study is the first that developed a quantitative, multi-dimensional measure for interactive work demands, which can help make implicit demands in service work explicit.

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Patronizing speech to older patients: a literature review

Reviews in Clinical Gerontology ◽

10.1017/s0959259806001869 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 15 (3-4) ◽

pp. 273-279 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Peter Draper

Keyword(s):

Older People ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Older Patients ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Well Being ◽

Training And Education ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Theoretical Perspectives ◽

Patronizing Speech ◽

Practical Recommendations

This review summarizes research into the phenomenon of patronizing speech addressed to older people by doctors, nurses, health professionals and other carers. Patronizing speech is defined and illustrated and its negative impact on the dignity and well-being of older people described. Key empirical and theoretical perspectives of patronizing speech are reviewed. Different aspects of the practice are examined and practical recommendations made for how it can be recognized and avoided. The beneficial effects of training and education of health professionals are discussed.

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The Impact of Visitation Guidelines During COVID-19 on Well-Being and Daily Life in Nursing Homes

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igab046.1575 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 408-408

Author(s):

Debby Gerritsen ◽

Ramona Backhaus ◽

Bram de Boer ◽

Judith Urlings ◽

Raymond Koopmans ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Nursing Homes ◽

Infection Prevention ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Well Being ◽

Survey Study ◽

The World ◽

Being There ◽

Restrictive Measures ◽

And Control ◽

The Impact

Abstract Nursing homes across the world have taken very restrictive measures, including a ban for visitors, to prevent and control COVID-19 infections. This study reports on findings of a study investigating guidelines on allowing visitors in nursing homes and the impact on residents’ well-being, family caregivers and staff. In total, 76 nursing homes in the Netherlands were followed using a survey study, including three waves of data collection in (May 2020, September 2020, March 2021. Results indicated a negative impact of a visitation ban for residents’ overall well-being. There was a variety in guidelines of allowing visitors in nursing homes, and showed that safe visiting was possible during the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff perceived a fragile balance between infection prevention and the impact of restriction on residents. In conclusion, a general ban for visitors is not necessary and may do more harm than good for residents living in nursing homes.

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Sex 'n' drugs 'n' rock 'n' roll: the meaning and social consequences of pubertal timing

Acta Endocrinologica ◽

10.1530/eje.0.151u151 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 151 (Suppl_3) ◽

pp. U151-U159 ◽

Cited By ~ 64

Author(s):

A Waylen ◽

D Wolke

Keyword(s):

Social Factors ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Sex Role ◽

Pubertal Timing ◽

Biological Marker ◽

Well Being ◽

Social Consequences ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Parents And Children ◽

The Impact

This is a brief review of the normal changes in adolescent behaviour and the interplay between biology and social factors that occur at and around puberty, in an attempt to explain when this transition may become problematic The onset of puberty is a biological marker for an individual's transition from a non-reproductive to a reproductive state. Adolescence is a normal developmental transition associated with clearly visible physical changes, reorganization and pruning of neuronal circuits in the brain and the occurrence of new behaviours and interests. It is a time when new life tasks (orientation towards peers of the other sex, romantic and sexual involvement and mastering an educational career) need to be mastered. Parent-child conflict increases and becomes more intense as the adolescent struggles for more independence while still requiring support. These normal changes can become problematic if biological and social expectations diverge e.g. entering puberty very early or very late. While early pubertal onset in boys is likely to have beneficial effects, in girls precocious pubertal timing may have a negative impact on body-image, affect (or emotional well-being) and sex-role expectations. Other individual biological predispositions and genetic endowment may interact with social factors (e.g. peers, parenting style, neighbourhood) making adolescence either an adaptive or a challenging transition. There is a lack of sufficiently large longitudinal studies that have been able to study this interaction between genetics, biology and social environment on adolescent development. The Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) cohort provides a unique opportunity to investigate the impact of pubertal timing on social behaviour. Planned assessments and concepts are outlined.

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Influence of Personality and Differences in Stress Processing Among Finnish Students on Interest to Use a Mobile Stress Management App: Survey Study

JMIR Mental Health ◽

10.2196/10039 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 6 (5) ◽

pp. e10039 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Mari Ervasti ◽

Johanna Kallio ◽

Ilmari Määttänen ◽

Jani Mäntyjärvi ◽

Markus Jokela

Keyword(s):

Personality Traits ◽

Stress Management ◽

Big Five ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Practical Implication ◽

Well Being ◽

Survey Study ◽

Binary Logistic Regression Analysis ◽

Big Five Personality ◽

Mobile Stress

Background Excessive stress has a negative impact on many aspects of life for both individuals and societies, from studying and working to health and well-being. Each individual has their unique level of stress-proneness, and positive or negative outcomes of stress may be affected by it. Technology-aided interventions have potential efficacy in the self-management of stress. However, current Web-based or mobile stress management solutions may not reach the individuals that would need them the most, that is, stress-sensitive people. Objective The aim of this study was to examine how personality is associated with stress among Finnish university students and their interest to use apps that help in managing stress. Methods We used 2 structured online questionnaires (combined, n=1001) that were advertised in the University of Helsinki’s mailing lists. The first questionnaire (n=635) was used to investigate intercorrelations between the Big Five personality variables (neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness) and other stress-related background variables. The second questionnaire (n=366) was used to study intercorrelations between the above-mentioned study variables and interest in using stress management apps. Results The quantitative findings of the first questionnaire showed that higher levels of extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness were associated with lower self-reported stress. Neuroticism, in turn, was found to be strongly associated with rumination, anxiety, and depression. The findings of the second questionnaire indicated that individuals characterized by the Big Five personality traits of neuroticism and agreeableness were particularly interested to use stress management apps (r=.27, P<.001 and r=.11, P=.032, respectively). Moreover, the binary logistic regression analysis revealed that when a person’s neuroticism is one SD above average (ie, it is higher than among 84% of people), the person has roughly 2 times higher odds of being interested in using a stress management app. Respectively, when a person’s agreeableness is one SD above average, the person has almost 1.4 times higher odds of being interested in using a stress management app. Conclusions Our results indicated that personality traits may have an influence on the adoption interest of stress management apps. Individuals with high neuroticism are, according to our results, adaptive in the sense that they are interested in using stress management apps that may benefit them. On the contrary, low agreeableness may lead to lower interest to use the mobile stress management apps. The practical implication is that future mobile stress interventions should meaningfully be adjusted to improve user engagement and support health even among less-motivated users, for instance, to successfully engage individuals with low agreeableness.

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Associations Between Dutch LGBT Hate Crime Experience, Well-Being, Trust in the Police and Future Hate Crime Reporting

Social Psychology ◽

10.1027/1864-9335/a000409 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 51 (3) ◽

pp. 171-182

Author(s):

Allard R. Feddes ◽

Kai J. Jonas

Keyword(s):

Psychological Distress ◽

The Netherlands ◽

Hate Crime ◽

Well Being ◽

Crime Victims ◽

Crime Reporting ◽

Survey Study ◽

Psychological Well Being ◽

Building Trust ◽

Reporting Intentions

Abstract. LGBT-related hate crime is a conscious act of aggression against an LGBT citizen. The present research investigates associations between hate crime, psychological well-being, trust in the police and intentions to report future experiences of hate crime. A survey study was conducted among 391 LGBT respondents in the Netherlands. Sixteen percent experienced hate crime in the 12 months prior. Compared to non-victims, victims had significant lower psychological well-being, lower trust in the police and lower intentions to report future hate crime. Hate crime experience and lower psychological well-being were associated with lower reporting intentions through lower trust in the police. Helping hate crime victims cope with psychological distress in combination with building trust in the police could positively influence future reporting.

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