Assessment of Stress Salivary Markers, Perceived Stress, and Shift Work in a Cohort of Fishermen: A Preliminary Work

Due to work-related stress, today, work itself represents a daily challenge that must be faced in many occupations. While, in the past, the scientific community has focused on the helping professions, since, an increasing number of professions have since been investigated. Therefore, different approaches exist in order to assess this disorder, representing a scientific field wherein biological and psychological dimensions both need to be evaluated. In this paper, we consider three biological salivary markers: interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β), cortisol, and melatonin. The choice derives from recent contributions to the literature in which the interplay between these markers has been verified. Briefly, such interplay could explain how the central nervous, endocrine, and immune systems communicate with each other, supporting a holistic concept of person. In 30 marine fishermen from the Apulia region of Italy, perceived stress was measured using the Professional Stress Scale (PSS) and sleep disturbances were assessed through the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Salivary markers were collected at 8:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Those subjects reporting sleep disturbance and having altered scores in two PSS subclasses, home–work conflict and self-esteem, presented inverted salivary melatonin and cortisol nictemeral rhythms (with regard to melatonin levels at 8:00 a.m., those workers reporting values higher than the median showed 64.1% versus 48.6% home–work conflict with respect to cortisol levels, subjects having an inverted circadian rhythm showed 69.9% versus 52.5% home–work conflict, and these values resulted 47.7% versus 25.3% when the self-esteem was considered). As regards melatonin, PSQI score is statistically different in the two groups of subjects as identified by median melatonin at 8:00 a.m.; specifically, the subjects who had mean values higher than the median shared higher PSQI scores (10.8 versus 9.8). The same subjects reported more frequent home–work conflict and more sleep disorders. We found a negative correlation between IL-1β at 8:00 a.m. and Cortdiff (the difference between cortisol at 8:00 a.m.–cortisol at 2:00 p.m.), and that high IL-1β at 8:00 a.m. was associated with low Cortdiff. Based on our results we would like to propose this approach in health surveillance, in order to prevent mental and/or physical disorders, however our study is surely preliminary. The interesting perspectives and hypotheses cited in this paper, in which the roles of IL-1β and norepinephrine appear central and important, could remain hypothetical if not supported by more robust observation in order to produce, truly, new knowledge. In the future we will deepen this study with a larger sample, and if these results will be confirmed, this approach could allow preventing, not only mental and physical disorders, but also immuno-mediated diseases, and, perhaps, cancer.

Psychometric Analysis of a German-Language Version of the Work–Family Conflict and Family–Work Conflict Scale

The Work–Family Conflict and Family–Work Conflict Scale (WFC & FWC Scale) is a questionnaire commonly used to assess conflicts that arise when required time devotion and strain for work obligations interfere with family responsibilities (work-family conflict) and conflicts that arise when family responsibilities interfere with work responsiblities (family work conflict). Past reports on the psychometric properties and recommendations for application of the WFC & FWC Scale mostly rely on samples from the United States. The current study is the first to report psychometric properties of a German-language version of the WFC & FWC Scale, including invariance analyses across women and men, and test-retest reliabilities. The analysis of the latent structure that was based on responses from 274 employes (77.0% women, 23.0% men) of a medical university in Austria revealed that the bifactor model had a satisfactory fit with the data. Configural and metric invariance indicated a similar factor structure and similar meaning in women and men. However, scalar invariance cannot be assumed. Thus, differences in scale scores between women and men might not adequately reflect level differences in the underlying latent factor. High internal consistencies and high test-retest reliabilities offer evidence for adequate reliability. Additionally, evidence for convergent (links to work stress and relationship satisfaction) and divergent validity (no links to career ambition) were found. In summary, the current study offers adequate evidence for validity and reliability of a German-language version of the WFC & FWC Scale.

Gender beliefs and family responsibilities as predictors of conflict and enrichment in parents of children with disabilities

This study examined the contribution of parental beliefs, the scope of involvement in family responsibilities, and the sense of being burdened with these responsibilities in shaping the results of conflict and enrichment in the roles of parents of children with disabilities, while keeping the child’s functional status in mind. We analysed data from 168 respondents, including 99 mothers and 69 fathers of children with disabilities. Beliefs, sense of burden with household and family responsibilities, and the child’s functional status had an influence on family-work conflict. The parent’s gender, beliefs, the child’s functional status, sense of burden with responsibilities towards the child with a disability, and the scope of involvement in household and family responsibilities were important for enrichment.

The Role of Abusive Supervision in Reducing the Employee Green Behavior: A Survey of the Opinions of Sample of Affiliates in the Technical Institute of AL-Diwaniyah

Purpose: The present research aims to test the relationship and influence of poor supervision and green employee behavior in its dimensions (Working Sustainably, Conserving Resources, Influencing Others, Taking Initiative and Avoiding Harm) at the Technical Institute / Diwaniyah. Design / Methodology: based on the research sample, (274) questionnaire forms were distributed to the employees of the Technical Institute / Diwaniya (teachers and technicians), and after examining the retrieved forms, (26) forms were excluded because they were not valid and did not fulfill the conditions required So the forms suitable for analysis are (248) questionnaires, with a return rate of (94.8%). Findings: The search results show that arbitrary supervision affects the attitudes and performance of workers, as workers who see that they are being subjected to abuse are more likely to leave their jobs, have a decrease in their positive behaviors, and they have a decrease in job and life satisfaction, as well as Job commitment, family / work conflict, and high psychological pressure. Research recommendations: One of the most important recommendations reached by the research is preparing a code of conduct and professional conduct standards to guide the behavior and behavior of employees and supervisors, and intensifying awareness and education programs.

The Effects Of Leadership, Family Of Origin, And Self-Efficacy In Predicting Anticipated Work-Family/Family-Work Conflict In Student Volunteers

Balancing work and family roles proves to be a rather difficult task for most individuals. The social cognitive career theory (Lent, Brown, and Hackett 1994) states that to reach positive outcomes in the work domain, people need to develop self-efficacy through adequate learning experiences. With this study, we tested the importance of two contexts that can provide valuable learning experiences: family and volunteering. Thus, we verified the relationship between the division of labour in the family of origin, respectively, authentic leadership use in the volunteering organization and anticipated work-family and family-work conflict in a sample of student volunteers. Self-efficacy in dealing with the conflict between the two domains was used as a mediator. One hundred and ten students who were also volunteers at the time of the study participated in this research. A series of mediation models showed significant indirect effects from family and volunteering experiences on the conflict between work and family. Spillover effects were also confirmed. This study provides an understanding of how positive contexts such as equitable division of labour in the family and having an authentic leader in the volunteering organization help students develop their self-efficacy, which also contributes to anticipating lower levels of conflict between the work and family domains.

“Either We Start from Scratch, or We Close It”. The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Female Entrepreneurs in Transylvania, Romania

Cross-national studies emphasized that female entrepreneurs have experienced a major decrease in income, and there was a decline in market demand as well. The pandemic crisis increased the workload of women, and mainly those who raise small children did not have much choice: they had to invest time and energy in the family. The success of the strategy that could be used during this period lays on the success of balancing the family–work conflict. The following research is based on an online questionnaire that collected responses and data between 2 April and 20 May 2020. Our questions focused on the situation caused by the pandemic, so that through this online survey we aimed to determine how women entrepreneurs in Transylvania coped with the difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. We wanted to get information regarding the financial reserves of the firms owned by female entrepreneurs, but also regarding the human resource reserves of these firms. We also aimed at learning if the pandemic period had an impact on the promoting and marketing practice of the firms and on their sale activities as well as whether there were any changes occurred due to the pandemic.

Factors Affecting the Efficiency of Teaching Process in Higher Education in the Republic of Serbia during COVID-19

From the moment the Republic of Serbia declared a state of emergency in the summer semester of 2019/2020, higher education institutions (HEIs) used various teaching models from Distance Learning Systems (DLS), online platforms and modern information and communication technologies (ICT), to sending materials via student e-mails and notifications via faculty portals. Using survey research as a method, the paper describes the experiences of teachers and associates at HEIs in Serbia (780 respondents) regarding the efficiency of provided education services. In this article, we used the method of content analysis and participatory observation, as well. We analysed the attitudes of teachers and associates apropos the efficiency of providing educational services through the work from home (WFH) model and distance learning (DL) and other models used in response to COVID-19 epidemiological measures in education. During the WFH setup, we looked for factors that affect educational efficiency. When it comes to the statistical technique, factor analysis was selected. Technology, managerial support, and work–home conflict are all expected to impact process efficiency, so these were the first criteria considered when selecting potential factors. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used as the extraction method, and the Varimax rotation method was also used. We discarded all factors with eigenvalues below one. Four factors caught our attention: School management support, Family–work conflict, Home infrastructure, and Technology choice. The results showed that F1 (School management support) is positively correlated to F2 (Family–work conflict) and efficiency and negatively correlated to F3 (Home infrastructure). Conversely, F2 is negatively correlated to F3 and positively correlated to efficiency. The F4 factor shows no significant correlations to other factors.

Tacking into the Wind: How Women Entrepreneurs can Sail Through Family-to-Work Conflict to Ensure their Firms’ Entrepreneurial Orientation

When women entrepreneurs experience family-to-work conflict, it may discourage them from adopting an entrepreneurial orientation, an effect mediated by work-related emotional exhaustion and moderated by both family-to-work enrichment and family support at home. According to survey data collected among women entrepreneurs in Ghana, negative interferences of family with work can steer women entrepreneurs away from adopting an entrepreneurial orientation for their company, largely because they feel emotionally overextended by their work. However, enrichment of their work, attained through family involvement, can buffer this detrimental effect. The buffering role of family-to-work enrichment in turn is particularly effective when women entrepreneurs receive help on household tasks from other family members. This study accordingly identifies a key mechanism by which family-induced work strain can hamper bold strategic actions by women entrepreneurs—because they feel emotionally drained at work—and details when this mechanism is less prominent, namely, in the presence of relevant family resources.