The detection of psychiatric illness by questionnaire

This article consists of three parts. Part 1 discusses the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ), designed to measure scales assessing psychological demands, decision latitude, social support, physical demands, and job insecurity. Part 2 reports the cross-national validity, for men and women, of the JCQ scales in six broadly representative populations from four advanced industrial societies: the United States, Canada, the Netherlands and Japan. JCQ scale means, standard deviations, reliabilities and correlations are compared. Part 3 reviews comparison of the intercountry and interoccupation differences in the scales, discusses specific scales issues and discusses the implications of the study for interpretation of psychosocial job asessment questionnaires.

The Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ): an instrument for internationally comparative assessments of psychosocial job characteristics.

http://curriculumstudies.pbworks.com/f/Burnout+and+work+engagement+-+Hakanen,+J.pdf

Burnout and Work Engagement among Teachers.

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a syndrome characterized by recurrent depressions that occur annually at the same time each year. We describe 29 patients with SAD; most of them had a bipolar affective disorder, especially bipolar II, and their depressions were generally characterized by hypersomnia, overeating, and carbohydrate craving and seemed to respond to changes in climate and latitude. Sleep recordings in nine depressed patients confirmed the presence of hypersomnia and showed increased sleep latency and reduced slow-wave (delta) sleep. Preliminary studies in 11 patients suggest that extending the photoperiod with bright artificial light has an antidepressant effect.

Seasonal Affective Disorder: A Description of the Syndrome and Preliminary Findings With Light Therapy

Many researchers have concerns about work engagement's distinction from other constructs and its theoretical merit. The goals of this study were to identify an agreed-upon definition of engagement, to investigate its uniqueness, and to clarify its nomological network of constructs. Using a conceptual framework based on Macey and Schneider (2008; Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 1, 3–30), we found that engagement exhibits discriminant validity from, and criterion related validity over, job attitudes. We also found that engagement is related to several key antecedents and consequences. Finally, we used meta-analytic path modeling to test the role of engagement as a mediator of the relation between distal antecedents and job performance, finding support for our conceptual framework. In sum, our results suggest that work engagement is a useful construct that deserves further attention.

/pdf/work-engagement-a-quantitative-review-and-test-of-its-503hfzcmq6.pdf

Work engagement: a quantitative review and test of its relations with task and contextual performance

SUMMARY Ninetyfive white-collar workers employed by an insurance company using visual display units (VDU) connected by telecommunication to a central computer filled in a questionnaire concerning psychosocial stressors in connection with work at the VDU. Eleven persons with extensive and ten with no work at VDUs were also studied during regular work, during breakdown of machinery, and in their leisure time. Self-reports on mood and alertness were recorded along with blood pressure, heart rate, and excretion of adrenaline and noradrenaline. Results indicate that (1) stress and mental strain occurred in association with delayed response times in the computer system and unpredicted interruptions of system operation, (2) such a temporary interruption caused an increase of blood pressure and adrenaline excretion, (3) complaints of stress and strain were reported mainly by data-entry staff, (4) data-entry groups displayed a higher level of physiological arousal during post-work hours than a control group, and (5) that a majority of those who worked continuously at a VDU reported physical discomfort within 1.5 hours. It is concluded that stress and strain in computerized work may be counteracted at the technological and the organizational level: by reducing the duration and frequency of breakdowns, by reducing response times in the system, and by eliminating pure data-entry tasks.

https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdfplus/3000129.pdf

Stress reactions in computerized administrative work

As part of the downsizing of a large insurance company in Sweden, all personnel 55 years of age and older were invited to apply for early retirement on financially favourable terms. A total of 357 (55%) of senior employees applied for and were permitted early retirement, while 276 remained employed. Effects of voluntary/forced choice of employment status on subsequent adaptation were evaluated. Gender differences were also tested. The study compared early retirees and persons continuing to work over the years following downsizing with regard to satisfaction, well-being, health, and work centrality. 224 ‘retirees’ and 146 ‘stayers’ filled in a questionnaire on mental health and work conditions on two occasions (at an 18-month interval). Results indicated that voluntary (as opposed to forced) choice was directly and positively associated with satisfaction, psychological well-being and health for both groups. Females showed lower values of work centrality, appeared to be more inclined to apply for retirement, and were generally more satisfied with the outcome than males.

Adaptation to continued work and early retirement following downsizing: Long-term effects and gender differences

This article outlines our approach to the issue of stress, coping and health as related to the psychosocial work environment. We have focused on work processes and work organization related to different applications of technology. It is by now generally recognized that mechanization and automation may result not only in improved productivity, but may also have negative side effects at the human level (e.g., Gardell and Johansson, 1981; Levi et al., 1982). We are trying to identify these aversive factors. Moreover, we want to identify the protective factors, by which we mean psychosocial conditions, which may serve as buffers protecting the person from harmful stress effects. In other words, we are asking the question how research on human stress and coping can contribute to intervention and prevention, not only at the individual level but also at the systems level (Frankenhaeuser, 1981).

Stress at work: psychobiological and psychosocial aspects1

The aim of the present study was to investigate Type A behavior as well as perceived work situation, and associations with burnout and work engagement. The associations in focus were investigated through hierarchical regressions in a sample (N= 329) of Swedish Information Communication Technology consultants. The findings indicated that both work situation and Type A behavior was correlated with work engagement and burnout; however, no interactions between Type A behavior and work situation were elicited. The main conclusion was that the achievement striving aspect of Type A behavior appears as "non-toxic" and is related only to work engagement. However, the irritability/impatience aspect appears to be responsible for burnout complaints among Type A individuals, possibly through negative effects of the mood itself than through perceived stress at work.

/pdf/type-a-behavior-and-work-situation-associations-with-burnout-1ugqnxry4i.pdf

Type A behavior and work situation: associations with burnout and work engagement.

Sedan 1970-talet har villkoren i arbetslivet forandrats till den grad att det finns fog for att tala om ”en industriell revolution”. Det svenska naringslivet har blivit alltmer internationaliserat ...

Gunn Johansson

Papers

Stress reactions in computerized administrative work

Adaptation to continued work and early retirement following downsizing: Long-term effects and gender differences

Stress at work: psychobiological and psychosocial aspects1

Type A behavior and work situation: associations with burnout and work engagement.

Gränslöst arbete.: Socialpsykologiska perspektiv på det nya arbetslivet.