On the association between job dissatisfaction and employee’s mental health problems: Does emotional regulation ability buffer the link?

Job dissatisfaction as a risk factor of depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation among female workers: evidence from a nationwide longitudinal study in South Korea

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between job dissatisfaction (JD) and depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation among female workers. Additionally, it examined how the cumulative exposure to JD over multiple years can exacerbate the effect. We conducted our analyses on a nationwide sample of 6111 female workers from the Korean Longitudinal Survey of Women and Family (Waves 5-7). Depressive symptoms were measured using the 10-item version of the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. JD was classified into quartiles (Q1-Q4), and odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using generalised estimating equations. The overall prevalence of depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation among study participants was 13.9% and 2.4%, respectively. Our findings revealed that female workers with the highest level of JD (Q4) had a significantly greater risk of depressive symptoms (OR [95% CI]: 1.61 [1.37-1.89]) and suicidal ideation (OR [95% CI]: 2.08 [1.37-3.17]) after 2-year follow-up compared to those with the lowest level of JD (Q1). Consecutive exposure to JD over multiple years was also associated with depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation after a 2-year follow-up. For instance, women exposed to JD for three consecutive waves exhibited a high risk of depressive symptoms (OR [95% CI]: 1.61 [1.33-1.95]) and suicidal ideation (OR [95% CI]: 1.67 [1.04-2.70]). JD was positively associated with depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation. Our study suggests that JD is a risk factor for mental health problems in female workers.

Influencing factors of work stress of medical workers in clinical laboratory during COVID-19 pandemic: Working hours, compensatory leave, job satisfaction

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to pose unprecedented threats and challenges to global public health. Hospital Clinical Laboratory and public health institutions have been playing an important role in case detection, epidemic research and decision-making, and epidemic prevention and control.

Objective

To explore the current situation and influencing factors of work stress of medical workers in hospital clinical laboratory in fighting against COVID-19.

Methods

A cluster random sampling method was used to select seven hospitals from 14 tertiary hospitals in Xiamen, and medical workers in the selected hospitals were investigated by self-administered questionnaire. A total of 150 medical workers inclinical laboratory participated in this survey, 138 valid questionnaires were collected, with a response rate of 92%.

Results

The work stress scores of the medical workers in the clinical laboratory of hospital in the COVID-19 epidemic were collected (55.22 ± 11.48); The top three dimensions of work stress score were work stress (work load), external environment and doctor-patient relationship. The results of multiple stepwise regression analysis showed that the working hours per day, whether overtime and night shift can get compensatory leave and Job satisfaction with the work of the clinical laboratory were the main factors affecting the work stress level of medical workers in the clinical laboratory of hospital during COVID-19 epidemic.

Conclusion

The COVID-19 has caused great harm to the physical and mental health of the public. Medical staff are in the front line of prevention and control of the epidemic, so medical workers in hospital clinical laboratory exposed to a high level of stress at work. Laboratory leaders and hospital managers should take active and effective measures to reduce the working hours of the medical staff in clinical laboratory, optimize the arrangement of night shift and overtime working, strengthen the training of group and individual pressure management, reduce the work stress of the medical staff, improve the overall happiness of the medical staff in clinical laboratory, and stabilize the clinical laboratory team, improve the physical and mental health of medical workers in clinical laboratory.

The relationship between basic psychological needs satisfaction and university students’ academic engagement: The mediating effect of emotional intelligence

Introduction

Basic psychological needs satisfaction (BPNS) and Emotional intelligence (EI) have been underscored as helpful psychological constructs in explaining academic engagement. However, the joint interaction of BPNS with EI abilities to explain academic engagement has not been tested. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the interactive role of BPNS with EI abilities in the prediction of academic engagement in a sample of Chinese university students.

Methods

A questionnaire survey was administered to a sample of 466 university students. The data were analyzed using the SPSS (version 21.0) software. The first analysis consisted of descriptive statistics (including mean and standard deviation) and Pearson’s correlations among BPNS, EI, and academic engagement. Through structural equation modeling (SEM), direct and indirect effects were calculated.

Results

The results showed that BPNS was positively associated with academic engagement and that only the Use of emotion dimension of EI mediated these associations.

Discussion

These results suggest that important interventions incorporated with BPNS and EI abilities, especially the use of emotion ability, may be performed to promote university students’ academic engagement.

Impact of minority perceived discrimination on resistance to innovation and moderating role of psychological distress: Evidence from ethnic minority students of China

Ethnic minority groups usually face discrimination in the form of prejudice and stereotypes. The self-esteem and psychological well-being of ethnic minority groups are adversely impacted by the prejudice and discrimination behavior of others. The perceived discrimination unfavorably influences the attitude and behavior of ethnic minority groups, which in turn develops resistance to innovation among them. With the support of social exchange theory, this study hypothesized that perceived discrimination positively enhances resistance to innovation and job dissatisfaction for empirical investigation. The current study also proposes that job dissatisfaction positively correlates with resistance to innovation. This study further assumes the mediating role of job dissatisfaction and moderating role of psychological distress forfurther investigation. For empirical investigation, the present study collected the data from 328 Ethnic Minority Students of various Chinese universities through a structured questionnaire method using a convenient sampling technique. This study applied partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) for empirical examination using Smart PLS software. The findings confirm that perceived discrimination positively correlates with resistance to innovation and job dissatisfaction, respectively. It is also verified that perceived discrimination positively impacts job dissatisfaction. The results further interpreted that job dissatisfaction mediates the relationship between perceived discrimination and resistance to innovation. Additionally, the findings revealed that psychological distress does not moderate the relationship between perceived discrimination and resistance to innovation; however, psychological distress moderates the relationship between job dissatisfaction and resistance to innovation. The findings serve the organizations by pointing out the role of perceived discrimination on job dissatisfaction. This study also provides valuable theoretical and practical implications.

Contribution of Social Psychology Research to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Bibliometric and Content Analysis of Spanish Publications

This study analyses the publications by Spanish institutions indexed by the Web of Science in the thematic category of "Psychology, Social". The objectives are to determine whether such publications address topics related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and to what extent the research conducted contributes to achieving the goals proposed in each of the SDGs. Publications were classified by their relationship with the SDGs using OSDG tool, and an in-depth content analysis was performed to validate the results. A corpus of 1,632 papers published by Spanish institutions was identified. The results show that 34% percent of the papers address matters related to the SDGs; 23% of these are related to Goal 3 (good health and well-being), and 5%, to Goal 5 (gender equality). For achieving SDG 3 goals, the reviewed papers evidence the need that institutions, governments and society to provide, especially for children and adolescents, healthy social environments to prevent harmful social relationships while improving individual skills to manage emotions in everyday life and promoting cultural integration. Regarding SDG 5, it should be a priority the application of effective strategies to change stereotypes, assigned sexual roles and sexist attitudes that sustain inequality and violence against women.

Lower Avoidant Coping Mediates the Relationship of Emotional Intelligence With Well-Being and Ill-Being

Emotional intelligence (EI) abilities relate to desirable outcomes such as better well-being, academic performance, and job performance. Previous research shows that coping strategies mediate the effects of ability EI on such outcomes. Across two cross-sectional studies, we show that coping strategies mediate the relationships of ability EI with both well-being (life satisfaction, psychological well-being) and ill-being (depression, anxiety, stress). Study 1 (N = 105 first-year university students, 78% female) assessed EI with the Situational Test of Emotion Understanding (STEU) and Situation Test of Emotion Management (STEM). Avoidant coping significantly mediated the relationship of both the STEU and STEM with depression, anxiety, stress, and psychological well-being. EI was associated with lower avoidant coping, higher well-being and lower ill-being. Study 2 (N = 115 first-year university students, 67% female) assessed EI with the Mayer–Salovey–Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT). Avoidant coping mediated the relationship between EI and ill-being, but not the relationship between EI and well-being. These effects were significant for three of the four EI branches—emotion perception, understanding, and management. We discuss possible reasons why avoidant coping may be an active ingredient by which lower EI relates to lower well-being. We also discuss a possible application of our findings—that EI training programs might benefit from including content aimed at reducing avoidant coping.

Signifying the Relationship between Fear of COVID-19, Psychological Concerns, Financial Concerns and Healthcare Employees Job Performance: A Mediated Model

The coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has undoubtedly created immense health problems in the global healthcare sector. Apart from its impact on physical health, it has devastatingly affected the psychological well-being of individuals. Based on Affective Events Theory (AET), the current study aims to contemplate the relationship between Fear of COVID-19 (CVF), psychological concerns (PC), and financial concerns (FC) while considering the impact on the healthcare employees’ job performance (JP). Moreover, this study investigates the mediating role of job anxiety (ANX), stress (ST), and depression (DEP). The data were collected through an online structured questionnaire (Google Forms) from 489 employees working in the healthcare centers of Pakistan. The structured equation modeling (partial least square) approach is adopted for data analysis. The study results showed that Fear of COVID-19, psychological and financial concerns positively and significantly affect healthcare workers’ job performance. Depression, anxiety, and stress mediated the relationship between Fear of COVID-19, psychological concerns, financial concerns, and job performance. The study theoretically and practically contributes to the existing literature on psychological and mental health by providing a better understanding of the individual variables that affect employees’ job performance.

How to make big decisions: A cross-sectional study on the decision making process in life choices

People often make life choices that will affect their future (e.g. getting married). However, research on decision making focuses more on abstract dilemmas than on decision making. The aim of this study is threefold: to analyze (1) whether people rely mainly on intuitive or rational processing (System 1 or 2) when making life choices; (2) whether some characteristics of recalled life choices (e.g., difficulty in making the decision) differ between life areas (sentimental and work contexts); (3) whether personality traits and System 1 or 2 utilization may predict final satisfaction in life choices. By conducting a cross-sectional study on 188 participants’ recall of selected life decisions (in the sentimental and work life areas) we found that System 1 is more involved than System 2 in sentimental choices while the opposite happens for work ones. Lastly, satisfaction in life choices is partially predicted by the involvement of cognitive systems and individual differences, with different predictors emerging across life areas. Discussion suggests directions for future research on naturalistic decision making.

Motivational Factors, Job Satisfaction, and Economic Performance in Romanian Small Farms

The agricultural sector ensures food security and is a major source of employment, income, and economic activity in rural areas. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) considers that family farms are the key to a sustainable future in Europe and Central Asia. In Romania, small farms represent the pillar on which Romanian society has been developed. Although the trend has been a reduction in the number of small farms and an increase in the number of large farms, the Government of Romania understands the importance of small farms and therefore supports them through policies involving direct payments, rural development instruments, special initiatives, and loans and outstanding obligations, among others, which focus on increasing their economic performance. The aim of our research was to determine the relationship between farmers’ motivation, their job satisfaction, and the farm economic performance in the case of small Romanian farms. The research sample consisted of 900 small farms (utilized agricultural area (UAA): under 20 ha; standard output (SO): under EUR 15,000). The data obtained after applying the questionnaires were analyzed using SPSS 20.0 and Amos 24.0. For the exploratory factor analysis, values of Bartlett’s test of sphericity, the Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin test, and Cronbach’s alpha coefficient were calculated for each dimension of the proposed model. The hypothesis that motivation, job satisfaction, and farm economic performance directly and positively influence each other was confirmed. An important finding was that the correlation coefficient between farmers’ motivation and farm economic performance was ρ = 0.78, while that for the relation between farmers’ job satisfaction and farm economic performance was ρ = 0.53, which was similar to the correlation coefficient calculated for the relationship between farmers’ motivation and farmers’ job satisfaction. This result allows us to conclude that the influence of farmers’ motivation factors on farm economic performance is stronger than the influence of job satisfaction in the case of Romanian farmers on small farms. This might explain why, although work in agriculture is considered to be worse than an office job and the people that work in agriculture are sometimes stigmatized and receive lower incomes, there are still very strong motivators for Romanian farmers to continue their work in agriculture. This is proven by the fact that Romania has the highest number of small farms in Europe, and this number is not decreasing.

The Interplay of Emotional Intelligence Abilities and Work Engagement on Job and Life Satisfaction: Which Emotional Abilities Matter Most for Secondary-School Teachers?

Emotional intelligence has been underscored as a helpful personal resource in explaining life and job attitudes in human services employees. However, the joint interaction of emotional intelligence (EI) abilities with work engagement to explain life and job attitudes has not been tested. The present study aimed to explore the interactive role of EI abilities with work engagement in the prediction of job and life satisfaction in a sample of Spanish secondary-school teachers. A total of 190 teachers (125 females) participated in the study. Notably, the results showed that only emotion regulation ability (ERA) was significantly associated with work engagement, job satisfaction, and life satisfaction. Furthermore, ERA moderated the relationship between work engagement and job and life satisfaction. The present findings contribute to current knowledge on EI abilities and personal and job-related correlates of teachers’ work engagement.