Positive orientation, job satisfaction and psychological well-being of mental health practitioners in Malaysia

Psychological Distress and Well-Being in Emerging Adult Women: The Role of Positivity and Coping Strategies

Women in emerging adulthood face increased challenges. Positive Life Orientation (PLO) and Coping have proved essential for successfully adapting individuals to developmental challenges affecting mental health. Using a quantitative, cross-sectional methodology, the study aims to (i) analyze the primary sources of stress of emerging adult women and the coping strategies most used; (ii) analyze the levels of well-being and psychological distress; (iii) analyze the role of PLO and coping strategies in predicting well-being and psychological distress. A total of 240 emerging women aged between 18 and 25 years participated in the study. PLO was measured using the Positivity Scale, coping using the Brief Cope, well-being using the Mental Health Continuum Scale, and psychological distress using The Anxiety, Depression, and Stress Scale. Studies constituted the primary stress factor, followed by interpersonal relationships and work. The most used coping strategies were planning, active coping, acceptance, positive reframing, self-distraction, emotional and instrumental support, and venting. Women presented moderate levels of anxiety, mild levels of stress, and mild to moderate levels of depression. All well-being scores were lower than the reference means for the Portuguese population. Results from hierarchical multiple linear regressions show the predictive role of PLO and coping strategies in well-being and psychological distress. PLO is a positive predictor of all dimensions of well-being and a negative predictor of depression. Active coping strategies predict higher levels of well-being and lower levels of psychological distress, mainly depression. In other directions, avoidance strategies predict lower psychological distress and higher well-being levels. Results highlight PLOs and coping strategies' crucial role in promoting emerging adult flourishing.

How job satisfaction affects professionalization behavior of new-generation construction workers: a model based on theory of planned behavior

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore the influence mechanism of new-generation construction workers (NGCWs)’ job satisfaction on the professionalization behavior in China, through theory of planned behavior (TPB), and find the key path to promote the professionalization behavior of China’s construction workers.

Design/methodology/approach

A theoretical model of influence mechanism was established through literature research and theoretical deduction based on TPB and structural equation model. The scale of variables was developed, and an empirical study was employed with a sample of 823 NGCWs in China.

Findings

The results indicate that job satisfaction can positively affect NGCWs' professionalization behavior. Subjective norm, attitude and perceived behavior control play mediating roles in the influence process. Job satisfaction is more likely to act on professionalization behavior through subjective norm and behavioral intention.

Research limitations/implications

Research results sorely suggest a short-term law about the influence mechanism of NGCWs' job satisfaction on professionalization behavior through a questionnaire study from China’s construction industry. Future research ought to continue to use a longitudinal study to examine it over a considerable amount of time. The results also need to be verified using data from young construction workers in other nations.

Practical implications

This study provides a theoretical basis and feasible management reference for government and construction enterprises in China to promote NGCWs' professionalization behavior from the perspective of job satisfaction. Furthermore, the promotion of NGCWs' job satisfaction and professionalization behavior can do good to building industrialization, sustainable development and high-quality transformation of labor force in the construction industry.

Originality/value

This paper demonstrates the positive influence of job satisfaction on professionalization behavior of NGCWs and finds the most effective affecting path. It fills the research gap about the influence mechanism of job satisfaction on young construction workers' professionalization behavior and enriches the theoretical system of planned behavior of construction workers.

Transformational Leadership, Employee Engagement, Job Satisfaction, and Psychological Well-Being among Hotel Employees after the Height of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Serial Mediation Model

Over the past few years, great attention has been given to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences on employee psychological well-being (PWB), particularly in the hospitality industry. Like many aspects of human life, employee PWB is influenced by multiple factors. One of the factors that may affect employee PWB is transformational leadership (TLS). Accordingly, we aim through this study to empirically (1) examine the direct effect of transformational leadership on employee PWB and (2) investigate the potential independent and serial mediation effects of employee engagement (EEG) and job satisfaction (JS) on the TLS-PWB relationship after the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were gathered using an online questionnaire from a convenience sample of 403 front-line employees from five-star hotels in Saudi Arabia. The partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) with the bootstrapping technique was utilized to test the study hypotheses. Based on the demands-resources (JD-R) theory, the findings of this study reveal a significant positive effect of TLS on hotel employees' PWB. Additionally, drawing on the stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) model, the two main contributions of this study are: (1) EEG and JS serially and independently have a significant partial mediational effect on the TLS-PWB relationship among hotel employees, and (2) EEG has a greater impact on the TLS-PWB relationship as an intervening variable than the two other mediators (JS, as well as EEG and JS serially). Based on these findings, hotel management should mainly consider developing and encouraging TLS behavior among their managers to promote EEG and increase JS among their followers, which consequently enhances their PWB and alleviates negative psychological outcomes due to experiencing a disaster such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Does Positive Thinking Help during Difficult Pandemic Times? The Role of Positive Orientation in the Relationship between Fear of COVID-19 and Perceived Stress

The COVID-19 pandemic has become a huge challenge for the modern world. How people perceive themselves and their coping abilities is important for their mental health and well-being. One of the traits that may be important in effectively coping with difficulties is positive orientation: a stable cognitive disposition that is the opposite of depression and is associated with a positive perception of oneself, one's life, events, and the future. This study aimed to verify the role of positive orientation in the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and perceived stress. A sample of 907 Polish people took part in this study. FOC-6, P Scale, and PSS-10 questionnaires were used in the presented cross-sectional study. The analysis showed that women scored higher in fear of COVID-19 and perceived stress scores than men (Cohen's d indicated a moderate effect). There was no significant difference in the levels of positive orientation. P Scale results were significantly related to fear of COVID-19 (small effect) only for the whole studied sample, and not for women and men considered separately. Fear of COVID-19 was positively related to the perceived stress score (moderate effect). Positive orientation was negatively related to the PSS-10 scores (also moderate effect) for all tested groups. Fear of COVID-19 and positive orientation were significant predictors of perceived stress scores. The mediation effect of positive orientation was statistically significant, but the effect size was marginally small. Positive orientation is an important predictor of perceived stress, which could be related to the COVID-19 pandemic. People with a positive orientation better cope with the challenges of the pandemic and are optimistic about the future. Working on positive orientation can improve well-being and reduce tension, which is extremely important in difficult pandemic times.

Are they ready? Moderators of the correlation between work affect and job satisfaction felt by teachers of inclusive and special schools

BACKGROUND

The study aimed to determine to what extent emotions experienced at work are predictors of the level of teachers' job satisfaction. The moderating role of the type of school - inclusive and special - for this correlation was also analysed.

PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE

The study involved 214 teachers at three levels of inclusive and special schools (primary, middle and high) attended by pupils with special educational needs. The respondents represented various age groups. The study used the Work Affect Scale and the Satisfaction with Job Scale.

RESULTS

The results clearly suggest that the emotions teachers experience at work are a strong predictor of their job satisfaction - positive emotions imply high job satisfaction whereas negative emotions imply low job satisfaction. This regularity exists in both the responding teacher groups. It was determined that the type of an institution does not significantly affect the above predictive attribute of organizational work affect.

CONCLUSIONS

Positive work-related emotions and average and high job satisfaction felt by ca. 2/3 of the responding inclusive and special school teachers suggest that both these groups are fully ready for high-quality education for all.

Effects of Optimism on Work Satisfaction Among Nurses: A Mediation Model Through Work-Family Conflict

Background: Nurses are suffering from various stressors which adversely impact their work satisfaction and mental health. Research is scarce on optimism, one of the positive psychological resource which may reduce work-family conflict and improve work satisfaction. Objectives: This study aims to assess work satisfaction among Chinese nurses and to observe and illustrate the relationships among optimism, work-family conflict, and work satisfaction. Methods: This study was designed as a cross-sectional study with stratified sampling. From September 2019 to December 2020, a self-administered WeChat questionnaire was collected from 768 nurses online in China to evaluate the nurses' work satisfaction, optimism, and work-family conflict. Spearman correlation and hierarchical multiple regression analysis were applied to examine associated factors of work satisfaction. A structural equation model was employed to test the mediating effect of work-family conflict in the relationship between optimism and work satisfaction. Results: Optimism were observed to have a positive correlation with work satisfaction while the correlation between work-family conflict and work satisfaction was observed to be negative. Optimism and work-family conflict explained 4.8 and 9.2% of the incremental variances of work satisfaction, respectively. Work-family conflict served as a mediator in the relationship between optimism and work satisfaction. Conclusions: Nurses in China experienced high levels of work satisfaction. Optimism could increase the chance of higher work satisfaction while work-family conflict increased the risk of lower work satisfaction. Psychological interventions and improvement of working conditions are essential to relieve work-family conflicts and enhance work satisfaction.