Adjustment of assessors’ first impressions differs by student ethnicity.
Steinmann, J.J., Otto, I. Born, M.P.H., Derous, E., Woltman, A.M., van den Broek, W.W., Stegers-Jager, K.M.
Journal of Medical Education Vol 14, Issue 1, Pages 991–1002. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5334/pme.2196
Abstract
Ethnic minority medical students often receive lower grades than their majority counterparts, especially in workplace-based assessments. To unravel this phenomenon of “differential attainment”, we explore assessor bias focusing on how first impressions of students from ethnic minority groups may be adjusted differently
compared to majority students when their performance changes. In an online experiment with an incomplete block design, we created near-identical videos showcasing varying performances of medical students during history taking. Eighty-one physicians were randomly assigned to watch four different videos each, two with ascending performances (poor start, good ending) and two with descending performances (good start, poor ending), featuring one ethnic minority actress (Turkish or Moroccan origin) and one ethnic majority actress (Dutch origin) as students. We evaluated ethnicity-related differences in first impression ratings (after 60 seconds), final ratings (after 5 minutes), and rating changes. No significant differences in first impression ratings were found between ethnic groups. Ethnic minority students received higher final ratings than ethnic majority students for ascending performances, but only when rated by residents and not specialists. Finally, rating changes between first impressions and final ratings were larger for ethnic minority than ethnic majority students, for both ascending and descending performances. Our results do not show evidence of assessor bias in first impressions being an explanation for ethnicity-related differential attainment. However, our finding that rating changes were larger for minority than majority students could indicate that they are generally more scrutinized by assessors, which may affect them positively, but also negatively.
Journal article
Intra-syndrome dynamics of burnout: Cross-lagged relations among core components.
van der Vaart, L., De Beer, L. T., De Witte, H., & Schaufeli, W. B.
International Journal of Stress Management Pages https://dx.doi.org/10.1037/str0000382
Abstract
Given the increasing number of employees reporting burnout complaints and the negative outcomes associated with these complaints, both researchers and practitioners are interested in understanding how burnout develops over time. Despite previous efforts to elucidate burnout’s internal dynamics, our knowledge remains limited. By leveraging several theoretical models and previous empirical studies, we proposed six competing hypotheses to examine how the intra-syndrome dynamics of burnout may evolve over time. Using crosslagged panel models and data from 1,035 Belgian employees collected at three different time points, we evaluated these potential pathways. Our results provide initial support for a dynamic in which intra-syndrome burnout begins with exhaustion, impairing emotional functions and more consistently affecting cognitive functions. However, only cognitive impairment then adds to more mental distancing. Contrary to previous theoretical assumptions, we found limited evidence that mental distancing contributes to maintaining a cycle of exhaustion and impairment. We discuss the theoretical contributions of our findings and their practical implications for early detection of struggling employees and tailored intervention strategies.
Journal article
Calling, careers, and career counselling.
Kenny, M. E., Di Fabio, A., & Dik, B. J.
British Journal of Guidance and Counselling Vol 53, Pages 351-356. https://doi.org/10.1080/03069885.2025.2517977
Abstract
This article opens a special issue of the British Journal of Guidance and Counselling on “Calling, careers, and career counselling”. Calling constitutes a topic that has progressively attracted attention across various fields, including vocational psychology and organisational behaviour, deserving in-depth study in reference to guidance and career counselling. We will briefly introduce the aims of this special issue and present the eight articles included. The hope is that this special issue can make a concrete contribution to a more in-depth study of the complexity of calling, also identifying new complexities and future paths for research as well as intervention.
Journal article
Effectiveness of well-being interventions among correctional officers: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Owusu Ansah, K., Tsabedze, W. & Mapaling, C.
Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology Vol 40, Pages 669–684. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11896-025-09757-3
Abstract
Correctional officers face considerable occupational stress, which adversely impacts their psychological functioning. Well -eing interventions such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs), critical incident stress management (CISM), and exercise have been used to mitigate these effects. This study conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the effectiveness of these interventions. A systematic review identified studies examining the psychological outcomes of correctional officers. A meta-analysis was performed on seven studies that met inclusion criteria. Outcomes included stress, anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress symptoms, and well-being. CBT demonstrated significant reductions in stress, anxiety, and PTSD in four of six studies, though one study reported adverse effects. MBIs improved resilience, life satisfaction, and reduced burnout across three studies. CISM showed significant reductions in depression and PTSD, while exercise improved workplace attitudes and reduced hostility. The meta-analysis revealed MBIs outperformed CISM in post-treatment effectiveness, while CBT showed comparable outcomes to MBIs and CISM. While CBT and MBIs emerged as effective interventions, integrating diverse approaches may optimize psychological outcomes for correctional officers. Future research should explore long-term effects and implementation strategies
Journal article
Calling’s dimensions and career development among undergraduate students.
Marsh, D. R., & Dik, B. J.
British Journal of Guidance and Counselling Vol 53, Pages 357-370. https://doi.org/10.1080/03069885.2024.2411247
Abstract
Most scholars conceptualize calling as multidimensional, yet most studies operationalize the variable using unidimensional scales or total scores from multidimensional scales. Consequently, research has established calling’s overall relationships with career development variables without clarifying the dimensions’ roles in accounting for these associations. We sought to address this concern using multiple linear regression models examining how calling’s dimensions (transcendent summons, purposeful work, and prosocial orientation) uniquely relate to career development among undergraduate students. Occupational self- efficacy, vocational identity, and career engagement were used as criterion variables. Each dimension accounted for unique variance in career development variables, suggesting that incorporating all dimensions in calling research is important. Occupational self-efficacy uniquely related to purposeful work and prosocial orientation. Vocational identity was significantly associated with transcendent summons. Career engagement uniquely related to all dimensions. Our f indings support multidimensional calling operationalizations. Implications for career counseling professionals are explored with suggestions for incorporating each dimension in practice.
Journal article
Burnout and engagement profiles of emergency nurses: the role of job insecurity appraisal and capabilities.
Barnard, N.B.
Frontiers in Psychology Vol 16, Issue 1504483, Pages 1-17. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1504483
Abstract
Emergency nurses are particularly vulnerable to burnout (a state of extreme tiredness, reduced ability to regulate cognitive and emotional processes, and mental distancing) with far-reaching consequences for individuals, healthcare systems, and society. Working in high-pressure environments marked by traumatic events, intense workloads, irregular shifts, and emotionally charged encounters, emergency nurses must sustain their performance and well-being amid growing job insecurity. This study examined the roles of work capabilities (enabled and achieved work values), burnout, work engagement, and job insecurity appraisals (as either a hindrance or a challenge) in shaping emergency nurses’ sustainable employability. A quantitative, cross-sectional survey design was used, and data were collected via convenience sampling from 204 emergency nurses across 13 hospitals in South Africa. Structural equation modeling, latent profile analysis, and Bolck-Croon-Hagenaars analysis were employed to examine associations, subpopulations, and profile differences. Findings indicated that appraising job insecurity as a challenge positively affected emergency nurses’ capabilities and engagement, while hindrance appraisals were associated with elevated levels of mental distance, cognitive impairment, and emotional impairment. Capabilities were negatively associated with exhaustion and mental distance, and positively associated with engagement. Latent profile analysis identified four distinct burnout and engagement profiles: moderately burned-out (35%), slightly disengaged (38%), healthy engaged (15%), and burned-out (12%). Emergency nurses in the moderately burned-out profile reported significantly lower challenge appraisals than those in the slightly disengaged group. Additionally, the burned-out and moderately burned-out groups reported lower capability scores than the slightly disengaged and healthy engaged profiles, with the healthy engaged group reporting the highest scores overall. These findings underscore the importance of interventions that build work capabilities and support adaptive interpretations of job insecurity. Such efforts are critical for reducing burnout, enhancing engagement, and promoting the sustainable employability of emergency nurses.
Journal article
Older persons’ experiences of their relationships with care workers in formal residential care ecologies.
Dixon, C., Roos, V., Katjene, M., & Hoffman, J.
International Journal of Care and Caring Pages 1–21 https://doi.org/10.1332/23978821Y2025D000000143
Abstract
This article presents the experiences of older persons (OPs) of their relationships with care workers (CWs) in formal care settings. A total of 21 OPs (aged 65–89) from three settings in South Africa participated in a visual data-collection method, and analysis yielded four themes: (1) the arbitrary division of OPs’ lifeworld into an ‘outside’ and ‘inside’ upon entering a formal residential care ecology creates care expectations and approaches that may be either aligned or contradictory; (2) OPs have not only care and support needs but also relational needs; (3) OPs actively co-create the relational dynamics in the caregiving relationship by displaying effective and ineffective relational qualities; and (4) caregiving elicits a care imprint in OPs associated with the primary caregiving relationship. The operationalisation of caregiving overrides the care philosophy; however, a conducive interpersonal context enables OPs to express their needs more effectively.
Journal article
Protective factors in resilient South African youth with type 1 diabetes: A qualitative study.
Mabizela, S., Deacon, E., Van Rensburg, E., Bekker, C.I.
African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine Vol 17, Issue 1, Pages a4935. https://doi.org/10.4102/ phcfm.v17i1.4935
Abstract
Background: Self-managing type 1 diabetes (T1D) can be challenging, especially for adolescents in a critical developmental stage. Some adolescents struggle to successfully self-manage T1D and struggle to keep it well-controlled into adulthood. Despite this concern, there is a notable lack of evidence-based research on protective factors and/or resources to support adolescents living with T1D in South Africa. Aim: This study aimed to explore and describe the protective factors of resilience among South African adolescents living with well-controlled T1D. Setting: The study was conducted at the Centre for Diabetes and Endocrinology (CDE) in Parktown, Gauteng, South Africa, a specialised facility offering comprehensive, multidisciplinary care for adolescents with T1D. Methods: A qualitative descriptive research design was used, and seven semi-structured interviews were conducted, transcribed and thematically analysed. Results: Four themes emerged from the data: Just do it: Commit to the diabetes care plan; It takes a village to raise a child living with diabetes; The silver lining of developing positive characteristics and It’s a process of continuously learning about T1D. Conclusion: Internal abilities (planning, taking responsibility, perseverance and determinism) and external resources (parents, family members, school, mentors) foster positive outcomes and adjustment for adolescents with well-controlled T1D. The potential for adolescents with T1D to use available internal abilities and external resources in managing their diabetes could be beneficial to the successful management of T1D. Contribution: The study addressed a gap in understanding protective factors involved in the successful self-management of adolescents living with well-controlled T1D in South Africa.
Journal article
Older black South African women’s perceptions and attitudes of long-term care: An Ubuntu-centric cultural perspective.
Venter, A., Petersen, C., & Hoffman, J.
Culture and Psychology Vol 31, Issue 2, Pages 659-676. https://doi.org/10.1177/1354067X241226454
Abstract
Older black people in South Africa stay a part of an extended family structure well into old age, irrespective of the family’s ability to provide the necessary care. South Africa’s (SA) underdeveloped
infrastructure creates an increasing cause for concern as the size of the country’s older population is growing. The result is a persistent and wide-reaching disparity in access to sufficient geriatric care for older people, especially across racial lines, due to the former Apartheid regime and change in traditional African family contexts. The affiliated study formed part of a larger research project. A qualitative descriptive design was employed to describe the experiences, perceptions and attitudes of older black women regarding long-term care (LTC). Data were collected through two focus-group discussions and analysed thematically. Against the historical background of South Africa, an Ubuntu worldview, and a shift to a more modern African society, it became evident that formal LTC is inaccessible, and that informal LTC can no longer be provided by the younger generation and other extended family members. Among the participants, these two factors create significant ambivalence in having their future needs met.
Journal article
Student perceptions on out-of-class experiences that impact student success in a South African context.
Versfeld, J., Mapaling, C., & Maape, S.
Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in the South Vol 9, Issue 1, Pages 5-30. https://doi.org/10.36615/b2jmgq38
Abstract
This study investigates the impact of out-of-class experiences on student success in the context of South African higher education, amidst the unique challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing socio-economic disparities. Focusing on first-year engineering students at a South African university, this research utilised root cause analysis through an online questionnaire to explore how out-of-class factors such as study groups, mentorship programmes, and extracurricular activities influence academic outcomes. Employing John Bean’s model of student attrition, the study delves into the interplay between psychological, organisational, and socio-economic factors shaping student retention and success. It reveals that despite existing interventions aimed at enhancing student well-being and academic performance, there is a critical gap between the interventions provided and the actual needs of students, particularly in addressing time management, organisational skills, and mental health challenges. The research advocates for a re-evaluation of current support structures and the implementation of more tailored approaches such as structured learning communities and integrated mental health practices within the curriculum. The study contributes valuable insights into enhancing student retention and well-being by highlighting the essential role of out-of-class experiences in the holistic development of students within the challenging landscape of the Global South.
Journal article
Social well-being at work: The effect of job insecurity and different foci of trust.
Hennicks, E.C., Heyns, M.M., & Rothmann, S.
South African Journal of Human Resource Management Vol 23, Issue 0, Pages a3064. https://doi.org/ 10.4102/sajhrm.v23i0.3064
Abstract
Orientation: Understanding the connection between job insecurity and trust is vital for enhancing workplace social well-being. Research purpose: This study examined the effect of organisational and interpersonal trust and job uncertainty on the social well-being of workers in a volatile and culturally diverse workplace context in South Africa. Motivation for the study: Gaining insight into how positive (trust) and negative (job insecurity) factors affect employees’ social well-being in culturally diverse workplaces is crucial. Such understanding can inform human resource strategies and promote the sustainability of organisations. Research approach/design and method: A quantitative research methodology was employed, utilising a cross-sectional survey design. A total of 403 permanent employees from various positions within a utility organisation in South Africa completed a structured questionnaire. Main findings: Trust in the organisational entity and in co-workers enhanced social well-being, with trust in the organisation having a greater effect. Job insecurity reduced social well-being directly and indirectly through diminished organisational trust. Practical/managerial implications: Managers should prioritise building trust within the organisation and among colleagues to enhance social well-being, emphasising transparent communication, consistent leadership and support programmes. Addressing job insecurity is also essential, as it reduces social well-being by affecting organisational trust. Contribution/value-add: This study deepened our understanding of how trust and job insecurity are related to social well-being at work. It contributed by exploring social well-being in an underexplored African public sector setting, offering insights for developing policies and human resource management strategies to enhance organisational sustainability.
Journal article
Out-of-classroom learning: Revisiting value and impact.
Lee, K.C., & Mapaling. C.
Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in the South Vol 9, Issue 1, Pages 1-4. https://doi.org/10.36615/yj14d149
Abstract
This special issue addresses the significance, challenges, and transformative potential of out-of-classroom learning for holistic student development in higher education, with particular attention to the global South. It includes six articles from regions such as South Africa and Mauritius, covering diverse contexts and disciplines, from engineering and teacher education to music, psychotherapy and student-led initiatives. Together, these contributions examine the impact of experiential, co-curricular, and community-based learning on student engagement, belonging, well-being and academic success, especially in resource-constrained and post-pandemic settings. Framed within the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, the issue underscores that intentional, relationship-rich, and context-sensitive out-of-classroom experiences are vital to fostering equitable, meaningful and sustained student development.
Journal article
Keeping one’s job … but potentially losing job quality? Qualitative job insecurity as an explanatory mechanism between short-time work schemes and well-being.
Rodriguez C. C., De Cuyper, N., Vander Elst, T., Stinglhamber, F., Godderis, L., Vandenbroeck, S., & De Witte, H.
European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology Pages 1–14. https://doi-org.nwulib.idm.oclc.org/10.1080/1359432X.2025.2537819
Abstract
In Western countries, short-time work schemes (STW) are being increasingly used to protect employees from job loss during economic crises (e.g., the COVID-19 pandemic). While well intended, these schemes could have a potential dark side: Based on insights from the transactional theory of stress and coping, we hypothesize (H1) that STW may contribute to perceptions of qualitative job insecurity, which in turn may relate to lower well-being (i.e. job satisfaction and psychological distress). A key strength of this study is its focus on work-related situational factors at both organization- and industry-levels (i.e., contract type, managerial position, sector of activity) that may influence employees’ reactions. We hypothesize (H2) that STW may be particularly stressful for those who typically experience greater job security, as uncertainty may be more disruptive for them. These employees may feel more insecure following STW, which may later be associated with lower well-being. Structural equation modelling and bootstrapping analyses (H1), as well as multigroup analyses (H2) were conducted on data collected during the COVID-19 pandemic among Belgian employees (N?=?1,840) at two points, two months apart. Results largely supported our hypotheses. This suggests that STW may have a potential dark side, particularly for individuals accustomed to greater job stability.
Journal article
Throwing the baby out with the bathwater – while adding the bathtub too: a rejoinder to “Beliefs about burnout” of Bianchi and Schonfeld,
De Witte, H., & Schaufeli, W
Work and Stress Vol 39, Issue 2, Pages 143-152. https://doi.org/10.1080/02678373.2025.2468715
Abstract
In their commentary, [Bianchi, R. & Schonfeld, I. (2025. Beliefs about burnout. Work & Stress)] discuss three beliefs about burnout and state that these “rest on insufficient evidence”: (1) burnout is primarily predicted by work-related factors; (2) a burnout epidemic exists; and (3) burnout can be differentiated from depression. We argue that the authors’ presentation of these ideas runs the risk of not only throwing the baby out with the bathwater but also throwing away the bathtub. Our rejoinder first of all emphasises the need to distinguish between (typically mild) burnout complaints, and burnout disorder (or “clinical burnout”). We conclude that there are compelling empirical grounds to consider both burnout complaints and burnout disorder to be work related. Next, we present evidence that burnout complaints increased slightly over time, whereas clinical burnout is rather exceptional and stable, suggesting that the notion of a “burnout pandemic” is indeed overstated. Finally, conceptual and empirical evidence and evidence from clinical practice indicates that both burnout complaints and burnout disorder can be meaningfully differentiated from depression. We conclude that a nuanced debate is preferable to a simplistic rejection of burnout, based on both conceptual and empirical grounds and the relevance of the burnout concept for practice.
Journal article
Is occupation insecurity associated with conspiracy views? A test of parallel mediation through political powerlessness and relative deprivation.
De Witte, H., Van Hootegem, A., & Roll, L.
Economic and Industrial Democracy Vol 46, Issue 3, Pages 714-741. https://doi.org/10.1177/0143831X251347770
Abstract
We examine the association of a novel form of insecurity (occupation insecurity) with three societal attitudes: the belief in conspiracy views, political powerlessness and relative deprivation. This answers the call in the literature to extend studies on work-related insecurity by broadening its conceptualization and extending its associations with a broader set of outcomes. Next, we explore whether the association between occupation insecurity and conspiracy views is mediated by both societal attitudes: political powerlessness and relative deprivation. The study took place during the Covid crisis in 2020. Consequently, all variables were framed in the context of this crisis. Cross-sectional data gathered via an online survey among 1324 employed wage and salary earners in Flanders (Belgium) are used to test the hypotheses. The data were analysed using the PROCESS macro, testing for parallel mediation. All direct effect hypotheses were corroborated by the analyses. The indirect effect of occupation insecurity on conspiracy views was only significant for political powerlessness, and not for relative deprivation, suggesting political powerlessness to be a more important explanatory variable than relative deprivation. The findings suggest occupation insecurity to have important societal and political correlates. Some suggestions to reduce the negative outcomes of occupation insecurity are discussed.
Journal article
Do daily leader and colleague behaviours matter for work effort? The role of daily basic psychological need satisfaction and frustration.
Coxen, L., van der Vaart, L., Van den Broeck, A., Rothmann, S., & Schreurs, B.
Journal of Managerial Psychology Pages https://doi.org/10.1108/JMP-06-2023-0361
Abstract
Purpose – Drawing on self-determination theory, this paper examines whether daily need-supportive versus need-thwarting behaviours from leaders and colleagues independently predict employees’ work effort through daily need satisfaction and frustration. Design/methodology/approach – In total, 68 South African employees completed daily diaries for 10 days (557 days-level observations). The data were analysed using multilevel structural equation modelling. Findings – The results revealed a dual-process model in which daily need-supportive behaviours of the leader and colleagues independently boosted work effort via need satisfaction. Daily need-thwarting behaviours were negatively related to work effort via need frustration. Both sources of interpersonal behaviours mattered for need-based experiences, but daily need satisfaction showed a stronger association with work effort than daily need frustration. Practical implications – Organisations should prioritise interventions to enhance daily need-supportive interactions for colleagues and leaders. Originality/value – This study is among the first to isolate the within-person impacts of vertical and horizontal need-related behaviours – capturing both the “bright” (supportive) and “dark” (thwarting) sides – in the South African context.
Journal article
The potential impact of social prescribing on meaningful engagement in collective aged care settings: perspectives from the Global South.
Kilian, M., Tsatsi, I., Jansen, R., Visser, M., & Stroebel, R.
Health and Social Care in the Community Vol 1, Issue 3848622, Pages 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1155/hsc/3848622
Abstract
Background: Promoting collective care philosophies in residential aged care homes that enhances person-centred care remains a global challenge. More success is evident when an organisation’s approach to care impacts the well-being of everyone who lives and works in the home. However, funding systems are seldom applied in favour of a collective approach. The uptake of social prescribing is potential yet another obstacle in eradicating the prevailing dominance of the medical model of care in aged care homes. Objective: In the Global South, institutionalised care is becoming a more acceptable and viable option to ensure health and well-being of older adults. Introducing person-centred care philosophies, such as the Eden Alternative (EA), in settings where care approaches are not predetermined by stringent funding schemes (i.e., related to addressing ‘challenging behaviours’ or specifying social prescribing), provides an opportunity to explore the intricacies of collective approaches. This project specifically considered how the EA philosophy impacted the quality of collective care within state-wide organisations in South Africa. Methods: A qualitative, descriptive research design supported the investigation of four residential aged-care settings in South Africa. Ten focus groups, guided by the nominal group technique, were conducted with 68 participants, including residents, operational staff, and management staff. Quantitative and qualitative findings were deductively analysed using the EA’s domains of well-being as the guiding framework. Results: The findings mostly indicated agreement between staff and residents on the positive contributions of the EA to support well-being associated with security, autonomy, identity, growth, connectedness, meaning and joy. Overall, security was the most prevalent theme and linked with needs for physical and emotional safety. Conclusion: Partnerships with external bodies, such as the EA, could support cross-national learning and exchange to support stakeholders working more closely with government agencies in creating realistic and supportive operational and funding policies for collective long-term care settings.
Journal article
Bridging perspectives: The value of collaboration between Traditional healing practitioners and medical doctors in dementia research and care in South Africa.
McGlinchey, E., Ranchod, K., Stroebel, R., Lusizi, B., Galvin, M., Kleinhans, A.V., Fortea, J., Hoffman, J., & Makanya, S.
Alzheimers Dementia Vol 21, Issue 6, Pages 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.70370
Abstract
Introduction: Traditional Healing Practitioners (THPs) provide care to the majority of the population in South Africa. Despite their widespread presence, they remain largely excluded from dementia research and policy. This reinforces healthcare inequities and overlooks the realities of communities where THPs provide care. Methods: This paper explores the role of THPs in dementia care by examining literature in South Africa. It identifies key barriers to collaboration between THPs and medical doctors and discusses pathways for integration. Results: Barriers include epistemological historical marginalization, mutual distrust, fragmented care pathways, and language barriers. These challenges hinder knowledge exchange and joint dementia care strategies. Discussion: Strengthening relationships through structured engagement, bidirectional knowledge exchange, and ethical collaboration could bridge the gap between THPs and Medical Doctors (MDs). A pluralistic, integrated model valuing both systems could lead to more equitable and effective dementia care. Highlights: The majority of people in South Africa engage with Traditional Healing Practitioners (THPs) as part of their healthcare, yet THPs remain largely excluded from dementia research and policy. Barriers to collaboration between THPs and Medical Doctors (MDs) include historical marginalization, mutual distrust, fragmented care pathways, and language differences. Integrating THPs and MDs through structured engagement, bidirectional knowledge exchange, and ethical collaboration could enhance dementia care. Shifting away from the binary opposition of Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) and biomedical approaches toward a more integrated and collaborative model of dementia care could lead to more equitable and effective healthcare. The FUNDISA (Framework for Understanding Neurocognitive Disorders via Indigenous Systems in South Africa) project aims to understand how dementia is conceptualized by THPs and foster collaboration between THPs and MDs to support effective dementia care.
Journal article
The burnout-depression conundrum: Investigating construct-relevant multidimensionality across four countries and four patient samples.
De Beer, L.T., Hakanen, J.J., Schaufeli, W.B., De Witte, H., Glaser, J., Seubert, C., Kaltiainen, J., & Morin, A.J.S.
Psychology and Health Vol 40, Issue 8, Pages 1358-1385. https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2024.2321358
Abstract
This research seeks to contribute to the ongoing discussion about the distinctive nature of burnout and depression. In a first study, we relied on employee samples from four European countries (N = 5199; 51.27% women; Mage = 43.14). In a second study, we relied on a large sample of patients (N = 5791; 53.70% women; Mage = 39.54) who received a diagnosis of burnout, depressive episode, job strain, or adaptation dis¬order. Across all samples and subsamples, we relied on the bifactor exploratory structural equation modelling to achieve an optimal disag¬gregation of the variance shared across our measures of burnout and depression from the variance uniquely associated with each specific subscale included in these measures. Our results supported the value of this representation of participants’ responses, as well as their invari¬ance across samples. More precisely, our results revealed a strong underlying global factor representing participants’ levels of psycholog¬ical distress, as well as the presence of equally strong specific factors supporting the distinctive nature of burnout and depression. This means that, although both conditions share common ground (i.e. psy¬chological distress), they are not redundant. Interestingly, our results also unexpectedly suggested that suicidal ideation might represent a distinctive core component of depression.
Journal article
Trust and supervisor organizational embodiment: A between- and within-person investigation.
Lapointe, É., S. Morin, A. J., Vandenberghe, C., & Schwarz, G.
European Management Review Pages https://doi.org/10.1111/emre.70019
Abstract
How does trust in supervisors as organizational representatives vs. as independent persons, as captured by the interaction of cognition-based trust in the supervisor and supervisor organizational embodiment (SOE), influence employees’ responses to supervisors? We examine this question at the between- and within-person levels. Using two-wave data from 221 Chinese employees, Study 1 finds that, at the between-person level, the relation between cognition-based trust in the supervisor and affective commitment to the supervisor is stronger at lower levels of SOE (i.e., when supervisors are perceived as individual persons irrespective of their organizational role). Based on three-wave longitudinal data from 212 North American and European employees, Study 2 finds that, at the within-person level, the initial level of cognition-based trust in the supervisor is related to a sharper decline in affective commitment to the supervisor and perceived leadership effectiveness over time when SOE is low. The implications of these findings are discussed.
Journal article
Voice climate, gender equality and well-being in the South African banking sector.
Choeni, P., Rothmann, S., & Nel, M.
South African Journal of Industrial Psychology Vol 51, Issue a2295, Pages 1-13. https://doi.org/10.4102/sajip.v51i0.2295
Abstract
Orientation: This study addressed the persistent challenge of gender inequality in the banking sector in South Africa, where women face disparities in pay, career progression and leadership representation. Using the capability approach highlights the importance of fostering a supportive voice climate that encourages employees, especially women, to express concerns and contribute meaningfully to workplace dynamics. Research purpose: The research investigated how voice climate and gender equality affected female employees’ well-being in South Africa’s banking sector. Motivation for the study: This study sought to bridge the gap between the lack of research on how voice climate and gender equality intersect to influence female employees’ well-being, particularly in male-dominated industries. Research approach/design and method: A cross-sectional quantitative design was used to survey 257 female banking employees in Gauteng, South Africa. The Capabilities for Gender Equality Questionnaire, Voice Climate Scale and Flourishing-at-Work Scale – Short Form were administered. Structural equation modelling was used to test the measurement and structural models of voice climate, gender equality and employee well-being.Main findings: Findings reveal that voice climate positively influences the capability set for gender equality, enhancing emotional well-being. In addition, voice climate directly contributes to emotional, psychological and social well-being improvements. Practical/managerial implications: The results underscore the importance of fostering a supportive voice climate to promote gender equality and well-being in the workplace. Contribution/value-add: The combined effects of voice climate and gender equality as dual drivers of employee well-being in the South African banking sector offered innovative insights and practical strategies to build inclusive, supportive workplaces.
Journal article
Cracks in the JD-R model? The failure of strengths use, job crafting, and home-work spillover to support wellbeing during COVID-19.
Van Zyl, L. E., Cornelisse, M. A., Le Blanc, P., & Rothmann, S.
Frontiers in Psychology Vol 16, Issue 1532083, Pages 1-23. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1532083
Abstract
Drawing from the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model, this study examined the relationship between job characteristics, work-home interference, motivation, and psychological wellbeing during the COVID-19 lockdown. Specifically, it explored whether individual-level strategies such as strengths use, job crafting, and home-work regulatory factors (i.e., positive and negative home-work spillover) moderated these relationships. A cross-sectional survey of 522 participants was conducted during the lockdown. Structural equation modelling, mediation, and moderation analyses tested the proposed relationships. Results showed that work overload, organizational support, and job security were significantly associated with both negative and positive work-home interference, while growth opportunities and advancement were not. Positive and negative work-home interference and motivation were directly linked to psychological wellbeing, although only positive work-home interference was associated with motivation. Further, strengths use and job crafting moderated was only found to moderate the relationship between job security and negative work-home interaction. Finally, home regulatory practices may not be helpful in explaining how job characteristics affect the work-home relationship. The findings suggest that during crises, the JD-R model falls short in accounting for the complex interaction between job characteristics and employee outcomes. While structural factors like work overload, organizational support, and job security remain central, individual strategies and home-regulatory practices had limited impact. These insights challenge assumptions about the JD-R model's “universal applicability” and the presumed effectiveness of personalized coping strategies during systemic disruption. It also exposes a deeper limitation of the JD-R model: its implicit tendency to pathologize the employee by placing the burden of wellbeing on individuals rather than addressing the systemic conditions that shape it. In times of crisis, the onus should not be on employees to adapt, but rather on organizations to create environments that support work-life balance and sustainable wellbeing.
Journal article
Technology and well-being: Perspectives from the capability approach.
Rothmann, S., Greeff, J., & Bunt, L.
In A. van Niekerk, N. Harry, & M. Coetzee (Eds.), Unlocking sustainable well-being in the digital age: Human well-being research and policy making Pages 235.263
Abstract
Reliance on digital technology can lead to detrimental effects. However, it is essential to recognise the positive potential of digital technology to support well-being. This chapter explored how digital technology can be used and designed to optimise people’s well-being. We argue that digital technology in and of itself is neither good nor bad, but how capabilities are harnessed determines its impact on well-being. We build on the capability approach, which explains how technologies enable people to live their lives in ways that they value. Rather than focusing on how digital technologies facilitate predefined tasks, jobs, or activities, scholars should consider how they allow people to live their lives in valuable ways. Understanding and dealing with digital technologies’ positive and negative effects requires expertise and content knowledge from diverse disciplines. Focusing on developing capabilities is a prerequisite for dealing with digital technologies and functioning well.
Journal article
The identification and structure of strengths within the LGBTQIA+ community: A qualitative and empowered thematic investigation.
Klibert, J., DiGregorio, N., Houseman, H., Shields, M., Murphy, D.E., & van Zyl, L.
International Journal of Applied Positive Psychology Vol 10, Issue 40, Pages 1-33. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41042-025-00234-0
Abstract
This paper employs a thematic analysis guided by the principles of empowerment methods to define and describe strengths within LGBTQIA + communities. It also investigates how the Three-Pillar Model and its extensions capture culturally bound expressions of strengths. Semi-structured interviews (N = 25) were conducted with LGBTQIA + adults residing in medically underserved areas. Codebook thematic analysis, or medium Q thematic analysis, resulted in five themes representing identity-based strengths (inclusive growth/learning, zest/hope, love/empathy, justice/fairness, courage/bravery), three themes reflecting positive subjective experiences with adaptability (stress-related growth, resilience, coping resources), four secondary subjective experience themes (kinship, general support, self-acceptance processes, general positive subjective experiences), and two inductive themes (pride, meaning in life). While some relational and adaptation strength themes overlapped with concepts underlying the Three-Pillar Model and complimentary work, culturally salient expressions of strength, such as pride and kinship, were highlighted in our model. Results characterize the interconnected pathways through which strength resources promote well-being and identify key mechanisms (pride, savoring) supporting identity affirmation.
Journal article
Navigating educational challenges amidst civil unrest: An in-depth exploration of the impact on access in the North and South-west region of Cameroon.
Tabe, H.T., & Emekako, R.
Perspectives in Education Vol 43, Issue 2, Pages 37-53. https://doi.org/10.38140/pie.v43i2.7768
Abstract
Expanded educational opportunities symbolise the development of civil society and reflect the government’s commitment to the nation’s people. Unlike other parts of Africa, such as Sudan, which is known for its high level of civil unrest, Cameroon has traditionally experienced relative tranquillity. However, recent years have seen a surge in civil unrest, particularly in the North-West and South-West regions, profoundly affecting educational access. Through indepth interviews, this qualitative research investigates the intricate dynamics of how civil unrest significantly impacts educational access for students, teachers, parents and community leaders in conflict-affected regions. By employing a phenomenological inquiry design, the study aims to capture the lived experiences and understanding of 16 purposefully selected stakeholders across the community. Findings from the interviews highlight a disruption of normalcy in educational institutions, with schools frequently forced to close because of security concerns, impacting the quality of education. Challenges in Commuting to and from schools present challenges and fears of abduction. Also, the imposed ‘ghost town’ school disruptions on Mondays have led to irregular attendance. The socio-political context also influences curricular content, shaping the perspectives and values imparted to students. The study aimed to inform policy formulation and intervention strategies. The need for practical recommendations to mitigate the adverse effects of civil unrest and its effects on educational access in conflict-ridden regions of Cameroon was essential. By understanding how civil unrest affects education, this study contributes to the growing body of research on the impact of conflict, providing a nuanced perspective that considers the local context and amplifies the voices of those directly affected.
Journal article
Shattering the glass ceiling: Challenges and strategies for women managers in steel manufacturing.
Lala, A., Coxen, L., & Stander, M.W.
In M. Coetzee, I.L. Potgieter, & N. Ferreira (Eds.), Psychology of retention: Theory, research and practice Vol 51, Issue a2298, Pages 1-12. https://doi.org/10.4102/sajip.v51i0.2298
Abstract
Orientation: Women’s participation in the labour force has increased significantly; however,
equal advancement opportunities remain an issue across all employment sectors, especially
within the male-dominated steel-manufacturing industry. Research purpose: This study aimed to explore the challenges encountered and strategies women managers use to overcome gender-induced advancement barriers in a steel-manufacturing organisation. Motivation for the study: Despite efforts made to achieve gender inclusivity and equality, women remain underrepresented in management positions. Therefore, this study is important as it highlights women managers’ unique gender-related challenges in South Africa’s male-dominated steel-manufacturing industry. Research approach/design and method: Twelve women managers were selected through purposive criterion homogenous sampling and participated in semi-structured interviews. An exploratory qualitative descriptive design was used to explore their experiences, and data were analysed using thematic analysis. Main findings: Six themes emerged from the study. Themes related to advancement challenges included the following: (1) work–life balance; (2) gender bias; and (3) professional development opportunities. Themes related to strategies included (1) self-empowerment; (2) maintaining an executive presence; and (3) professional support systems. Practical/managerial implications: The steel-manufacturing organisation may benefit from understanding women managers’ experiences of advancement barriers and incorporating women’s empowerment programmes. Various policies and processes could be implemented to assist women’s career progression. Contribution/value-add: This article aimed to fill the gap in literature regarding the unique gender-related barriers that women managers experience in a South African steel-manufacturing context. The study highlights strategies that women managers have implemented.
Journal article
On the nature and covariates of workaholism profiles: A generalizability study across distinct types of employees.
Gillet, N., Morin, A. J., Becker, M., & Brault, S.
Applied Psychology: An International Review Vol 74, Issue 3, Pages e70017. https://doi.org/10.1111/apps.70017
Abstract
We used a person-centered approach to identify the profiles of workaholism observed in six samples, including 12 subsamples, of employees (N?=?7944). These profiles were defined while considering workers' global levels of workaholism, together with their specific levels of motivational, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral workaholism. We also considered the extent to which these profiles and their relations with covariates (work–family conflict, harmonious passion, and obsessive passion) generalized across all subsamples. Our results revealed a total of five profiles (Preoccupied Employees with Very Low Global Levels of Workaholism, Disengaged Employees with Low Global Levels of Workaholism, Motivated and Involved Employees with Moderately Low Global Levels of Workaholism, Normative, and Preoccupied Employees with High Global Levels of Workaholism). Systematically, the Normative profile was the most prevalent (43.7% to 63.2% across subsamples), whereas the Preoccupied Employees with Very Low Global Levels of Workaholism profile was the least prevalent (0.4% to 8.9%). The Preoccupied Employees with High Global Levels of Workaholism profile presented the highest levels of obsessive passion and work–family conflict, and the lowest levels of harmonious passion. Beyond their theoretical implications for research on workaholism, these results highlight how workaholism has highly similar implications across contexts.
Journal article
Psychometric validation of the self-compassion scale and the link of self-compassion to managerial flourishing in South Africa.
Ford, M., Rothmann, S. & van Zyl, L.
BMC Psychology Vol 13, Issue 597, Pages 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-02922-7
Abstract
Background Self-compassion is a critical personal resource that can assist managers in addressing the demands of their jobs and flourishing. This study investigated the factor validity, reliability, and measurement invariance of Neff’s Self-Compassion Scale across genders and the association between self-compassion and managers’ workplace flourishing using a person-centered approach. Method Managers (N = 390) registered for postgraduate qualifications at business schools across South Africa participated in a cross-sectional survey. Participants completed an online questionnaire, which included the Self-Compassion Scale and the Flourishing-at-Work Scale–Short Form. Results The results supported a bifactor exploratory structural equation model with one global factor and six well-defined subfactors of self-compassion. The measurement invariance of the scale was established across genders. Latent profile analysis identified four flourishing profiles: languishers, moderate languishers, moderate flourishers, and flourishers. Significant differences were found between the self-compassion of managers in these profiles. Flouriishers reported the highest levels, while languishers reported the lowest levels of self-compassion. Conclusions Neff’s self-compassion scale is valid and reliable and should be retained in its original form. Self-compassion is closely linked with managers’ flourishing and should be included in all management development programs to improve well-being. This may be an essential way to promote flourishing in organizations.
Journal article
Validity of the Mental Health Continuum – Short Form among home-language Setswana speaking South Africans: Evidence for a four-factor model.
Opperman, I., Potgieter, J. C. & Smit, J.D.
Frontiers in Psychology Vol 16, Issue 1547673, Pages https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1547673
Abstract
From a positive psychology perspective, it has been proposed that mental health comprises three dimensions: emotional well-being (EWB), psychological [or personal] well-being (PWB), and social well-being (SWB). To assess these dimensions, Keyes (2002) developed the Mental Health Continuum – Short Form (MHC-SF), which has been validated in various cultural contexts. In this model, mental health is operationalized as the presence of various positive indicators rather than the absence of psychopathology in a model which is purported to be cross-culturally applicable. While numerous studies support the original, correlated three-factor model, some current arguments are being made for a bifactor model with three dimensions. However, few newer validation studies explore the possibility of alternate models which might be applicable to non-Western, collectivist cultures who can also benefit from accurate assessments and positive psychology interventions. This study assessed the validity of the MHC-SF among 308 Setswana home-language South Africans aged 19–31 years. Results indicated that the correlated three-factor structure or bifactor model validated previously was a good fit, but a correlated four-factor model was a better fit and a bifactor model with four dimensions was the best fitting. An initial exploratory factor analysis using maximum likelihood and promax rotation suggested that this was due to the social well-being scale being divisible into: “belonging in society” (social 1) and “perceptions of society” (social 2) rather than a single construct (social well-being). These results emphasize the distinct aspects of well-being in a Setswana-speaking sample, highlighting the importance of culturally and linguistically informed models of mental health, particularly in collectivistic cultures within developing countries. This has implications for the use of the MHC-SF in research and culturally appropriate assessment and intervention design, as well as the applicability of fundamental models of mental health in non-Western and African contexts.
Journal article
Self-perceived employability, well-being and institutional embeddedness of accounting students.
Van den Berg, E., & Rothmann, S.
South African Journal of Business Management Vol 56, Issue 1, Pages a4729. https://doi.org/10.4102/sajbm.v56i1.4729
Abstract
Purpose: This study investigates the associations between financial accounting students’ self- perceived graduate employability, well-being and institutional embeddedness in a higher education institution. Design/methodology/approach: Financial accounting students (N = 102) participated in across-sectional survey. Three measuring instruments were administered: the Self-Perceived Graduate Employability Scale, the Mental Health Continuum – Short Form and the adapted Global Job Embeddedness Scale. Findings/results: The results highlight the strategic role of employability perceptions –particularly internal perceived employability and university commitment – in promoting key aspects of financial accounting student well-being and embeddedness. Internal perceived employability predicted both psychological and social well-being, while university commitment emerged as a robust predictor of social and emotional well-being and university embeddedness. Practical implications: Enhancing financial accounting students’ perceived internal employability and strengthening their commitment to the university can significantly improve their psychological, social and emotional well-being. These factors also support greater university embeddedness, highlighting their value for individual development and institutional retention strategies. Originality/value: Initiatives aimed at enhancing students’ confidence in their employability and strengthening their commitment to the institution may yield broad individual well-being and institutional benefits. Investing in employability could be vital for universities seeking to foster the well-being and embeddedness of financial accounting students within the institution.
Journal article
Understanding the link between nurses' practice environment, emotional exhaustion, compassion satisfaction, and adverse events.
Barnard, N.B., & Coetzee S.
Nursing and Health Sciences Vol 2, Issue e70132, Pages 1-15
Abstract
Nurses are essential to effective patient care, the operational success of hospital units, and the broader healthcare system. Their sustained, optimal functioning is crucial for healthcare. The study investigated how the nurse practice environment affects nurses' functioning at work (emotional exhaustion and compassion satisfaction) and how these factors impact the occurrence of adverse events in South African hospitals. A quantitative, cross- sectional survey design was employed, involving 4533 nurses from all nine provinces in South Africa. Data were collected using the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index, the Maslach Burnout Inventory and the Compassion Practice Instrument, along with single items measuring adverse events. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), bifactor exploratory structural equation modeling (bifactor- ESEM) and CFA- within- ESEM, was used to evaluate the measurement and structural models. The bifactor- ESEM model provided the best fit for the multidimensional PES- NWI. A supportive nurse practice environment was associated with lower emotional exhaustion and higher compassion satisfaction. Emotional exhaustion was negatively associated with compassion satisfaction and increased adverse events. Compassion satisfaction decreased adverse events.
Journal article
Newcomer psychological health profiles: A Latent Transition Analysis.
Houle, S. A., Ng, H., Lee, J., & Morin, A. J.
Journal of Vocational Behavior Issue 104138, Pages https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2025.104138
Abstract
Rather than focusing on performance as the ultimate outcome in organizational and vocational research, it has been argued that psychological health represents a far more relevant outcome given its pervasive impact on employee's lives, including their work performance. This longitudinal study examined the various combinations of work and non-work psychological health indicators observed among distinct profiles of newly hired employees (N?=?604; Mage?=?42.34; 53.4?% males). This study also assessed the stability and generalizability of employee profiles and profile membership over a six-month period. Latent profile analysis revealed six stable newcomer profiles: Apathetic, Detrimental, Normative-Comfortable, Optimal, Workaholic, and Distressed. Newcomer socialization practices, particularly those related to the organization and workgroup functioning, were linked to membership into profiles characterized by more favourable psychological states. The identified profiles were also related to turnover intention, performance, and physical symptoms, highlighting the connection between negative psychological states and adverse outcomes at both the organizational and individual levels.
Journal article
Living amongst the dead: How morticians coped during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mashaba, M., Mapaling, C., & Tsabedze, W.F.
Journal of Psychology in Africa Vol 35, Issue 1, Pages 29–35, http://doi.org/10.32604/jpa.2025.066007
Abstract
The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic introduced significant psychosocial stressors for morticians in South Africa, yet their coping mechanisms remain underexplored. This study investigated how South African morticians (N =10, Black males) coped with these stressors during the pandemic through semi-structured interviews. Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) informed thematic analysis identified five themes: (i) death overload distress associated with trauma and fear of exposure; (ii) insomnia due to worry, workload, and fear of infection; (iii) stigmatisation from community avoidance and negative perceptions; (iv) social isolation and anxiety related to emotional disconnection, personal protective equipment (PPE) shortages, and workload demands; and (v) adaptive coping mechanisms such as acceptance, resilience, external support, and religious faith, alongside less beneficial maladaptive strategies. Findings highlight the importance of targeted mental health services, psychoeducation, and social inclusion programmes to support morticians managing psychosocial stress during community health crises.
Journal article
Conceptualising and measuring the social care economy.
Keating, N., Badets, J., & Robibaro, F.
Journal of Global Ageing Pages https://doi.org/10.1332/29767202Y2025D000000026
Abstract
The concept of the care economy has garnered considerable international attention. Social justice arguments about decent work, the gendered nature of care work and the need to account for care, along with critiques of gross domestic product as an adequate metric for the wellbeing of nations, have all informed a call to place care on national agendas. The language of ‘care crisis’ underscores the urgency of accounting for care and for determining the social contract between society and family in the responsibility for providing care to those who are most vulnerable. United Nations agencies have called for the development of systems of long-term care, noting that families should not be held responsible for care. In this article, we present a framework for the social care economy that aims to make care work visible. Care work remains undervalued in our societies and economies, and its workers often remain marginalised. We define the social care economy as that sector of the broader economy comprising paid and unpaid work provided to those needing assistance with daily functioning: young children, younger people with chronic conditions and disabilities, and older people with chronic conditions and disabilities. We specify data needs and identify gaps in determining the balance of state versus family responsibility for care and in documenting and making visible the work of paid and unpaid carers. We conclude with a discussion of how the framework might lead to insights into the wellbeing of carers and of the nations in which their care work is embedded.
Journal article
Involving service users in care regulation: A scoping review of empirical literature.
Kok, J., Palimetaki, F., Akrouh, N., Schoonmade, L., van de Bovenkamp, H. & Pot, A. M.
International Journal of Health Policy and Management Vol 14, Issue 8509, Pages 1-13. https://doi.org/10.34172/ijhpm.8509
Abstract
Background: Ensuring the quality and safety of service delivery extends beyond the realm of health and care professionals, necessitating collaboration among various stakeholders, including external regulatory organizations. The policy agenda of care regulators increasingly features the topic of service user involvement. Despite the extensive research on participatory healthcare, scholarly attention to service user involvement in regulatory practices has been limited. This scoping review delves into the landscape of service user involvement in the regulation of care services of all types and for all different age groups, examining the characteristics and focus of peer reviewed original research. In particular, it addresses a notable knowledge gap by examining how these studies report on the practical utilization of service user input, as well as the regulator’s perspective on service user involvement. Methods: We conducted a literature search in PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, APA PsycInfo, and Scopus from inception to July 14, 2023. Thirteen (n=13) empirical studies were included. Results: The underlying motives for service user involvement vary, ranging from legal imperatives and political pressure to enhancing institutional legitimacy and regulatory decision-making. Care regulators employ both reactive and proactive involvement methods. Empirical evidence delineates the challenges and benefits of service user involvement, highlighting concerns about bias, time investments, and the need for a distinct skillset for inspectors. Despite the valuable insights gained, there are instances where service user input is downplayed in practice. Conclusion: The findings underscore the importance of additional research on users’ preferences for involvement, optimal communication conditions to honor the collected input, and the challenges inspectors encounter in fostering meaningful involvement with service users. Addressing these challenges is crucial for aligning regulatory efforts with the genuine needs and experiences of services users.
Journal article
Youth care stories: A scoping review into what, why and how narrative approaches understand and improve quality of care for young people.
Verheijen, E., Rutz, S., Barendregt, C., & Pot, A. M.
Health expectations. An International Journal of Public Participation in Health Care and Health Policy Vol 28, Issue 2, Pages e70166. https://doi.org/10.1111/hex.70166
Abstract
Introduction: Narrative approaches are increasingly used to capture the experiences of young people and parents with care services. These approaches are thought to be inclusive and participatory, opening up new perspectives on care quality and its improvement. This scoping review explores the use, rationale, benefits, and challenges of narrative approaches in understanding the quality of care for young people and their families. Methods: A scoping review was conducted, searching PsycINFO, Web of Science, Scopus, Pubmed, Social Services Abstracts and International Bibliography of the Social Sciences from inception to March 2022. The review targeted studies employing narrative approaches, particularly creative and participative methods, to explore the quality of care for youngsters and parents. Data from 28 studies were extracted, coded, and thematically analysed. Results: Various narrative approaches were identified, employing diverse forms of expression and participation. These approaches aimed to reveal new insights into care quality from the perspectives of youth and their parents, in addition to dominant professional views. Moreover, narrative approaches are utilised to foster participant reflection, for empowerment and the creation of customised services. Nevertheless, there are persistent concerns about representation, power dynamics and the potential for effecting change. Conclusion: Narrative approaches contribute to a comprehensive understanding of care quality. However, reflection and further research are required to explore how narrative approaches foster inclusivity, participation, and improvement of care. Patient and Public Contribution: Members of client/patient organisations were part of the research consortium and contributed to the review setup and the interpretation of findings.
Journal article
Exploring the potential solutions to the criticisms of positive psychology: But can the bold, idealistic visions of positive psychologists survive real-world scrutiny?
Van Zyl, L. E.
Frontiers in Psychology Vol 16, Issue 1511128, Pages 1-15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1511128
Abstract
Positive psychology has faced growing criticism regarding its scientific foundations and applied impact. To encourage constructive dialog, this study employs a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach to co-create potential ways to address the critiques of positive psychology. By engaging positive psychological practitioners and scholars, we investigate their perspectives on addressing the discipline’s theoretical, methodological, and practical challenges and critically evaluate the viability of these solutions. Purposive sampling gathered data from 213 positive psychology researchers and practitioners. Participants were familiarized with the main criticisms through a participatory online workshop and then engaged in small group discussions to generate potential solutions to such. Content analysis identified 16 themes and 37 categories of proposed solutions. While the proposed solutions showed promise, some appear idealistic given academic realities. This participatory study empowers positive psychologists to actively shape the evolution of their field through ongoing dialog, reflective co-creation and knowledge generation.
Journal article
The effects of employee dark triad traits and leadership styles on work-related outcomes in China: An agency-communion perspective.
Ma, G. X., Born, M. Ph., Petrou, P., & Bakker, A. B.
The Journal of Psychology Pages 1–25. https://doi.org/10.1080/00223980.2025.2485907
Abstract
This study investigated the effects of employees’ dark triad traits and leadership styles on employees’ work outcomes among Chinese employees (N?=?332). Four leadership scenarios were designed, based on a combination of leadership agency and communion, in order to capture goal-oriented and people-oriented leadership behaviors. Participants were randomly assigned to a leadership scenario and filled out a work-related questionnaire after reading it. We used hierarchical regression models to conduct the analyses. Next to significant direct effects of employees’ dark triad traits and leadership styles on work outcomes, there were significant interaction effects between employees’ Machiavellianism and leadership styles on their work outcomes. More specifically, compared to other leadership styles, high agency-low communion leadership was more likely to activate counterproductive work behavior (CWB) and emotional exhaustion among Machiavellians. No interaction effects occurred for narcissism and psychopathy.
Journal article
Understanding church-led adolescent and youth sexual reproductive health (AYSRH) interventions within the framework of church beliefs and practices in South Africa: A qualitative study.
Magezi, V., Hoffman, J., Leeson, G.W.
Healthcare Vol 13, Issue 907, Pages 1-22. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13080907
Abstract
The existing literature often oversimplifies the complex relationship between religion and Adolescent and Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health (AYSRH), particularly regarding church-based interventions. This study aimed to investigate the nature and implementation strategies of church AYSRH programmes within their belief systems to inform effective programme development. Methodology: An interpretive descriptive design was employed. Data were collected in the Vaal Triangle region of South Africa (Vanderbijlpark, Vereeniging, and Sasolburg) between August 2019 and February 2020. In-depth interviews were conducted with pastors, government officials, and school principals. Focus group discussions were held with parent and youth church groups alongside youth groups from Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges. Data were analyzed using Atlas.ti v.23. Results. Results: Church-based AYSRH interventions primarily emphasize information provision and abstinence until marriage, aligned with prevailing moral values. These interventions are delivered through integration into existing church programmes and collaborations with external stakeholders for specialized areas like contraception. Limitations identified included ineffectiveness, superficiality, impracticality, tensions between religious doctrine and lived realities, a reductionist focus, a singular information-sharing approach, and limited pastor understanding and openness regarding AYSRH. Conclusions: Churches possess valuable communication platforms and partnerships that could be leveraged for AYSRH interventions. However, this study highlights a one-sided focus on church teachings and significant tensions between idealized approaches and practical implementation, raising critical questions about the overall efficacy of church-led AYSRH projects. This research validates prior findings on church-based AYSRH interventions while offering nuanced insights and heuristic perspectives for a more comprehensive and less simplistic understanding of church-driven AYSRH services.
Journal article
Effects of weekly levels of supervisor support and workload on next week levels of well-being, satisfaction, and performance as mediated by weekend work recovery.
Cheyroux, P., S. Morin, A. J., Colombat, P., Blechman, Y., & Gillet, N.
Stress and Health Vol 41, Issue 2, Pages e3520. https://doi.org/10.1002/smi.3520
Abstract
This diary study sought to examine the direct and indirect effects of individuals' perceptions of supervisor support and workload during a work week (week 1) on their well?being, satisfaction, and performance at work during the following work week (week 2) as mediated through the quality of their weekend work recovery experiences (psychological detachment, relaxation, mastery, and control) and sleep quantity. Moreover, we also investigated the possible interaction between supervisor support and workload in the prediction of weekend recovery experiences and sleep quantity. A sample of 90 second?year nursing students taking part in a professional internship completed self?report questionnaires after each of their five working days during week 1 (i.e., supervisor support and workload), then at the end of the day for 2 days during the weekend (i.e., recovery experiences and sleep quantity), and finally after each of their five working days during week 2 (i.e., workplace well?being, performance, and satisfaction). Our results revealed indirect effects of supervisor support on workplace well?being and job satisfaction, as mediated by weekend recovery experiences. Workload was also associated with higher levels of sleep quantity during the weekend and had a direct negative association with the levels of satisfaction and well?being experienced during the following week. Furthermore, workload was associated with better weekend recovery experiences for participants exposed to low levels of supervisor support in week 1. Alternatively, the positive effects of supervisor support on weekend recovery experiences were attenuated as workload levels increased. Theoretical and practical implications of the present study are discussed.
Journal article
Commercial forensic interviewing in the South African context: The Ponaletso CFI framework.
Van Graan, C., Roos, V., & Katjene, M.
Journal of Financial Crime Vol 32, Issue 3, Pages 620-631. https://doi.org/10.1108/JFC-03-2024-0098
Abstract
Purpose – The continued prevalence of financial crime and the lack of effective commercial forensic interviewing strategies prompted the development, presented here, of a conceptual framework to explain the relational dynamics conducive to interactions during a commercial forensic interview (CFI). The purpose of this study is to present such a framework which may facilitate the process of obtaining admissible evidence in different forums.
Design/methodology/approach – A grounded theory approach was adopted to develop a conceptual framework, drawing on the findings of a scoping review, direct observations of interactions involving commercial forensic practitioners (FPs) and interviewees, and data obtained from semi-structured interviews, making use of critical realism as a meta-theoretical framework.
Findings – Data obtained from the review informed the integrated approach of the conceptual framework, thus combining the structure of the PEACE model and creating an optimal interpersonal context informed by the person-centred approach (PCA). Observational data were used to identify the relational qualities associated with the interpersonal styles (clusters of relational qualities) of FPs in the CFI context, thereby contributing to complex relational dynamics. Interview data were used both to describe effective and ineffective interpersonal styles and how they played out in the CFI with interviewees, yielding information that unfortunately proved not to be admissible in a legal context. The findings of the different phases indicated the need for an integrated conceptual approach, the Ponaletso CFI framework, which draws on the structure of the PEACE model and the PCA, as expressed in the relational qualities of interactional pattern analysis (IPA). The framework consists of the interview stage (before, during and after), the structure (phases) of the PEACE model, the type of questions (open- or closed-ended) according to the PCA, FPs’ interpersonal styles (clusters of relational qualities as explained by IPA) and the observable relational dynamics between FPs and interviewees. When FPs use the Ponaletso CFI framework, there is a greater likelihood of extracting admissible evidence because the interview is guided by a clear structure with a step-by-step questioning approach by FPs, while taking into consideration the relational dynamics to which they contribute.
Originality/value – The proposed conceptual framework considers relational dynamics and how FPs can navigate towards optimal relational dynamics in CFI contexts. FPs can apply the structure, ask appropriate questions at the relevant phases and observe the relational dynamics playing out in the interpersonal context of the CFI. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first attempt at creating an integrated interviewing framework for conducting CFIs aligned with the legal context in South Africa. Using the Ponaletso CFI framework may aid FPs in obtaining admissible evidence and facilitate an optimal interpersonal context during commercial forensic investigations while respecting interviewees’ constitutional rights.
Journal article
Happiness in South Africa.
Bothma, E. M., & Veenhoven, R.
International Journal of Happiness and Development Vol 8, Issue 4, Pages 410-422. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJHD.2024.144452
Abstract
Average happiness in South Africa is 5.9 on scale 0-10, which is in the lower middle rankings for nations. Average happiness has not increased in South Africa, while it has in most other nations of the world. Possible reasons are addressed. Although South Africans are discontent with their lives cognitively, they feel fairly well affectively, which pattern is also observed in other African nations. Inequality of happiness, as measured with the standard deviation, is high in South Africa and has not declined over time, as it has in most developed nations. Possible reasons are addressed. Correlates of happiness in South Africa differ in several respects from the pattern that is commonly observed in developed nations.
Journal article
Job demands-resources profiles and work capabilities: Effects on early childhood development practitioners’ functioning.
Ragadu, S.C., & Rothmann, S.
Early Childhood Education Journal Pages https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-025-01902-1
Abstract
This study examined the associations between early childhood development practitioners’ job demands-resources profiles, work capabilities, engagement, and intentions to leave. A cross-sectional survey was administered to a convenience sample (N = 426) of early childhood development practitioners in two provinces in South Africa. The Job Demands-Resources Scale (Rothmann et al., A psychometric evaluation of the job demands-resources scale in South Africa. SA Journal of Industrial Psychology, 32(4):76–86, 2006. https:// hdl. handle. net/ 10520/ EJC89 107), Capability Set for Work Questionnaire (Abma et al., Scandinavian Journal Work, Environment and Health 42:34–42, 2016), Work Engagement Scale (Rautenbach and Rothmann, Journal of Psychology in Africa 27:303–309, 2017), and Intention to Leave Scale (Sjöberg and Sverke, Scandinavian Journal of Psychology 41:247–252, 2000) were administered. Latent profile analyses resulted in four job demands-resources profiles: high demands-low resources (33.18%), moderate demands-high resources (17.17%), moderate demands-low job resources (30.39%), and moderate demands-moderate resources (19.3%). Early childhood practitioners who were in moderate demands high resources (rather than high demands-low resources or moderate demands-low job resources) jobs and had a robust capability set showed high work engagement and low intentions to leave their jobs. Job demands-resources profiles indirectly affected early childhood development practitioners’ work engagement and intentions to leave via their capability sets.
Journal article
Introduction to the best practice recommendations for longitudinal latent transition analysis.
Moore, E. W.G., Quartiroli, A., & Little, T. D.
International Journal of Psychology Vol 60, Issue 2, Pages e70021. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijop.70021
Abstract
The use of finite mixture models to identify a limited number of mutually exclusive latent (i.e., unknown) subgroups (i.e., classes or profiles) based on individuals' survey responses, observational and/or physiological values. Finite mixture modelling is also an active area of quantitative methodological research and advancement, which means best practices continue to evolve. This tutorial on latent transition analysis (LTA) is written to facilitate researchers using this modelling approach to answer research questions about transitions from membership in one latent class or profile construct to another latent class or profile construct rigorously and following best practices. This tutorial will cover the purpose, analysis steps, interpretation and recommended reporting practices for LTA. To increase the applicability and approachability of this LTA tutorial article example, three timepoint sport psychology data on the health behaviours of collegiate student-athletes, the Mplus syntax for the analysis and the decision process along with the results, tables and figures are included in the supplemental online materials.
Journal article
Mandated ideologies are harmful to social work practice and research.
Thyer, B. A.
Journal of Teaching in Social Work Vol 45, Issue 2, Pages 298–316. https://doi.org/10.1080/08841233.2025.2469561
Abstract
Social work education, practice and research is rightly composed of a wide variety of behavioral and social science theories, practice perspectives and models, and various ethical principles and values. Positions that lend themselves to empirical analysis will, over time and with appropriate research, sort themselves out into views that are credibly supported by those that have been reasonably refuted, and those which remain under-investigated. Occasionally, history tells legitimate research us, certain views become adopted with ideological certainty and are maintained to be settled science. When this occurs, critical analysis of established ideologies and theory is hindered and the field become stagnant, or rigidly adheres to official dogma in the face of increasing evidence that the favored ideology in incorrect. Examples of this can be found in diverse fields such as medicine and science. Sometimes, critics of mandated ideologies can be ostracized or otherwise punished. Recently, a number of theories and positions within social work have been elevated to the point of seemingly becoming mandated ideologies, positions to be challenged at one’s professional peril. Examples are given of some of these mandated ideologies, and it is urged that the professional refrain from continuing the practice of favoring certain views and theories over others. Critical analysis and extension of accepted knowledge is a hallmark of a viable science and practice, and we violate this principle at our peril.
Journal article
Revisiting Kernis’ contingent self-esteem scale: Scale improvement and development of a short (K-CSES-S) and very short version (K-CSES-VS).
Gilbert, W., Tóth-Király, I., Garn, A., & Morin, A.J.S.
Current Psychology Pages https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-025-07523-6
Abstract
The purpose of the present research was to revisit (i.e., simplify) the linguistic formulation of the original 15-item Kernis’ Contingent Self-Esteem Scale, to develop a short (K-CSES-S; 8 items) and a very short (K-CSES-VS; 3 items) versions of this scale, and to assess the psychometric properties (reliability, factor validity, and criterion-related validity) of these three scales. Across three distinct cross-sectional (Study 1: N = 170; Study 2: N = 354) and longitudinal (Study 3: N = 313) studies, the results first showed that the revised 15-item version was best represented by a bifactor-ESEM solution capturing one global factor and four specific factors. The short version was able to capture participants’ global levels of contingent self-esteem as well as a distinct measure of self-esteem resiliency and, to a lesser extent, specific contingencies. Finally, the very short version provided a clear unidimensional indicator of contingent self-esteem matching the theoretical underpinnings of the original scale. Scores on all three measures displayed evidence of measurement invariance across samples (workers/students), countries (Canada/US), and languages (English/French). Finally, we established the convergent and divergent validity of these scores in relation to a variety of covariates (i.e., self-esteem contingencies, neuroticism, self-concept, life satisfaction, positive and negative affect, psychological distress). Overall, we provide researchers and practitioners with psychometrically sound and reliable short measures of contingent self-esteem that can be used in contexts characterised with limited resources or other assessment-related challenges
Journal article
Happiness and productivity: a research synthesis using an online findings archive.
Fang, Y., Veenhoven, R. & Burger, M.J.
Management Review Quarterly Pages https://doi.org/10.1007/s11301-025-00492-x
Abstract
The ‘happy productive worker’ thesis (HPW) holds that the happiness of workers has a positive impact on their productivity. In this study, we take stock of the research findings about the relationship between happiness on the productivity of workers that have been collected in the World Database of Happiness. We considered both objectives and subjective productivity measures. In total, we drew on 33 studies that yielded 197 correlational findings over 27 countries and regions. The following questions were addressed: (1) Does happiness have a positive association with productivity? (2) Does the positive association between happiness and productivity differ across sectors and occupations? (3) Which component of happiness relates most to a productive workplace: how well a worker feels most of the time (the affective component) or the degree to which a worker feels able to get what they want from life (the cognitive or evaluative component)? (4) To what extent can we speak of a causal effect of happiness on productivity at work? Overall, the findings provide evidence of a positive relationship between happiness and productivity. The association between happiness and productivity at work differ across occupations and sectors and seems to be particularly strong for the affective component of happiness (how well a worker feels most of the time). More comparison studies are necessary to examine the relative importance of the affective and cognitive component. A causal effect of happiness on productivity is likely to exist but empirical evidence is thin on the ground.
Journal article
The political consequences of work: an integrative review.
Selenko, E., Schilbach, M., Brieger, S. A., Van Hootegem, A., & De Witte, H.
Journal of Management Pages https://doi.org/10.1177/01492063241301337
Abstract
Work experiences and political participation outside work are intrinsically linked. Management scholars have acknowledged the role that organizations play in shaping political behavior from a firm-level perspective, but the specific working conditions and how they translate into employee political participation and attitudes outside work remain poorly understood. This paper offers an interdisciplinary review of the empirical literature from the past 25 years across the management and political science disciplines. It examines how individual work-related experiences (broadly categorized into job content, working environment, employment characteristics, and social relations at work) relate to political engagement outside of work: political participation, political attitudes, political trust, and political values. The results show that enabling work experiences (e.g., more skill use, autonomy, higher income, more social interactions) and experiences that caused grievances (e.g., more job or financial insecurity) were both related to more political participation but differed in their effect on political trust and regarding political attitudes on economic and cultural issues. We also review the main theoretical explanations and consolidate contradictions. Finally, we propose a future research agenda, calling for the expansion of theoretical lenses, a focus on individual-level explanatory mechanisms, and more multilevel research.
Journal article
A longitudinal person-centered investigation of individual employees’ team boosting behaviors.
Gillet, N., Huyghebaert-Zouaghi, T., Diaz, C., & Morin, A. J.
Current Psychology Pages 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-025-07444-4
Abstract
Abstract This person-centered investigation sought to identify the nature of employees’ profiles of boosting behaviors (i.e., energizing, mood-enhancing, and uniting behaviors seeking to support the functioning of their team). We also examined the stability of these profiles over time, and of their associations with a series of predictors (i.e., availability expectations, social challenge stressors, telepressure, and harassment) and outcomes (i.e., affective commitment to the organization and to coworkers, and organizational citizenship behaviors directed towards individuals). We identified five distinct profiles among a sample of 415 employees who completed the same set of measures twice across a time interval of three months: Very Low Boosting Behaviors, High Boosting Behaviors, Low Boosting Behaviors, Very High Boosting Behaviors, and Average Boosting Behaviors. These profiles were moderately to highly stable over time. Social challenge stressors and telepressure were associated with a lower likelihood of membership into the Very Low Boosting Behaviors profile. All outcomes also differed across profiles, with the most adaptive outcomes being associated with the Very High Boosting Behaviors profile and the most maladaptive outcomes being associated with the Very Low Boosting Behaviors profile.
Journal article
A critical analysis of commercial forensic interviewing techniques applicable in a South African context
Van Graan, C., Roos, V. & Katjene, M.
Journal of Financial Crime Vol 32, Issue 1, Pages 3-17. https://doi.org/10.1108/JFC-09-2023-0234
Abstract
A significant increase in financial crime globally emphasises the importance of forensic interviewing to obtain useful and reliable information as part of a commercial forensic investigation. Previous research has identified two interviewing strategies that are aligned with the legal framework in South Africa: the PEACE model (P = preparation and planning; E = engage and explain; A = account, clarify and challenge; C = closure; E = evaluation) and the person-centred approach (PCA). The purpose of this paper is to explore the theoretical underpinnings and application of the PEACE model and the PCA as commercial investigative strategies aligned with the legal context in South Africa. A scoping review was undertaken to identify literature relevant to the theoretical assumptions and application of the PEACE model and the PCA. Literature for the most part reports on the PEACE model but offers very little information about the PCA. A critical analysis revealed that the PEACE model incorporates a clear guiding structure for eliciting information but lacks content needed to create an optimal interpersonal context. To promote this, the PCA proposes that interviewers demonstrate three relational variables: empathy, congruence and unconditional positive regard. The PCA suggests a basic structure for interviewing (beginning, middle and end), while providing very little guidance on how to structure the forensic interview and what information is to be elicited in each phase. Combining the PEACE model and PCA presents an integrated interviewing technique best suited for obtaining useful and reliable information admissible in a South African court of law. The PEACE model has a clear structure, and the PCA assists in creating an optimal interpersonal context to obtain information in an interview.
Journal article
Multi-target commitment profiles and their links to motivational orientation, turnover intentions, and personal adjustment: An investigation with Hong Kong teachers.
Meyer, J.P., Morin, A.J. & McInerney, D.M.
Current Psychology Pages https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-024-07235-3
Abstract
Employee commitment has long been recognized as a key to retaining employees within organizations and occupations. In some occupations, like teaching, commitment to both the organization and occupation are important. However, employees can develop several other work-related commitments that will also have implications for their career decisions and personal adjustment. The nature of the outcomes can depend on the ways in which these commitments are configured. In this cross-sectional study we conducted latent profile analyses (LPA) to identify distinct configurations of commitments to six targets (organization, occupation, supervisor, coworkers, students, career). Moreover, these LPA were estimated while differentiating between employees’ global and target-specific commitments in accordance with Perreira et al.’s (2018) hierarchical model of commitment. We identified five profiles, which demonstrated differential relations with organizational and occupational turnover intentions and personal adjustment (job satisfaction and well-being) as outcomes, and motivational orientations (task and interpersonal) as antecedents. The optimal profile from both a retention and adjustment perspective was characterized by a strong global commitment along with balanced commitments to the six specific targets. Employees reflecting this profile also reported high levels of both task and interpersonal orientation. The remaining prof iles with lower global commitment and differentiated commitments to specific targets demonstrated more varied relations with the outcomes and antecedents. Implications for multiple commitment theory and research are discussed along with implications for management.
Journal article
Emotional labour, burnout and work engagement amongst service centre employees in South Africa.
Erasmus, A., & Oosthuysen, E.
South African Journal of Human Resource Management Vol 23, Pages a2771. https://doi. org/10.4102/sajhrm. v23i0.2771
Abstract
Orientation: Transforming public service delivery is crucial for the South African government. Emotional labour (EL), managing emotions during client interactions, is essential in service centres. Research purpose: This study examined the relationship between EL, burnout and work engagement (WE) amongst service centre employees in a South African government organisation. Motivation for the study: South African government organisations, as sole service providers, require employees to deliver ‘service with a smile’. This increases mental workload and job stressors, leading to negative responses among service centre employees. Research approach/design and method: Cross-sectional, correlational and nonexperimental quantitative research design was used. The sample consisted of service centre employees in a government organisation. Main findings: The main findings indicated a positive correlation between EL and burnout, a negative correlation between burnout and work engagement and a negative correlation between EL and work engagement. These findings imply that higher EL leads to increased burnout, and reduces work engagement levels. Practical/managerial implications: Training on emotional regulation techniques could assist employees with effective emotional management, thereby reducing the negative impact of surface acting on mental well-being. Additionally, it is recommended that the organisation should focus on person–environment fit and personality traits during recruitment to minimise emotional dissonance and burnout amongst employees. Contribution/value-add: This study is the first of its kind in the South African government organisation and provides insight into the relationship between EL, burnout and work engagement of client service employees.
Journal article
The association between job design and organisational performance: the role of workforce engagement and burnout.
Akgul, K. L., De Winne, S., Van den Broeck, A., Baillien, E., Godderis, L., & De Feyter, T.
International Journal of Human Resource Management Pages 1–34. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2025.2451985
Abstract
Strategic Human Resource Management research generally focuses on a set of HR practices, thereby concealing single HR practices’ potential impact. This study examines whether – and, if so – how job design, an important HR practice, relates to organisational performance and whether a mutual gains, mutual loss or conflicting outcomes perspective holds. A multilevel moderation and mediation path analysis – underpinned by Job-Demands-Resources theory – was performed to test whether the workforce’s perceived job resources and job demands relate to labour productivity, via workforce well-being (i.e. workforce engagement and burnout). Analyses are based on an industry-wide sample of 187 organisations (and 33801 employees). Our findings show that job resources are positively (negatively) associated with engagement (burnout) and labour productivity. Job demands are positively related to burnout, but this relationship is buffered by job resources. Surprisingly, organisations with a highly engaged and/or a low burned-out workforce do not show higher labour productivity. Overall, findings suggest that the organisation and workforce benefit from high job resources, in line with the mutual gains (win-win) perspective. Results for job demands indicate, in line with a mutual loss (lose-lose) perspective, that nobody seems to benefit from high job demands. These findings create useful insights for research and practitioners.
Journal article
Capabilities, well-being and intention to leave of financial accounting students.
Van den Berg, E., & Rothmann, S.
South African Journal of Industrial Psychology Vol 50, Issue a2203, Pages 1=11. https://doi.org/10.4102/sajip.v50i0.2203
Abstract
Orientation: Student mental health and dropout, specifically in accounting education, is an important focus area for research. Research purpose: This study investigated financial accounting students’ capabilities, wellbeing and intention to leave a higher education institution. Motivation for the study: The well-being of financial accounting students in South Africa is crucial because of academic pressures, socio-economic challenges and employability concerns. Fostering students’ holistic development enhances academic performance and job readiness. However, there is a critical lack of understanding of the relationship between students’ capabilities, well-being and intention to leave. Addressing this gap is essential for creating inclusive support systems that promote students’ resilience, retention and long-term success. Research approach/design and method: A cross-sectional survey was used with a sample of 102 financial accounting students. The participants completed four measuring instruments: the Capability Set for Work Questionnaire, the Cynicism Scale of the Burnout Assessment Tool (BAT), the Mental Health Continuum – Short Form and the Intention to Leave the University. Main findings: The capability set of financial accounting students was negatively associated with cynicism and positively related to social well-being (SWB). High levels of cynicism and low emotional well-being (EWB) significantly impacted students’ intentions to leave. Finally, a strong capability set and low cynicism were associated with flourishing and a low intention to leave. Practical/managerial implications: Higher education institutions should enhance students’ capabilities by fostering knowledge application, meaningful relationships and valuable contributions to improve SWB and reduce cynicism. Prioritising EWB through intervention programmes is crucial for student retention. Contribution/value-add: This study’s findings provide scientific evidence of the relationship between capabilities, well-being and intention to leave among financial accounting students.
Journal article
Older women’s well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic: individual, community, and contextual factors.
Banda, A., Hoffman, J., & Roos, V.
Frontiers in Global Women’s Health Vol 5, Issue 1484469, Pages 1-13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fgwh.2024.1484469
Abstract
Objective: This article aims to examine the influence of individual and community-contextual factors on the well-being of older women in Zambia during the COVID-19 pandemic, drawing on Bronfenbrenner’s process person-context-time model. Methods: Secondary data from the nationally representative 2021 SEIA were used, and bivariate and logistic regression analyses were performed to determine factors associated with the well-being of older women during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: Overall, 29% (613) of older women reported a decline in their well-being due to COVID-19. Older women in rural areas had lower odds of well-being [Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) 0.607, 95% 0455,0.809]. At the individual level, the well-being of older women during COVID-19 was associated with age (AOR O.362, 95% CI: 0.190,0.689) and being in paid work (AOR 0.737, 95% CI: 0.552,0.984). Despite education having a strong relationship with well-being, it had a weak effect on the well-being of older women during COVID-19. Community-level factors significantly associated with the well-being of older women amidst COVID-19 included attendance at public gatherings (e.g., church meetings, funerals) (AOR 1.465, 95% CI: 1.139,1.885) and perceived fear or anxiety due to COVID-19 (AOR 0.522, 95% CI: 0.392,0.696). A significant contextual-level factor was access to transport services during the pandemic (AOR 0.589, 95% CI: 0.390,0.890). Conclusion: COVID-19 has exposed the inadequacy of systems at different levels in meeting the needs of older women and promoting their well-being during emergencies. At the individual level, there is a need to support older women’s livelihoods and educational opportunities. Despite limitations on social interactions during COVID-19, access to social gatherings and interactions supported older women’s well-being. However, this was hampered by fear of contracting COVID-19 and the limitations in public transport that compromised their mobility to access services and visit people. A more extensive analysis of individual, community, and contextual factors should identify factors that support or compromise the well-being of older women during emergencies or shocks. There is a need for information about what livelihood strategies during and/or post shocks, or critical events such as COVID-19 could sustainably support older women’s well-being.
Journal article
Work changes caused by the pandemic: A threat to identification and compliance with health regulations?
Selenko, E., Van Hootegem, A., Shoss, M., & De Witte, H.
Scandinavian Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology Vol 9, Pages 1–15. https://doi. org/10.16993/sjwop.278
Abstract
This paper investigates how changes to work (caused by the COVID-19 pandemic) and job insecurity relate to identification and subsequent compliance to public health mitigation guidelines. Specifically, we argue that job insecurity and certain changes to social contacts, workload and autonomy can be related to a lowered identification with the working population. Three-country survey data from Belgium, the UK and the US collected at the height of the pandemic supports that people who reported changes that were in line with what most people experienced (e.g., a decrease in social contacts at work) and changes that symbolised more importance (e.g., an increase in workload due to the pandemic) identified more strongly with the working population. Higher job insecurity was associated with less identification with the working population. Changes to autonomy did not play a role. Identification with the working population was related to higher compliance with national COVID-19 health guidelines. A 2SLS instrumental variable estimation controlled for endogeneity issues and confirmed the relationship between identification and health compliance. The study brings important general lessons for the societal impact of work-related changes and discusses applications beyond the pandemic context.
Journal article
A systematic review and a comprehensive approach to PhD students' wellbeing.
Martínez-García, I., De Witte, H., García-Martínez, J., & Cano-García, F. J.
Applied Psychology: Health and Well-being Vol 16, Pages 1565–1583. https://doi.org/10.1111/aphw.12541
Abstract
The pursuit of a doctoral degree is a challenging process that can have a negative impact on the wellbeing of PhD students. Therefore, the aim here is to offer a systematic review of the current state of the literature on wellbeing among PhD students and the variables it involves in order to build an integrative model that will enrich future research. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology for systematic reviews has been used to lay out the process in a flow diagram. We systematically review studies up to 2021 (N?=?38) published on the Web of Science and SCOPUS databases. The results show the current state of the literature on wellbeing in PhD students, the characteristics of the studies (location, study design, and sample), how the literature defines the concept, the variables involved, the study limitations, and future perspectives to improve the quality of life of doctoral students. Finally, a comprehensive approach to the topic is presented in an integrative model that encompasses all variables identified in the literature and offers a guide for future research.
Journal article
On the nature, predictors, and outcomes of work passion profiles: A generalisability study across distinct types of employees.
Gillet, N., Morin, A. J. S., Brault, S., Becker, M., & Verbeke, I.
Stress and Health Issue e3495. , Pages https://doi.org/10.1002/smi.3495
Abstract
Thus far, little research has adopted a person-centred approach to investigate the nature of work passion profiles. As a result, our understanding of the most commonly occurring combinations of harmonious passion (HP) and obsessive passion (OP) in the workplace remains limited. To achieve a more refined understanding of the nature of these work passion profiles, our first aim was thus to identify the configurations of HP and OP for work observed among five samples, including 11 subsamples, of employees (N = 7258). Then, we also considered the extent to which these profiles and their associations with theoretically-relevant predictors (work-home segmentation and organisational support) and outcomes (work engagement, work-family conflict, turnover intentions, presenteeism, and counterproductive work behaviours) generalised across all subsamples. We identified a total of five profiles with a structure that differed slightly across samples: High OP Dominant, High HP Dominant, Average HP Dominant, Low HP Dominant (i.e., low levels of passion dominated by higher levels of HP relative to OP), and Moderately Low Passion. The High OP Dominant profile was systematically the most prevalent (37.5%–54.1% of the sample), whereas the High HP Dominant was the least prevalent (2.1%–7.7%). Across all samples, work-home segmentation was related to a higher likelihood of membership into the profiles characterised by higher, relative to lower or moderate, levels of passion (HP and OP), whereas organisational support also helped employees to stay away from the High OP Dominant profile. Lastly, the least desirable outcomes were observed in the High OP Dominant profile, whereas the most desirable outcomes were observed in the High HP Dominant profile. Interestingly, work engagement levels where comparable in these two profiles. Beyond their theoretical implications for research on work passion, these results highlight how work passion has highly similar implications across contexts.
Journal article
Assessing health technology implementation during academic research and early-stage development: support tools for awareness and guidance: A review.
Roosink, M., van Gemert-Pijnen, L., Verdaasdonk, R., & Kelders, S. M.
Frontiers in Digital Health Vol 6, Issue 1386998, Pages 1-16. https://doi.org/10.3389/fdgth.2024.1386998
Abstract
For successful health technology innovation and implementation it is key to, in an early phase, understand the problem and whether a proposed innovation is the best way to solve the problem. This review performed an initial exploration of published tools that support innovators in academic research and early stage development with awareness and guidance along the end-to-end process of development, evaluation and implementation of health technology innovations. Tools were identified from scientific literature as well as in grey literature by non-systematic searches in public research databases and search engines, and based on expert referral. A total number of 14 tools were included. Tools were classified as either readiness level tool (n = 6), questionnaire/checklist tool (n=5) or guidance tool (n = 3). A qualitative analysis of the tools identified 5 key domains, 5 innovation phases and 3 implementation principles. All tools were mapped for (partially) addressing the identified domains, phases, and principles. The present review provides awareness of available tools and of important aspects of health technology innovation and implementation (vs. nontechnological or non-health related technological innovations). Considerations for tool selection include for example the purpose of use (awareness or guidance) and the type of health technology innovation. Considerations for novel tool development include the specific challenges in academic and early stage development settings, the translation of implementation to early innovation phases, and the importance of multi-disciplinary strategic decision-making. A remaining attention point for future studies is the validation and effectiveness of (self-assessment) tools, especially in the context of support preferences and available support alternatives.
Journal article
Development of the Compassionate Technology Scale for Professionals (CTS-P): value driven evaluation of digital mental health interventions.
van Lotringen, C. M., ten Klooster, P. M., Austin, J., Westerhof, G. J., Kelders, S. M., & Noordzij, M. L.
BMC Digital Health Vol 2, Issue 77, Pages 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1186/s44247-024-00132-6
Abstract
Background: Compassion is an essential and beneficial value in mental healthcare. However, how digital mental health interventions influence compassion in treatment has not been systematically investigated, due to the lack of appropriate measurement instruments. To address this gap, we developed the Compassionate Technology Scale for Professionals (CTS-P), aimed at mental health professionals. Methods: We used Q-methodology, a method that combines quantitative and qualitative analysis to explore shared viewpoints on a particular topic, to select and refine items. Participants were 15 professionals from different areas of mental healthcare. In individual sessions, while thinking aloud, they sorted 35 statements on relevance for evaluating technology use on compassion. The statements were based on a scientific conceptualization of compassion with five elements. The sorting task was followed by a short interview to explore participants’ associations with compassion and technology. Results: With by-person factor analysis, we found three different viewpoints among participants, all with eigenvalues > 1 and with a total explained variance of 63.02%. We selected prioritized items of each viewpoint and for each theoretical element of compassion, resulting in a full scale (15 items) and a short scale (3 items). Based on qualitative input from participants, the scale was adapted to clarify its focus and the wording of items. While thinking aloud, participants shared benefits and critical notes regarding technology and compassion. Discussion Together with key stakeholders, we developed the CTS-P. Most participants prioritized the potential of technology to obtain more information and be closer to their client in facilitating compassion. The main critical note participants had was that technology is not necessary to support compassion at the therapist’s experiential level. This emphasizes the need to further explore how mental health professionals and technology can complement each other in a system of compassionate care. Future research should explore the factor structure, validity, and reliability of the scale through psychometric validation.
Journal article
What does it mean to be engaged with digital health interventions? A qualitative study into the experiences of engaged users and the views of professionals.
Kelders, S. M., Kip, H., Beerlage-de Jong, N., & Köhle, N.
Digital Health Vol 10, Pages 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1177/20552076241283530
Abstract
Objective: Digital health interventions (DHIs) hold promise for influencing health behaviors positively, but their widespread implementation and effectiveness remain limited. Engagement is crucial for DHI effectiveness, yet its conceptualization is debated. This qualitative study explores engagement from user and professional perspectives. Methods: Twenty self-proclaimed engaged health app users participated in semistructured interviews, and 13 professionals working with DHIs completed an online survey. Results: Interviews with health app users revealed three key components of their sense of engagement: behavioral, cognitive, and affective. Behavioral engagement includes routine, effortless, and dynamic usage; emphasizing the importance of the quality of fit between user and technology over frequency of use. Cognitive engagement encompasses the technology’s utility as a tool for supporting behavior change, providing new insights, and enhancing motivation. Affective engagement involves enjoying progress, deriving pleasure from using the technology, and identifying with the technology. Notably, participants exhibited varying emphasis on these components. Professionals, in a parallel inquiry, agreed on the relevance of behavior, cognition, and affect in defining engagement. In their understanding, behavioral engagement is often associated with adherence and frequency of use, while cognitive engagement emphasizes understanding, motivation, and achieving cognitive outcomes. Affective engagement, although diverse, is recognized as a critical dimension. In addition, it was noticeable that users and professionals perceived microengagement (with the DHI) and macroengagement (with the target behavior) as interconnected. Conclusion: To conclude, this study contributes a nuanced understanding of the multifaceted nature of engagement, informing future measurement of the concept, DHI design, and implementation strategies for improved user experiences and outcomes.
Journal article
Tasks at hand or more challenges: The roles of regulatory focus and job insecurity in predicting work behaviors.
Tu, Y., Wang, H.J., Jiang, L., De Witte, H., Long, L.
Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology Vol 97, Pages 1632-1658. https://doi.org/10.1111/joop.12533
Abstract
Previous studies have explored the effects of trait regulatory focus on routine performance and proactive behaviour yet failed to reveal the underlying motivational mechanisms and investigate how these effects may operate in uncertain environments. To fill this gap, our study first draws upon regulatory focus theory to examine the motivational mechanisms linking trait regulatory focus with routine performance and challenge-seeking behaviour (i.e., a type of proactive behaviour). We hypothesize that trait prevention focus improves routine performance but reduces challenge-seeking behaviour via avoidance motivation, whereas trait promotion focus increases routine performance and challenge-seeking behaviour through approach motivation. Incorporating trait activation theory, we further theorize that uncertainty that threatens individuals' security needs (i.e., quantitative job insecurity) strengthens trait prevention focus effects, while uncertainty that threatens individuals' growth needs (i.e., qualitative job insecurity) weakens trait promotion focus effects. Analysing two-wave data from 275 employees and 58 supervisors, we found that (a) trait prevention focus had an unconditional positive indirect effect on employee self-reported routine performance via increased avoidance motivation and (b) trait promotion focus had positive indirect effects on employee self-reported and supervisor-rated routine performance and challenge-seeking behaviour via enhanced approach motivation, with these effects stronger at lower levels of qualitative job insecurity.
Journal article
“Nursing my own work destiny”: A concept analysis of basic psychological need crafting.
Kotze, R., Van der Vaart, L. & Oosthuysen, E.
Nursing Forum Vol 1, Issue 6894631, Pages 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1155/2024/6894631
Abstract
Background: Need crafting is becoming increasingly important in research and nursing practice. Nurses who engage in need crafting may experience optimal mental health because of the optimal satisfaction of basic psychological needs. Purpose: The concept is not well defined in the work context, and this study aimed to clarify and develop it further. Following Walker and Avant’s procedure, we systematically analyzed the concept. We also constructed model, borderline, and contrary cases relevant to the nursing context. Methods: The authors searched Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and Scopus—using primary and secondary search terms—and identified English records published from 2010 to 2022.
Results: Need crafting is defined as a proactive, self-directed process in which employees make behavioural or cognitive changes or seek environments that affect their need-based experiences in the work environment. When crafting, employees would also consider whether an approach (to satisfy the need for autonomy, competence, and relatedness) or avoidance (to avoid frustration with the need for autonomy, competence, and relatedness) is necessary. Need crafting involves intentional thought or action to optimize need-based experiences in a personalized and unique way. This approach emphasizes a proactive stance toward need fulfilment at work. The concept analysis (CA) also yielded antecedents (at the individual, team/group, leadership, and organizational/contextual levels) and consequences (from effective, behavioural, and cognitive perspectives) of need crafting. Conclusion: This CA has significantly clarified the construct of need crafting within the work context and provided a deeper understanding of its specific application in nursing. By establishing a robust conceptual foundation, this study offers valuable insights for both researchers and practitioners, contributing to a broader work context and, more specifically, to nursing management. These insights have important implications for enhancing nurses’ well-being and, ultimately, the quality of healthcare delivery.
Journal article
Job insecurity and (un)sustainable well-being: unravelling the dynamics of work, career, and life outcomes from a within-person perspective
Urbanaviciute, I., Massoudi, K., & De Witte, H.
European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology Vol 33, Issue 5, Pages 658-670. https://doi.org/10.1080/1359432X.2024.2370666
Abstract
The present study investigates longitudinal relationships between job insecurity and a set of work, career, and life outcomes. Using an integrative theoretical framework that combines the principles of conservation of resources and sustainable career development, we aim to unravel the scope and dynamics of stressor-strain pathways that undermine employee well-being in these domains. To that end, latent curve modelling with structured residuals was performed on a large heterogeneous sample (N = 1134) of individuals living and working in Switzerland. Based on seven annual measurement points, the results revealed yearly within-person dynamics through which job insecurity may hinder sustainable well-being in different areas of life. Furthermore, our findings allow for contrasting short-term (yearly) versus longterm (7-year) effects. They uncover potential protective mechanisms through which between-person differences in the initial levels of sustainable well-being resources might mitigate the risks of being increasingly exposed to job insecurity over time, as reflected in within-person growth patterns. Research, policy, and practical implications are discussed based on these findings.
Journal article
An inconvenient truth: A comprehensive examination of the added value (or lack thereof) of leadership measures.
Evaa, N., Howarda, J.L., Liden, R.C., Morin, A.J.S. & Schwarze, G.
Journal of Management Studies Pages https://doi:10.1111/joms.13156
Abstract
The leadership literature encompasses a bewildering array of leadership styles, with most studies focussing on the nature and consequences of a single leadership style in isolation. This isolationist approach has led researchers to mostly ignore the similarities between supposedly different leadership styles, and few studies have examined these overlaps empirically. To understand the extent of this problem, we use bifactor exploratory structural equation modelling to examine whether 12 dominant leadership measures capture shared variance and whether any variance unique to a particular style is related to theoretically and empirically established covariates. Moreover, we explore what the shared variance of these leadership measures may represent. Across seven samples, five countries, multiple organizational contexts, and 4000 respondents, the 12 leadership measures shared significant amounts of variance and did not systematically capture unique leadership-related variance. Further analyses indicated this shared variance mainly represented the affective quality of the leader–follower relationship. The results reveal an inconvenient truth for leadership researchers who wish to differentiate styles, as the styles have much more in common than differences. Contrasting with previous recommendations to refine styles, we argue that a taxonomic leadership behaviour categories approach to leadership research is the most parsimonious way forward.
Journal article
Developmental heterogeneity of school burnout across the transition from upper secondary school to higher education: A 9-year follow-up study.
Nadon, L., Morin, A. J., Gilbert, W., Olivier, E., & Salmela-Aro, K.
Journal of School Psychology Vol 107, Issue 101385, Pages https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsp.2024.101385
Abstract
This study utilized piecewise linear growth mixture analysis to examine the developmental heterogeneity of school burnout among a sample of 513 (67.6% females) Finnish students as they transitioned from upper secondary school to higher education (ages 17–25 years). Encompassing five measurement points (two before the transition and three after), our results revealed four distinct burnout trajectory profiles, including (a) High and Decreasing (Profile 1), (b) Moderate and Decreasing (Profile 2), (c) Low and Increasing (Profile 3), and (d) Low and Stable (Profile 4). High initial levels of self-esteem and mastery-extrinsic goals served as personal resources and high-performance goals served as personal risk factors, making students more likely to belong to more (i.e., Profile 4) or less (e.g., Profile 1) adaptive profiles of burnout trajectories, respectively. Profile 4 displayed the lowest and most stable levels of burnout, thus protecting students from adverse outcomes like school dropout, underachievement, and substance use. Conversely, Profile 1 displayed the highest and least stable levels of burnout and was associated with higher risk of burnout, lower academic achievement, greater alcohol use and problems, and higher drug use relative to the other trajectory profiles. Together, these findings offer novel person-centered, longitudinal insight into the developmental heterogeneity of burnout across the transition to higher education and lend support for the self-equilibrium hypothesis in the context of school burnout. Importantly, our results underscore the importance of early intervention efforts aimed at increasing mastery goals and self-esteem to prevent burnout and its associated consequences.
Journal article
Adjustment experiences of adolescents living with well-controlled Type 1 diabetes using closed-loop technology.
Kruger, S., Deacon, E., Van Rensburg, E., & Segal, D.
Frontiers in Clinical Diabetes and Healthcare-Diabetes Clinical Epidemiology Vol 5, Issue 1445972, Pages 1-13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcdhc.2024.1445972
Abstract
Aim: This study aimed to obtain an in-depth understanding of the experiences of adolescents with well-controlled type 1 diabetes who were adjusting to closed-loop technology. Method: Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was conducted. Five participants (aged 15–18) were recruited from the Centre for Diabetes and Endocrinology in Parktown, South Africa, to participate in semi-structured interviews about their experiences of adjusting to closed-loop technology. Results: Five superordinate themes emerged (1): learning to trust the technology (2), making diabetes visible (3), building a relationship with diabetes (4), empowering support networks, and (5) transformative positive outcomes. The findings demonstrate that closed-loop technology positively impacts the adjustment to living with type 1 diabetes. However, as highlighted by all participants, the individual’s engagement and management are crucial. Based on the adolescents’ experiences, interventions should focus on psychological factors.
Journal article
Maslach Burnout Inventory – General Survey: A systematic review and meta-analysis of measurement properties.
De Beer, L., van der Vaart, L., Schwarz, M.E., De Witte, H., & Schaufeli, W.
European Journal of Psychological Assessment Vol 40, Issue 5, Pages 360-375. https://doi.org/10.1027/1015-5759/a000797
Abstract
This study sought to investigate the measurement properties of a “gold standard” instrument for measuring burnout, the Maslach Burnout Inventory – General Survey (MBI-GS), with a systematic literature review and meta-analysis of studies that had as the primary aim its psychometric validation. The search spanned from January 1996 to December 2022 using the following databases: Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, APA PsychINFO, ScienceDirect, and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global. Our search identified 35 eligible studies for inclusion in the systematic review. Of these, 17 were included in the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis of the original 16-item version studies supported a three-dimensional representation of burnout with modest internal consistencies. However, similar to the narrative findings, it also indicated the viability of a two-factor solution. Consequently, the structural validity of the MBI-GS remains unclear, and so does its cross-cultural validity. The criterion validity of the cynicism and personal efficacy scales also raised a few questions. Overall, the findings provided some support for the adequacy of the measurement properties of the MBI-GS as a research tool measuring exhaustion, cynicism, and professional efficacy. However, we also identified challenges and practices of which researchers should be cognisant and that they should consider in future burnout projects.
Journal article
When researching among women in selected African initiated Apostolic Churches in Zimbabwe: The case of Johanne Marange Apostolic Church.
Mabvurira, V., & Lalla, V.
African Journal of Gender, Society and Development Vol 13, Issue 3, Pages 291-303. https://doi.org/10.31920/2634-3622/2024/v13n3a14
Abstract
Several scholars in the global north and global south have been advocating for the decolonisation of social research methods. Western hegemony has often conquered methods of social inquiry used in Africa. This is even though such methods of inquiry may not be appropriate in African contexts. The way researchers interact with the researched must respect the cultures of the later. This article suggests a contextual approach to social research among women in the Johanne Marange Apostolic Church in Zimbabwe. Generally, women in most African cultural contexts and certain apostolic churches have a low social status compared to their male counterparts. They lack the freedom to make certain decisions, including the decision to participate in research without approval from their partners or other male authority figures in their lives. It is often not easy to target a woman as a unit of social inquiry as some men may not be at liberty to have their wives interviewed without their involvement, especially when the interviewer is a man. This study employed narrative review as its methodology, and the data was analysed using content analysis. The article explored the social and spiritual position of women in the Johanne Marange Apostolic Church and demonstrated how these may influence research processes. It proposes strategies for gaining access to research areas, how to best collect data, and seeking informed consent when collecting data from subordinated women in the Johanne Marange Apostolic Church. We also encourage researchers to try to understand apostolic beliefs and worldviews as they have a bearing on the vulnerability of women who partake in research studies.
Journal article
Promoting sustainable well-being: Burnout and engagement in South African learners.
Bekker, C., Rothmann, S., Kloppers, M. & Chen, S.
Sustainability Vol 16, Issue 8518, Pages 1-17. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16198518
Abstract
This study aimed to analyze the latent profiles of burnout and engagement of learners and to investigate differences between these profiles regarding demographic and contextual variables and academic boredom. The findings have practical implications for educators and professionals in the fields of education and psychology. Grade 9 and 10 South African learners (N = 544) studying English and Mathematics as school subjects participated in the study. Five learner burnout and engagement profiles were identified: healthy engaged (10.66%), moderately balanced (27.57%), slightly disengaged (30.7%), moderately burned-out (20.4%), and burned-out (10.66%). Academic boredom in Mathematics and English was linked to burnout-engagement profiles. The healthy engaged and moderately balanced profiles exhibited significantly lower academic boredom levels in both subjects than the other profiles. Positive relationships with teachers and interest in the subject were crucial across all profiles to diminish academic boredom and enhance engagement, especially in English. Various demographic and contextual variables were associated with burnout-engagement profiles. Home study environments, nurturing positive teacher-learner relationships, and fostering intrinsic interest in subjects can enhance engagement and mitigate burnout in secondary school learners. Sustainable interventions could be created by teachers or researchers, implemented by schools, and taken up in important policies within South Africa, showcasing how the SGDs of improved health and well-being and delivering quality education could be achieved.
Journal article
From employee socialization to co-evolution: A lifespan multidisciplinary conceptualization.
Houle, S. A., Morin, A. J., Vandenberghe, C., Tóth?Király, I., & Fernet, C.
Applied Psychology: An International Review Vol 74, Issue e12572, Pages 1-41. https://doi.org/10.1111/apps.12572
Abstract
Various theories have highlighted how employees evolve in their organization and how organizations influence this process, but only portray part of the complex relations among these interacting social entities. We thus propose a meta-theory to unify these multiple theories, including symbolic interactionism, employee/organizational socialization theory, human resource management (HRM) systems theory, cultural consensus theory, and self-determination theory. This integration seeks to increase our understanding of the coevolution process unfolding over time between individuals and the organizations to which they belong. We first propose a multilevel expansion of the symbolic interactionist framework typically used to described employee socialization. In doing so, we integrate organizational culture, climate, identity, image, reputation, and HRM systems as distinct meso-social phenomena that can be simultaneously considered in the coevolution process and themselves be influenced by macro-social processes. We then outline how this proposed framework can explain the dynamic co-evolution occurring between employees and the organization, hoping to spur research on the improvement of social entities through psychological means.
Journal article
Reviewing identity development in young people living with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus.
De Klerk, E., Deacon, E., & van Rensburg, E.
Journal of Adolescence Pages 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1002/jad.12412
Abstract
Introduction: Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM) is a chronic condition increasing among young people. Identity development occurs during an individual's life and can be significantly influenced by a chronic disease such as T1DM. We have critically reviewed the relevant scientific literature to understand young people's identity development with T1DM. Methods: A critical review design was employed to answer the research question: What does scientific literature state regarding identity development in young people living with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus?” Numerous databases were searched to include the most relevant scientific literature to answer the research questions. Boolean operator phrases were ultimately used to search for the literature. The initial screening produced 1319 scientific literature, among which seven articles were analyzed thematically. Results: Analysis revealed several significant themes: The identity of young people with T1DM develops differently from those without this chronic condition; young people can either incorporate or contain their T1DM in their identity development, highlighting the complex nature of this process; and numerous external factors significantly influence identity development in young people living with a chronic condition such as T1DM. Conclusion: The study underscores that identity develops differently in young people living with T1DM than in those without chronic conditions. However, the existing studies and literature exploring the experiences of young people living with T1DM have relied on information from caregivers and health professionals. This reliance on secondary sources underscores the urgent need for more research to obtain data from young people living with T1DM as a primary source. Such a shift in research practices is crucial to gaining a more comprehensive and accurate understanding of their experiences.
Journal article
A sociotechnical system perspective on AI.
Kudina, O., & van de Poel, I.
Minds and Machines Vol 34, Issue 21, Pages https://doi.org/10.1007/s11023-024-09680-2
Abstract
The aim of this special issue is to provide a sociotechnical system perspective on Artificial Intelligence (AI). Discussions on AI still often focus on the technology itself rather than on the broader systems in which it functions. This is even true when it comes to the social and ethical issues raised by AI. For example, people often talk about fair algorithms or explainable AI, as if fairness and explainability depend solely on the technology and not also on the broader sociotechnical systems in which AI technologies are embedded.
Journal article
Understanding adaptive competencies of a woman in her 80s: Toward the development of therapeutic guidelines.
Roos, V.
In M. Coetzee, I.L. Potgieter, & N. Ferreira (Eds.), Psychology of retention: Theory, research and practice Pages 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1080/02703149.2024.2390307
Abstract
This article describes the adaptive competencies of an older woman who lived well into her 80s in deprived environments, to serve as a basis for developing therapeutic guidelines for older individuals in contexts of adversities. This retrospective, instru¬mental case study draws on the theoretical lens offered by the person-environment-fit (PEF) framework in the context of adap¬tive aging. Multiple data sources (Mmogo-method1—a visual projective technique—interviews and extant texts) yielded tex-tual and visual data which were analyzed to present a case record and relevant themes. Personal competencies that enabled this woman’s adaptation were industriousness, courageous and generous caring, and agency. Four types of relationships and associated competencies emerged: ancestral heritage (being rooted), peer group (mobilizing resources), intergenerational (being concerned for continuity), and spiritual (having a commitment script). Therapeutic guidelines for older women include: using a life story approach to identify the nature (flexible/rigid) of the environments and older women’s adaptive competencies; assessing the different environments (e.g. physical, relational) to determine the focus of intervention; challenging unfair social practices; and supporting older women’s agency and active par¬ticipation to adapt to ‘unfit’ environments while also being aware of what additional complementary support/protection older women would need to embrace adaptive aging.
Journal article
Nurses’ early career organizational and occupational commitment trajectories: A dual target growth mixture investigation.
Houle, S.A., Morin, A.J.S. & Fernet, C.
Journal of Business and Psychology Vol 39, Pages 1127–1162. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10869-024-09934-x
Abstract
This study was designed to document the development of nurses’ affective commitment to their occupation and organization during the first five years of their career, as well as the connections between these two types of commitment trajectories. We also considered the associations between these early trajectories, nurses’ levels of psychological need satisfaction, and the quality of their early socialization. We finally investigated the implications of these trajectories for nurses’ work satisfaction, psychological distress, somatization, and patient care quality. Relying on a sample of 659 newly registered nurses (Mage?=?26.8; 88% females) measured four times over a two-year period, we relied on growth mixture analyses to assess the shape of their commitment trajectories defined as a function of tenure. These analyses revealed four profiles, similar across targets of commitment: High, Moderate, Low and Increasing, and Average/Low and Decreasing. For both targets, higher levels of commitment were anchored in more stable trajectories, and with better functioning across outcomes. Need fulfilment and socialization experiences helped drive more desirable trajectories and provided short-term boosts in commitment. Overall, we found more similarities than differences between both forms of commitment, and noted that nurturing one type of commitment seemed to help develop the other.
Journal article
An empirical investigation of ethnic-cultural procedural fairness effects and their boundary conditions among three societal groups in South Africa
Dierckx, K., Rothmann, I., Swart, H., Du Plessis, M., Valcke, B., Esterhuizen, S., Kloppers, M., Mynhardt, E., Ndlovu, S.G. Sekwena, E.K., & Van Hiel, A.
Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies Pages 1-26. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369183X.2024.2402066
Abstract
Ethnic-cultural procedural fairness refers to the perception that societal actors use fair and unbiased procedures to make decisions vis-à-vis one’s ethnic-cultural group. Prior research using ethnic-cultural minority samples has convincingly shown that such perceptions are associated with a range of desirable outcomes. Yet, this body of evidence has so far limited its scope to European and North American samples. Moreover, more research is needed on the underlying psychological processes. Therefore, the central aim of the present study was to investigate ethnic-cultural procedural fairness effects among three societal groups in South Africa. In Study 1 (N = 326 black South Africans), we observed relationships between ethnic-cultural fairness perceptions and positive institutional and intergroup attitudes. Institutional and social trust respectively mediated these associations. Study 2 (N = 747) replicated these findings among white (n = 595), but not among coloured South Africans (n = 152). Notably, across both studies, we also obtained evidence for moderation. That is, procedural fairness effects on institutional attitudes were significantly smaller among socioeconomically burdened black participants, and procedural fairness effects on intergroup attitudes were fully curbed among white participants who reported high levels of perceived group discrimination. Taken together, our results call for enhanced attention to procedural fairness obstacles outside of typical WEIRD settings.
Journal article
Individual cognitive empowerment and in-role performance: A matched-pair study.
Kimpah, J., Rothmann, S., Ibrahim, H.I., Jaaffar, A.H., Vinahapsari, C.A., Wider, W. & Naces Udang, L.
Frontiers in Psychology Vol 15, Issue 1402029, Pages https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1402029
Abstract
The study examines the model fit of individual cognitive empowerment, which includes psychological and environmental factors, and investigates the direct effect of environmental empowerment specifically work methods, work criteria, and work schedules on in-role performance in Malaysia’s Electrical and Electronic (E&E) manufacturing firms. Data were obtained from 173 engineers and 173 managers, matched in pairs, who have worked together for at least 1?year in 73 E&E manufacturing firms. The study found that the model fit of psychological and environmental factors is stronger for individual cognitive empowerment. Work methods show a positive direct effect on in-role performance. However, work schedules and work criteria do not appear to have a direct effect on in-role performance. This study highlights the importance of considering work methods in the engagement between engineer and manager pairs in the E&E manufacturing sector to enhance in-role performance.
Journal article
Exploring the thoughts, emotions, and behaviours related to the self-management practices of adults with type 2 diabetes.
Visagie, E., Deacon, E., & Kok, R.
Health Psychology Open Vol 11, Pages https://doi.org/10.1177/2055102924127897
Abstract
This qualitative research study explored the thoughts, emotions, and behaviours of adults aged between 35 and 45 who managed their type 2 diabetes effectively and adults who struggled with diabetes self-management in a South African setting. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 adults who engaged in either successful self-management or who struggled with self-management. Effective management was characterised by an HbA1c level of 8% or lower. This group comprised of nine individuals. The participants who faced challenges with self-management had HbA1c levels ranging between 10% and 14%. This group consisted of eight participants. The data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis, and four main themes were identified: the emotional experience, prominent cognitions, practising acceptance and the mechanisms of behavioural change. These themes identified key determinants of individuals’ self-management practices and can contribute to providing information for future cognitive behaviour therapy interventions to be developed that target specific components to improve self-management practices.
Journal article
Subordinates' perceptions of the need-supportive, need-thwarting, and need-indifferent behaviors used by their supervisors: A person-centered investigation.
Huyghebaert-Zouaghi, T., Morin, A. J., Ntoumanis, N., Thomas, J., & Gillet, N.
Applied Psychology: An International Review Pages https://doi.org/10.1111/apps.12573
Abstract
Adopting a recent tripartite operationalization of subordinates' perceptions of their supervisors' behaviors, anchored in self-determination theory (SDT), this person-centered study considers the co-existence of subordinates' perceptions of their supervisors' need-supportive, need-thwarting, and need-indifferent behaviors. Moreover, we also consider how these various combinations (or profiles) of perceived supervisor behaviors relate to subordinates' levels of work motivation, well-being, attitudes, behaviors, and work–home functioning. A sample of 596 French employees (Mage?=?31.22; 73.5% women) participated in this study. Our results revealed six profiles of subordinates characterized by distinct configurations of perceived need-related behaviors from supervisors (globally unfavorable, globally favorable and supportive, moderate-indifferent, moderately favorable and involved, moderately unfavorable, and moderately favorable). Consistent with our expectations, these profiles displayed well-differentiated patterns of associations with all of the outcomes considered in this study. These findings underscored the key role of subordinates' specific perceptions of need-supportive, need-thwarting, and need-indifferent behaviors, over and above their global perceptions of their supervisors' behaviors, in determining how beneficial or harmful supervisory profiles are. In particular, our results also highlighted the critical role played by need-indifferent behaviors, which prove to be a very important, and yet typically neglected, component of subordinates' perceptions of their supervisors' behaviors.
Journal article
Validation of the parents’ version of the KINDLR and Kiddy Parents questionnaire in a South African context.
Deacon, E., Jansen van Vuren, E., Bothma, E., Volschenk, C., & Kruger, R.
Health and Quality of Life Outcomes Vol 22, Issue 27, Pages 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12955-024-02292-5
Abstract
Background This study aimed to assess the usefulness of the parent version of the KINDLR and the additional items of the Kiddy Parents questionnaire in the South-African context and to validate it as an appropriate tool for measuring health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Method The ExAMIN Youth SA study was designed to investigate lifestyle behaviours, including psychosocial factors that may adversely impact on cardiovascular health of children. Construct validity was examined by using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, while internal consistency was tested by Cronbach’s alpha. The final factor structure was confirmed by model fit indices. Results The study included children (n = 1088) aged between 5 and 10 years in North-West, South Africa. The reliability coefficients of the original factors could not be reproduced in this data set, with the Cronbach’s alphas ranging between 0.46 and 0.78. With exploratory factor analysis, including the additional items, our data supported a 7-factor structure with acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha: 0.68–0.79; Omega: 0.75–0.85) and acceptable model fit indices (CFI: 0.91; TLI: 0.90; RMSEA: 0.05; SRMR: 0.07). Two factors (emotional wellbeing and everyday functioning) further split into separate factors for positive and negative experiences related to each of these dimensions. Conclusion We confirmed a new factor structure of the parent version of the KINDLR and the additional items of the Kiddy Parents questionnaire, which can be used in the African context. Although the new factor structure has great overlap with the original structure, some items did not contribute to the factors as expected. Language and cultural differences between the original German group and the current South African study group resulted in a different factor structure.
Journal article
Social support and well-being of adolescent learners: A latent profile analysis.
Narainsamy, K., Rothmann, S., Hoffman, J.
South African Journal of Psychology Vol 54, Issue 3, Pages 364-377. https://doi.org/10.1177/00812463241265239
Abstract
This study focused on identifying adolescent learners’ social support profiles based on their self reports regarding three sources of social support (parental, teacher, and close friend support) and associations of such profiles with their well-being. A biographical questionnaire, the Social Support Scale for Children, and the Mental Health Continuum – Short Form were administered to 770 Grades 10 and 11 learners from previously disadvantaged schools in South Africa. Five social support profiles were identified using latent profile analyses of parental, teacher, and close friend support: weakly supported, adult-supported, peer-supported, moderately supported, and integrated support. Social support profiles were associated with well-being. Flourishing, the most desirable well-being outcome, was associated with the integrated support profile (high parent, teacher, and close friend support). In contrast, the lowest level of well being was observed in the weakly supported profile (low parent, teacher, and close friend support). The results confirmed that support from parents, teachers, and close friends was vital for adolescent learners’ well-being.
Journal article
Key competencies for academic employees in the current dynamic higher education environment.
ChaaCha, T.D.
Cogent Education Vol 11, Issue 2397230, Pages https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2024.2397230
Abstract
The study aimed to conceptualise the key competencies for academic employees in the current dynamic South African higher education environment. Key competencies that enable these employees to perform and meet their work challenges in the dynamic environment they operate in need to be identified to ensure relevant talent and performance management practices are implemented for the success of the institution. A qualitative research approach was utilised in the study with a critical realist perspective as the study involved various participants in gathering different views to present key competencies of academic employees. A total of 31 semi-structured interviews were conducted in the study. Atlas.ti 22 was used to analyse the data. Three main competencies were identified for each strata in the study namely pedagogy competencies, personal efficiency and organisational competencies. The findings in the study highlight that academic institutions and practitioners need to align the development of academic employees with the expectations of the stakeholders, employees and strategic imperatives of institutions. The study contributes a competency model that can be utilised for managing and developing academic employees.
Journal article
A scoping review of Rogers’ person-centred approach to identify constructs relevant to optimal intergenerational relationships.
Cavé, J., Katjene, M., & Roos, V.
South African Journal of Psychology Vol 54, Issue 3, Pages 402-414. https://doi.org/10.1177/0081246324126558
Abstract
Optimal intergenerational relationships make important social contributions to age-inclusive communities and societies. Intergenerational relationships involve different cohorts of people across the life course. Existing theories look at intergenerational relationships from an intrapsychic experience, socio-cultural perspective, and/or in terms of outcomes, but do not adequately explain what occurs between interacting generational members to yield the experiences and outcomes. We identified Rogers’ person-centred approach (PCA) as a useful framework for creating optimal relationships and accordingly this article aims to identify the constructs of the PCA in the context in which Rogers developed them and we applied them to intergenerational relationships in sub-Saharan Africa. We conducted a scoping review and sampled Rogers’ original publications between January 1951 and December 1997 and obtained 1200 documents. After removing duplicates (n = 567) and applying exclusion criteria, 67 records were analysed thematically. The following PCA constructs emerged: congruence, warmth, empathy, unconditional positive regard, and locus of control, as well as two outcomes of the optimal manifestation of PCA constructs: confirmation and differentiation. We also present two PCA relational dynamics to explain optimal relationships: circularity and reciprocity. Interpreting intergenerational relationships through the lens of the PCA not only identifies the constructs of optimal relationships but also offers recommendations for transforming intergenerational relationships towards new levels of interpersonal cohesion.
Journal article
The relationship between job insecurity and psychological contract breach as conditional upon causal attributions: A within-person approach.
Vander Elst, T., Griep, Y., Sverke, M., & De Witte, H.
Scandinavian Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology Vol 9, Issue 1, Pages 1-18. https://doi.org/10.16993/sjwop.277
Abstract
In this longitudinal study, we explore the dynamic connection between job insecurity and psychological contract breach over time. Building on Attribution Theory and theoretical work on psychological contract breach, we investigate the reciprocal relationship between job insecurity and psychological contract breach with causal attributions potentially moderating this relationship. Specifically, blaming the organization for possible job loss in the future (i.e., causal attribution to the organization) was predicted to amplify this relationship, whereas blaming external factors such as the economic situation (i.e., causal attribution to external factors) was predicted to buffer this relationship. We collected three-wave cross-lagged panel data from a heterogenous sample of 1,994 Belgian workers from different sectors and socio-economic backgrounds. We applied Random Intercept Cross-Lagged Panel Modeling to analyze the data. Within-person level results revealed that psychological contract breach consistently predicted subsequent job insecurity, whereas job insecurity did not forecast future psychological contract breach, preventing us from establishing a reciprocal relationship. However, in one of four moderation tests, causal attributions significantly moderated the job insecurity–psychological contract breach relationship: higher attributions to external factors at Time 1 unexpectedly unveiled a positive lagged relationship, as supported by the interaction plot. For higher attributions to the organization at Time 2, the interaction plot also indicated a positive lagged relationship. These findings are inconsistent over time and far from conclusive but do offer some initial indications that job insecurity is related to more future psychological contract breach under specific circumstances, indicating a reciprocal link. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.
Journal article
A systematic review of interventions to improve quality of life and well-being for parents of young children living with type 1 diabetes.
Santilli, L., Deacon, E., Van Renburg, E., & Segal, D.
Journal of Community Psychosocial Research Vol 1, Issue 1, Pages 1-17. https://doi.org/10.36386/jcpr.v1i1.486
Abstract
Many studies have shown a link between parental distress, adherence to the diabetes care plan of their child and the impact thereof on the quality of life and well-being for family members. Still, limited studies propose quality of life interventions for parents of young children living with type 1 diabetes. This research study aimed to systematically review the scientific literature on these interventions to propose guidelines for future intervention development. A systematic review of empirical literature available in various databases, including EbscoHost, SaePublications, Academic Search Premier, ERIC, ScienceDirect, PsycArticles and PsychINFO, SocINDEX, the Cochrane Library and Google Scholar, was conducted to identify intervention studies presenting quality of life and well-being programmes to parents of children living with type 1 diabetes. Data extraction was limited to studies of parents with children of 0 – 11 years old. Seven articles representing different studies met the inclusion criteria. Findings supported the combination of behaviour modification and support interventions delivered via group work or telephone-based methods as the most effective. Furthermore, the timing of interventions varied, while interventions were mostly developmentally tailored. Although most articles reported improved aspects of quality of life or well-being of parents, only one article yielded scientific evidence of improvement. Although interventions focused on various aspects, the lack of focus on parents as the target audience for interventions was evident, emphasising the need for the development of interventions focussing more specifically on the quality of life and well-being of parents of children living with type 1 diabetes. Furthermore, incorporating positive psychology activities in interventions could further benefit the development of the quality of life and well-being of parents of children living with type 1 diabetes.
Journal article
Methods and environmental conditions typical of nature-based mindfulness practice: A scoping review.
Burger, T., Potgieter, J. C., & Nell, W.
Mindfulness Pages 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-024-02393-8
Abstract
Objectives this scoping review aimed to explore the diversity of existing nature-based mindfulness (NBM) interventions. The specific objectives of this review were to (1) describe the practices and methods that are used in NBM interventions, and to (2) determine the environmental conditions that are typically associated with NBM interventions. Method Thirty peer-reviewed scientific studies were identified via a systematic PRISMA search protocol and then themati cally analysed and categorically organised. Results In relation to the first research objective, a typological scheme for classifying NBM interventions was proposed in which four main categorizations of NBM interventions were identified, including (1) conventional practices combined with nature, (2) activity-based practices using nature, (3) NBM therapy practices, and (4) emerging practices. These themes demonstrate the diversity of existing NBM interventions and provide a more integrated understanding of the applicability of these interventions across different clinical and non-clinical contexts. In relation to the second research objective, exist ing NBM interventions were found to be conducted in (1) naturally occurring, (2) curated natural, and (3) simulated natural environments. Within these categories, a diverse range of restorative environments were identified as suitable contexts for NBM interventions, with forest-based interventions being the most commonly used environment. Conclusions Overall, this study contributes to a more integrated understanding of the practices, methods, and environmental conditions typical of existing NBM interventions, proposes a classification scheme for NBM interventions, and identifies a number of new developments within the field as well as promising avenues for future research and practice. Preregistration This study has not been preregistered
Journal article
Conceptualization and measurement of thriving at work.
Rothmann, S.
In C.L. Cooper & P. Brough & V.L. Anderson (Eds.), Elgar encyclopedia of occupational health psychology. Vol 40, Pages 28-31.
Abstract
Journal article
Achievement goals as mediators of the links between self-esteem and depressive symptoms from mid-adolescence to early adulthood.
Gilbert, W., Eltanoukhi, R., Morin, A.J.S., & Salmela-Aro, K.
Journal of Youth and Adolescence Pages https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-024-02045-z
Abstract
Numerous studies have sought to determine whether low self-esteem acts as a risk factor for depressive symptoms (i.e., a vulnerability model) or whether depressive symptoms lead to a decrease in self-esteem (i.e., a scar model). Although both models have received some support, very little research has: (a) addressed this question across critical life transitions likely to modify this pattern of associations, such as the transition to adulthood; (b) sought to identify the psychological mechanisms (i.e., mediators) underpinning these associations. The present study was designed to address these two limitations, focusing on the directionality of the associations between depressive symptoms and self-esteem from mid adolescence to early adulthood while considering the role of motivational factors, namely mastery (intrinsic/extrinsic) and performance (approach/avoidance) goals as conceptualized in achievement goal theory. A sample of 707 Finnish adolescents aged 15–16 (52.1% boys) was surveyed six times up to the age of 25. Results from a cross-lagged panel model (CLPM) revealed that depressed individuals were more likely to have low self-esteem, although self-esteem protected against depressive symptoms between ages 16–17 to 20–21. Moreover, while self-esteem promoted mastery-extrinsic goals which in turn reinforced self-esteem, depressive symptoms promoted performance-avoidance goals which led to more depressive symptoms and lower self-esteem. Overall, these findings highlight (1) the long-lasting negative consequences of depressive symptoms on self-esteem and (2) the crucial role played by academic motivation in explaining the development of depressive symptoms and self-esteem over time. In turn, these results help refine the vulnerability and scar models, and suggest that motivational factors should be considered in prevention and intervention efforts among young populations.
Journal article
Twenty-first-century universal competencies for financial accounting students.
Van den Berg, E., & Rothmann, S.
South African Journal of Economic and Management Sciences Vol 27, Issue 1, Pages 1-11. https://doi.org/10.4102/sajems.v27i1.5535
Abstract
Background: The financial accounting profession faces several challenges in the 21stcentury. Research is needed to prepare financial accountants for these challenges. Aim: This study aimed to determine which 21st-century competencies were essential for financial accounting students in South Africa from the perspectives of students, their educators and professionals and to investigate the capabilities of these three stakeholder groups. Setting: Stakeholders in financial accounting (students, their educators and professionals) across institutions and organisations in South Africa. Methods: A quantitative method and cross-sectional survey were used. Financial accounting students (N = 112), lecturers (N = 12) and professionals (N = 42) completed the 21st Century Universal Competencies Questionnaire and the Capability Set for Work Questionnaire. Results: The findings showed that thinking and learning to learn were the most critical 21st-century competencies for the financial accounting profession. Stakeholders differed regarding the second-highest ranked competencies: For professionals, it was working skills and entrepreneurship; for lecturers, it was information and communication technology and for students, it was self-care and managing everyday life. Cultural competencies and building a sustainable future were ranked lowest in all three stakeholder groups. Conclusion: Similarities and differences exist between stakeholder views of the importance of specific 21st-century competencies for financial accountancy. Financial accounting professionals and lecturers showed high capabilities, except for involvement in decision-making and earning a good income for lecturers. Contribution: This study offered a new perspective on the 21st-century competencies and capabilities as perceived by different stakeholders
Journal article
A person-centred investigation of the associations between actual and perceived physical fitness among youth with intellectual disabilities
Maïano, C., Morin, A.J.S., Tracey, D., Hue, O., & Craven, R.G.
Journal of Sports Sciences Pages https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2024.2370150
Abstract
The main objective of this person-centred study was to identify profiles of actual and perceived physical fitness among a sample of youth with intellectual disabilities (ID). Participants were 377 youth (60.4% boys) with mild (49.6%) to moderate (50.4%) ID recruited in Australia and Canada. Latent profile analyses revealed five profiles: (1) Underestimation of Average Physical Fitness (5.5% of the sample); (2) Moderate Overestimation of Low Physical Fitness (17.7%), (3) Moderate Underestimation of Average Physical Fitness(31.3%); (4) High Overestimation of Average Physical Fitness (28.3%); and (5) Moderate Underestimation of High Physical Fitness with an Accurate Estimation of Average Flexibility (17.2%). Profiles 1, 2, and 3 relatives to Profiles 4 and 5 included younger participants, more participants with moderate levels of ID, and participants with a higher body mass index. Additionally, profiles 1 and 3 also included a higher proportion of youth pursuing externally-driven motives and less frequently involved in sports outside of the school. In sum, our findings showed that the tendency of youth with ID to rely on upward or downward-lateral social comparisons may have resulted in a depreciation or overestimation of their low levels of physical fitness.
Journal article
Job insecurity and (un)sustainable well-being: unravelling the dynamics of work, career, and life outcomes from a within-person perspective
Urbanaviciute, I., Massoudi, K., & De Witte, H.
European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology Pages https://doi.org/10.1080/1359432X.2024.2370666
Abstract
The present study investigates longitudinal relationships between job insecurity and a set of work, career, and life outcomes. Using an integrative theoretical framework that combines the principles of conservation of resources and sustainable career development, we aim to unravel the scope and dynamics of stressor-strain pathways that undermine employee well-being in these domains. To that end, latent curve modelling with structured residuals was performed on a large heterogeneous sample (N = 1134) of individuals living and working in Switzerland. Based on seven annual measurement points, the results revealed yearly within-person dynamics through which job insecurity may hinder sustainable well-being in different areas of life. Furthermore, our findings allow for contrasting short-term (yearly) versus long-term (7-year) effects. They uncover potential protective mechanisms through which between-person differences in the initial levels of sustainable well-being resources might mitigate the risks of being increasingly exposed to job insecurity over time, as reflected in within-person growth patterns. Research, policy, and practical implications are discussed based on these findings.
Journal article
Social wellbeing profiles: associations with trust in managers and colleagues, job satisfaction, and intention to leave.
Hennicks, E.C., Heyns, M.M. & Rothmann, S.
Frontiers in Psychology Vol 15, Issue 1157847, Pages 1-14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1157847
Abstract
Introduction: This study aimed to determine latent social wellbeing profiles and investigate differences between the profiles in terms of trust in managers and colleagues, job satisfaction, intention to leave, and demographic variables (age and service years). Methods: Permanently employed individuals of a South African utility organization participated in the study (N = 403). The Social Well-being Scale, Workplace Trust Survey, Job Satisfaction Scale, and Turnover Intention Scale were administered. Results: Four social wellbeing profiles were identified: socially disconnected (19.11%), socially challenged (31.27%), socially adequate (22.30%), and socially thriving (27.33%). Individuals in the socially thriving profile were significantly more inclined to experience job satisfaction and had lower intentions to leave than individuals in the other social wellbeing profiles. Two demographic variables, namely, age and service years, were associated with profile membership. Discussion: This study provided a nuanced understanding of social wellbeing by identifying patterns in which social contribution, social integration, social actualization, social coherence, and social acceptance interacted within individuals in a population, which might otherwise not have been evident. The differing levels of social wellbeing among these profiles have substantial implications for job satisfaction and staff retention.
Journal article
Spirituality in the workplace in South Africa: A systematic literature review.
De Wet, T., Heyns, M. & Marais-Opperman, V.
KOERS — Bulletin for Christian Scholarship Vol 89, Issue 1, Pages https://doi.org/10.19108/KOERS.89.1.2590
Abstract
Background: Spirituality is a multi-dimensional concept that involves a person’s pursuit of well-being through connections with oneself, others, nature, and the transcendent. Spirituality in the workplace encompasses the integration of spirituality into organisational and work dynamics. Purpose: This systematic literature review sourced and synthesised empirical research evidence to explore the influence and experience of perceived spirituality in the workplace on workers in the South African workplace. Methodology: The systematic literature review plan was registered on the Open Science Framework. Keyword searches were conducted, and studies were screened following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) process and
checklist. Specific inclusion and exclusion criteria informed the second screening and review of articles. Thirty-one articles fit the specific criteria for inclusion in the review. Relevant data was extracted using thematic analysis. Findings/results: The respondents in the various studies spanned public and private sectors, encompassing various professions and ethnicities. The articles reviewed indicated that the perception of spirituality in the workplace manifested in a variety of constructs and concepts, positively influencing and impacting individual, group, and organisational levels. The review indicated that nuanced contextual differences may play a role in the experience of spirituality in the South African workplace. Practical implications: The literature review suggests potential constructs for understanding workplace spirituality in South Africa, with future research potential for constructing a framework fostering a pluralistic model of spirituality at work. Originality/value: Understanding spirituality in the South African work context could assist in bringing about more productive and healthy organisations. Provided data also forms a basis for developing a potential framework for implementing spirituality in South African organisations.
Journal article
Nursing students’ attitudes toward technology: Multicenter cross-sectional study.
Dallora, A. L., Andersson, E. K., Gregory Palm, B., Bohman, D., Björling, G., Marcinowicz, L., ... & Anderberg, P.
JMIR Medical Education Vol 10, Issue e50297, Pages https://doi.org/10.2196/50297
Abstract
Background: The growing presence of digital technologies in health care requires the health workforce to have proficiency in subjects such as informatics. This has implications in the education of nursing students, as their preparedness to use these technologies in clinical situations is something that course administrators need to consider. Thus, students’ attitudes toward technology could be investigated to assess their needs regarding this proficiency. Objective: This study aims to investigate attitudes (enthusiasm and anxiety) toward technology among nursing students and to identify factors associated with those attitudes. Methods: Nursing students at 2 universities in Sweden and 1 university in Poland were invited to answer a questionnaire. Data about attitudes (anxiety and enthusiasm) toward technology, eHealth literacy, electronic device skills, and frequency of using electronic devices and sociodemographic data were collected. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the data. The Spearman rank correlation coefficient and Mann-Whitney U test were used for statistical inferences. Results: In total, 646 students answered the questionnaire—342 (52.9%) from the Swedish sites and 304 (47.1%) from the Polish site. It was observed that the students’ technology enthusiasm (techEnthusiasm) was on the higher end of the Technophilia instrument (score range 1-5): 3.83 (SD 0.90), 3.62 (SD 0.94), and 4.04 (SD 0.78) for the whole sample, Swedish students, and Polish students, respectively. Technology anxiety (techAnxiety) was on the midrange of the Technophilia instrument: 2.48 (SD 0.96), 2.37 (SD 1), and 2.60 (SD 0.89) for the whole sample, Swedish students, and Polish students, respectively. Regarding techEnthusiasm among the nursing students, a negative correlation with age was found for the Swedish sample (P<.001; ?Swedish=?0.201) who were generally older than the Polish sample, and positive correlations with the eHealth Literacy Scale score (P<.001; ?all=0.265; ?Swedish=0.190; ?Polish=0.352) and with the perceived skill in using computer devices (P<.001; ?all=0.360; ?Swedish=0.341; ?Polish=0.309) were found for the Swedish, Polish, and total samples. Regarding techAnxiety among the nursing students, a positive correlation with age was found in the Swedish sample (P<.001; ?Swedish=0.184), and negative correlations with eHealth Literacy Scale score (P<.001; ?all=?0.196; ?Swedish=?0.262; ?Polish=?0.133) and with the perceived skill in using computer devices (P<.001; ?all=?0.209; ?Swedish=?0.347; ?Polish=?0.134) were found for the Swedish, Polish, and total samples and with the semester only for the Swedish sample (P<.001; ?Swedish=?0.124). Gender differences were found regarding techAnxiety in the Swedish sample, with women exhibiting a higher mean score than men (2.451, SD 1.014 and 1.987, SD 0.854, respectively). Conclusions:This study highlights nursing students’ techEnthusiasm and techAnxiety, emphasizing correlations with various factors. With health care’s increasing reliance on technology, integrating health technology–related topics into education is crucial for future professionals to address health care challenges effectively.
Journal article
Regenerative positive psychology: A call to reorient wellbeing science to meet the realities of our world
Steger, M.F.
Journal of Positive Psychology Pages 1-24. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2024.2365259
Abstract
Positive psychology has had an impressive first 25 years. However, it and related wellbeing sciences are at risk of being rendered futile at a time of staggering crises across psychological, social, political, and environmental domains. This paper is a call for a new science of wellbeing, a Regenerative Positive Psychology, that reorients the field toward protecting and expanding the growth and health of the life-sustaining systems necessary for our wellbeing. This paper asks whether life has improved significantly since the launch of positive psychology, appraises the field’s disproportionate emphasis on individual wellbeing, describes regenerative approaches in other fields, and proposes Three Pillars for a Regenerative Positive Psychology that is better equipped to take on the daunting challenges ahead. As fields rooted in strengths, hope, and purpose, positive psychology together with wellbeing sciences are ideally suited to take greater leadership in facing the world’s crises and building more positive futures for all.
Journal article
Determining differences between therapists using an extended version of the facilitative interpersonal skills performance test.
van Thiel, S. J., de Jong, K., Misset, K. S., Joosen, M. C., van der Klink, J. J., Vermunt, J. K., & van Dam, A.
Journal of Clinical Psychology Vol 80, Pages 1698–1710. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.23687
Abstract
Objectives: The therapist?facilitative interpersonal skills (FIS) has shown to predict therapy outcomes, demonstrating that high FIS therapists are more effective than low FIS therapists. There is a need for more insight into the variability in strengths and weaknesses in therapist skills. This study investigates whether a revised and extended FIS?scoring leads to more differentiation in measuring therapists' interpersonal skills. Furthermore, we explorative examine whether subgroups of therapists can be distinguished in terms of differences in their interpersonal responses. Method: Using secondary data analysis, 93 therapists were exposed to seven FIS?clips. Responses of therapists using the original and the extended FIS scoring were rated. Results: Three factors were found on the extended FIS scoring distinguishing supportive, expressive, and persuasive interpersonal responses of therapists. A latent profile analysis enlightened the presence of six subgroups of therapists. Conclusion: Using the revised and extended FIS?scoring contributes to our understanding of the role of interpersonal skills in the therapeutic setting by unraveling the question what works for whom.
Journal article
The Study Demands and Resources Scale: Psychometric properties, longitudinal invariance and criterion validity.
Van Zyl, L. E., Cole, M., Shankland, R., Klibert, J., Verger, N. B., Rothmann, S., Cho, V., Feng, K., K, E. W., Roll, L. C., Ghosh, A., Arijs, D., Stavros, J. M., Hulshof, I. L., Di Blasi, Z., & De Beer, L. T.
Frontiers in Education Vol 9, Issue 1409099, Pages 1-20. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2024.1409099
Abstract
The Study Demands and Resources Scale (SDRS) has shown promise as a valid and reliable measure for measuring students’ specific study demands and -resources. However, there is no evidence as to its psychometric properties outside of the original context in which it was developed. This study aimed to assess the psychometric properties of the SDRS in a cross-national student population through examining its longitudinal factorial validity, internal consistency, and temporal invariance as well as criterion validity through its association with study engagement and task performance over time. Results showed that a Bifactor Exploratory Structural Equation Model (ESEM) with one general factor (overall study characteristics) and five specific factors (workload, growth opportunities, lecturer support, peer support, information availability) f itted the data, showed strong measurement invariance over time, and was reliable at different time points. The study further established criterion validity for the overall study characteristics factor through its concurrent and predictive associations with study engagement and task performance. However, the specific factors’ concurrent and predictive capacity could only partially be established when controlling for the general study characteristics factor. These findings suggest that study characteristics should be measured as a dynamic interaction between study demands and resources, rather than a hierarchical model.
Journal article
Towards a decolonial developmental science: Adolescent development in the Majority World taking center stage.
Abubakar, A., Brandeli Costa, A., Cui, L., Koller, S. H., Nwafor, C. E., & Raval, V. V.
Journal of Research on Adolescence Vol 00, Pages 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1111/jora.12956
Abstract
While aspiring to be a diverse and global science, developmental science continues to be dominated by EuroAmerican epistemologies, researchers, and communities in its published scholarship. Adolescents in communities across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America comprise 85% of the world's adolescent population, and yet their experiences and perspectives are marginalized in our science. Adolescents in the Majority World live in highly diverse social, cultural, political, economic, educational and healthcare contexts that contribute to their development, and we have much to learn from their experiences. This article situates the marginalization of the global majority within coloniality embedded in developmental science. The article describes the impetus for this special issue Towards a decolonial developmental science and the process of putting it together, along with providing an overview of the 18 articles in this collection that push us towards decoloniality. The special issue serves as a call to transform developmental science to be decolonial by empowering adolescent development in Majority World communities to take center stage. Adolescent development research from Majority World communities has the potential to challenge the knowledge base generated from Minority World samples, contributing to a science that is comprehensive, inclusive, and can inform prevention and intervention efforts to support the well- being of adolescents globally.
Journal article
The relationship between strategic human resource management practices and the employment of vulnerable workers: A two-wave study among employers
Kersten, A., van Woerkom, M., Geuskens, G.A. & Blonk, R.W.
Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation Pages https://doi.org/10.1007/s10926-024-10197-9
Abstract
Purpose: To improve the inclusion of vulnerable workers in the labor market, employer behavior is key. However, little is known about the effectiveness of strategic Human Resource Management (HRM) practices that employers use to employ vulnerable workers. Therefore, this exploratory study investigates the association between strategic HRM practices (based on social legitimacy, economic rationality and employee well-being) and the actual and intended employment of vulnerable workers in the future. Methods: In total, 438 organizations included in the Netherlands Employers Work Survey participated in a two-wave study with a nine-month follow-up period. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the relationship between strategic HRM practices (T0) with the employment of vulnerable workers (T1) and intentions to hire vulnerable workers (T1), while controlling for organizational size, sector, and employment of vulnerable workers at baseline. Results: Employers who applied strategic HRM practices based on social legitimacy (e.g., inclusive mission statement or inclusive recruitment) or economic rationality (e.g., making use of reimbursements, trial placements, or subsidies) at T0 were more likely to employ vulnerable workers and to intend to hire additional vulnerable workers at T1. No significant results were found for practices related to employee well-being. Conclusion: Since different types of strategic HRM practices contribute to the inclusion of vulnerable workers, employers can build on their strategic priorities and strengths to create inclusive HRM approaches. Future research is needed to study whether these strategic HRM domains also relate to sustainable employment of vulnerable workers.
Journal article
Insights into leadership practices in South African Higher Education.
Venter, B. G., du Plessis, M., & Stander, M. W.
South African Journal of Industrial Psychology Vol 50, Issue 2173, Pages 1-10. https://doi.org/10.4102/sajip.v50i0.2173
Abstract
Orientation: The complexity of higher education highlights leadership’s significance. Effective leadership ensures quality education and institutional survival, with senior academics (specifically, professors and associate professors) greatly influencing reputation and research. Exploring senior academics’ leadership experiences is therefore crucial. Research purpose: This study aimed to explore senior academics’ experiences of leadership behaviours at a South African higher education institution, extracting their experiences of positive and negative behaviours. Motivation for the study: Senior academics play significant roles, with vital teaching, research, and reputation contributions to the quality of the university’s educational service. Despite numerous leadership studies, none have explored senior academics’ experiences in South Africa. Research approach/design and method: In this study, a qualitative descriptive design was employed to investigate the experiences and perspectives of 14 senior academics. The participants were selected using stratified random and snowball sampling techniques. Main findings: Participants experienced positive, effective behaviours and negative, destructive behaviours, highlighting the complexity of leadership experiences through contrasting experiences. Positive, effective leadership behaviours include constructive engagement, compassionate support, psychological safety and enabling growth. Negative, destructive leadership behaviours include poor communication and collaboration, eroding integrity and regard, unresolved issues, depersonalisation and toxic practices. Practical/managerial implications: Understanding experiences and implementing recommendations could incorporate positive leadership behaviours into competency frameworks for human resources practices. Awareness of the leadership ethos dichotomy can potentially establish a unique and characteristic leadership culture. Contribution/value-add: This study provides senior academics’ leadership behaviour perspectives and produces lists of positive and negative leadership practices.
Journal article
Compassion, secure flourishing, and organizational commitment of managers.
Ford, M., Rothmann, S., & Van Zyl, L. E.
Frontiers in Organizational Psychology Vol 2, Issue 1383378, Pages 1-17. https://doi.org/10.3389/forgp.2024.1383378
Abstract
Introduction: Compassion is important for facilitating individual wellbeing and commitment. However, little is known about its importance and function within organizational contexts. This study aimed to assess the associations between compassion for others, experienced compassion, secure flourishing, and organizational commitment within a sample of managers from South Africa. Given that Pommier’s Compassion Scale (which was used in this study) was not previously validated in South Africa, the study investigated its factorial validity and measurement invariance across genders. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey-based research design with a purposive sampling strategy was employed to sample managers to participate in this study. The Compassion Scale, Experienced Compassion Scale, Secure Flourishing Index and Organizational Commitment Scales were administered. A competing measurement modeling strategy was employed to test the factorial validity of the compassion scale. McDonald’s Omega was computed to test the reliability of the instrument. Measurement invariance was employed to test the factorial equivalence of the compassion scale across genders. A structural model was tested to determine the relationships between factors. Results: The results supported a bifactor ESEM Model with one general compassion factor and four specific subscale factors (mindfulness, kindness, indifference, and common humanity). Managers’ general compassion and belief in common humanity (a compassion subscale factor) significantly affected their secure flourishing, yet not their organizational commitment. Compassion experienced from others, however, had a strong and significant effect on their secure flourishing and organizational commitment. Discussion: The results indicate that the Compassion Scale is a valid, gender invariant, and reliable measure of compassion for others, and is suitable for organizational research. Giving and receiving compassion at work has significant benefits for managers and organizations.
Journal article
Interpersonal supports for basic psychological needs and their relations with motivation, well-being, and performance: A meta-analysis.
Slemp, G. R., Field, J. G., Ryan, R. M., Forner, V. W., Van den Broeck, A., & Lewis, K. J.
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology Pages https://doi.org/10.1037/pspi0000459
Abstract
People’s motivational processes, well-being, and performance are likely to be facilitated through the support of others. Self-determination theory argues that interpersonal supports for autonomy, competence, and relatedness are crucial to achieve these outcomes. In the present study, we provide a comprehensive examination of this formulation based on a meta-analytic database consisting of 4,561 effect sizes from 881 independent samples (N = 443,556). Our results indicate that supports for autonomy, competence, and relatedness were strongly positively related with the satisfaction of these basic needs and strongly negatively related to their frustration. Interpersonal supports for basic needs were strongly positively related with subjective well-being and exhibited small to moderate positive associations with performance. Moderation analyses showed general stability of effects across cultures, although correlations of autonomy support to autonomous motivation weakened as a function of individualism. The opposite pattern was observed for the correlation between relatedness support and intrinsic motivation. Some effects also declined as a function of sample age and lag in measurements. We also find that competence- and relatedness-supportive behaviors explained incremental variance in basic need satisfaction e.ven after controlling for the more established effects of autonomy support. In addition, lateral need supports explained incremental variance in basic need satisfaction after controlling for vertical sources of support. In sum, our results are consistent with the premise that to support optimal motivation, well-being, and performance, a broad set of behaviors that nurture all three basic needs, together with different sources of interpersonal support, should be considered to yield the most benefit
Journal article
Multiple Imputation when variables exceed observations: An overview of challenges and solutions.
Chaput-Langlois, S., Stickley, Z. L., Little, T. D., & Rioux, C.
Collabra: Psychology Vol 10, Issue 1, Pages 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1525/collabra.92993
Abstract
Missing data are a prevalent problem in psychological research that can reduce statistical power and bias parameter estimates. These problems can be mostly resolved with multiple imputation, a modern missing data treatment that is increasingly used. Imputation, however, requires the number of variables to be smaller than the number of observations (i.e., non-missing values), and this number is often exceeded due to, e.g., large assessments, high missing data rates, the inclusion of variables predictive of missing values, and the inclusion of non-linear transformations. Even when the ratio of variables to observations meets the minimum requirement, convergence failure can occur in large, complex models. Specialized techniques have been developed to overcome the challenges related to having too many variables in an imputation model, but they are still relatively unknown by researchers in psychology. Accordingly, this paper presents an overview of four imputation techniques that can be used to reduce the number of predictors in an imputation model: item aggregation with scales and parcels, passive imputation, principal component analysis (PcAux) and two-fold fully conditional specification. The purpose, advantages, limitations, and applications of each method are discussed, along with recommendations and illustrative examples, with the aims of (1) understanding different imputation methods and (2) identifying methods that could be useful for one’s imputation problem.
Journal article
A lead article to go deeper and broader in job insecurity research: Understanding an individual perception in its social and political context.
Klug, K., Selenko, E., Hootegem, A., Sverke, M., & De Witte, H.
Applied Psychology: Health and Well-being Pages https://doi.org/10.1111/apps.12535. 1-34.
Abstract
Job insecurity, that is, the perceived threat of job loss or of valued job features, is a well-documented stressor with negative consequences for employees. This lead article proposes to advance the field by going both deeper and broader in linking individual job insecurity experiences to their social context on the microlevel (individual characteristics), the mesolevel (the individual's immediate social context such as organizations) and the macrolevel (the wider context such as countries). Going deeper, we discuss theoretical and methodological approaches to investigate how job insecurity affects employees' experience of work but also their identity and life outside work—essentially, how people view themselves and their place in society. Going broader, we review evidence of macrolevel influences as predictors and moderators of job insecurity, as well as the effects of job insecurity on political attitudes and behaviour. Taken together, we discuss these two streams of research as top-down and bottom-up mechanisms in the interplay between individual job insecurity experiences and their socio-political context. We conclude with suggestions for future research and theory development to move the field forward. We hope to provide a fruitful point of departure to delve into the mechanisms between experiences of job insecurity and the broader social context
Journal article
The academic task performance scale: Psychometric properties, and measurement invariance across ages, genders and nations.
Van Zyl, L. E., Klibert, J., Shankland, R., Stavros, J., Cole, M., Verger, N. B., Rothmann, S., Cho, V., Feng, K., K., E. W., Roll, L. C., Ghosh, A., & Arijs, D.
Frontiers in Education Vol 9, Issue 1281859, Pages 1-10. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2024.1281859
Abstract
Academic task performance (TP) refers to the proficiency with which students perform in academic tasks through making the right choices and completing core tasks central to their academic studies, on time and to specification. We adapted Koopmans et al.’s task performance scale (TPS) for use within tertiary education and investigated its psychometric properties, internal consistency and measurement invariance across age, gender and national groups in university students (n?=?3,265). The results showed that a hierarchical ESEM model with one higher-order task performance factor consisting of time management and task efficiency fitted the data best. The TPS exhibited full measurement invariance across gender and age groups, implying that the latent mean scores can be used to determine differences. However, invariance could only partially be established for national cohorts, implying that cross-national comparisons may not be possible. These findings offer preliminary support for the TPS as a valid instrument for gauging students’ academic task performance.
Journal article
Prevalence, predictors and outcomes of physician care left undone in acute care hospitals across six European countries during COVID-19: A cross-sectional study.
Dello, S., Bruyneel, L., Kohnen, D., De Witte, H., Schaufeli, W. B., Mchugh, M. D., Aiken, L., & Sermeus, W.
European Journal of Internal Medicine Vol 121, Pages 95-102. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejim.2023.10.021
Abstract
Objective: To examine the prevalence, antecedents and consequences of physician care left undone in acute care hospitals. Design: A multicentre, multinational, cross-sectional survey. An 11-item scale measured physician reports of care left undone. Antecedent measures examined were work environment and perceived workload. Potential consequences examined included emotional exhaustion, job dissatisfaction and perceived quality of care. Generalized linear mixed models were estimated to quantify associations between physician care left undone and the theorized antecedents and consequences. Setting: 56 acute care hospitals in six European countries. Participants: 1 963 physicians providing direct patient care to adult in-patients. Results: Four in five (78.3 %) physicians left one or more care activities undone during their last shift. On average 3.1 (SD 1.0) of 11 activities were left undone. This varied between and within countries. A 10 % increase at the hospital level of physicians saying they have too much work to do, significantly increased the odds of one or more activities being left undone (OR 1.414, 95 % CI 1.268–1.578). Physicians’ reports of care left undone were associated with increased odds of emotional exhaustion (OR 3.867, 95 %CI 2.683–5.575) and rating quality of medical care as poor or fair (OR 3.395, 95 % CI 2.215–5.204). Conclusion: Physicians frequently report leaving some necessary care undone. A shortage of resources compromises physicians’ ability to do their jobs, impacting the quality of care they deliver and their job satisfaction and well-being. Ensuring adequate healthcare personnel resources should be a top priority for hospitals.
Journal article
Determining differences between therapists using an extended version of the facilitative interpersonal skills performance test.
van Thiel, S. J., de Jong, K., Misset, K. S., Joosen, M. C. W., van der Klink, J. J. L., Vermunt, J. K., & van Dam, A.
Journal of Clinical Psychology Vol 16, Pages 518-526. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.23687
Abstract
Purpose: To investigate longitudinal relationships between employment status and disease-related, (neuro)psychological, and work-related factors in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods: 170 employed people with MS underwent yearly neurological and neuropsychological examinations to assess MS-related disability and cognitive functioning. Additionally, they completed yearly questionnaires assessing depression, anxiety, fatigue, cognitive complaints, workplace support and coping. Multilevel models for change were fitted to examine progression of these factors over three years, and to assess possible relationships with change in employment status. Results: People with a deteriorated employment status after three years reported more depression (p=0.009), a higher impact of fatigue (p<0.001), more cognitive complaints (p<0.001) and less workplace support (p=0.001) at baseline than people with a stable employment status. There were no differences in progression over time of the examined variables between people with a stable or deteriorated employment status. Conclusion: More depression, a higher impact of fatigue, more cognitive complaints and less workplace support are predictive of a deteriorated employment status after three years in individuals with MS. How these factors progress over time is not different between those with a stable or deteriorated employment. MS-related disability, anxiety, objective cognition and coping were not related to a deterioration in employment status.
Journal article
Effective relationships between younger caregivers and older care recipients across a continuum of formal residential care settings: A scoping review and a critical analysis.
Dixon, C-A., Roos, V., Katjene, M. & Hoffman, J.
Public Health Reviews Vol 45, Issue 1606562, Pages 1-9. https://doi.org/10.3389/phrs.2024.1606562
Abstract
This article aims to conduct a scoping review of what constitutes effective relational interactions between caregivers (CGs) and older persons (OPs) across formal residential care settings. A scoping review of publications between January 2000 and December 2021 yielded 10,929 articles, and after removing duplicates and applying exclusion criteria, 36 articles were analysed. Articles were scrutinised for interactions involving both CGs and OPs, using a thematic framework analysis to identify effective relational constructs. Four themes emerged: 1) Diverse perspectives on the same context: for OPs it is home, and for CGs, workplace. 2) CGs move for a one-up position and OPs submit to a one-down, or as friends. 3) Relational qualities have been mostly associated with CGs, confirming care as a unidirectional action 4). Relationships between CGs and OPs result either in effective or ineffective care outcomes. The dual meanings attached to the same context limit the authentic interactions between CGs and OPs. We propose a relational caregiving approach by considering the interactions of both CGs and OPs, changing the relational definition, and demonstrating effective relational qualities.
Journal article
The student version of the Burnout Assessment Tool (BAT): psychometric properties and evidence regarding measurement validity on a Romanian sample.
Popescu, B., Maricu?oiu, L.P. & De Witte, H.
Current Psychology Vol 43, Pages 2037–2051. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-04232-w
Abstract
The objective of the present research was to investigate the psychometric properties and the validity of the student version of the Burnout Assessment Tool (BAT) in a Romanian undergraduate student sample. A sample of undergraduate students (N = 399, 60,70% female) from a Romanian university completed the BAT and other measures used for assessing measurement validity. Confirmatory factor analyses supported the original factor structure of the BAT, and all scales showed good internal consistency. The validity of the BAT scales was supported by their strong associations with measures of depression, anxiety, stress, psychosomatic symptoms, prospective appraisal of future tasks, and coping strategies.
Journal article
Positive organisational psychology 2.0: Embracing the technological revolution. The Journal of Positive Psychology
van Zyl, L.E., Dik, B.J., Donaldson, S.I., Klibert, J.J., di Blasi, Z., van Wingerden, J., & Salanova, M.
Journal of Positive Psychology Vol 19, Issue 2, Pages 206-235. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2023.2178956
Abstract
Positive Organisational Psychology (POP) has experienced significant growth in the past two decades, contributing to our understanding of work-related well-being and performance. However, the discipline is now on the cusp of a new wave of research and innovation that may reshape its discourse. This paper introduces the concept of ‘Positive Organisational Psychology 2.0’ (POP 2.0) as an evidence-based, data-driven field that utilizes technological advancements and human-centred design to understand and enhance positive characteristics of individuals, organisations, and society for optimal psychological functioning, wellbeing, and performance. The paper begins with an overview of POP’s emergence, highlighting its key characteristics and exploring the factors behind its rapid growth and declining relevance. We then conceptualize POP 2.0, outline its defining features, and advocate for a broader scope, expanded focal audience, enhanced methodologies, and transformative role shifts for practitioners. We conclude by outlining opportunities, challenges and perspectives for the next wave of innovative research.
Journal article
The ultra-short version of the Burnout Assessment Tool (BAT4): Development, validation, and measurement invariance across countries, age and gender.
Hadžibajramovic, E., Schaufeli, W.B., & De Witte, H.
Plos One Vol 19, Issue 2, Pages e0297843. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0297843
Abstract
Given that burnout is a major problem in many societies and that employers are legally obliged to act in preventing job stress, there is a need of validated and reliable short self-report instruments. The Burnout Assessment Tool (BAT) is developed to measure burnout as a syndrome with four core components (exhaustion, mental distance, cognitive and emotional impairment). So far, the BAT was tested in over 40 studies with encouraging results. Although a short, 12-item version of the BAT exists, there is need for an ultra-short version with even less items. The overall aim is to develop an ultra-short 4-item version of the BAT (BAT4) and to evaluate its construct validity using Rasch analysis in samples from various countries along with its measurement invariance regarding country, age and gender. The BAT4 was developed using mixed methods, i.e. combining the results from a Rasch analysis, a subject matter analysis and expert judgements. Construct validity was tested on data from national representative samples from eight countries (the Netherlands, Belgium (Flanders), Austria, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Ireland, and Japan) and in a pooled sample combing the data from all eight countries. Differential item functioning regarding age, gender and country was investigated. The BAT4 fulfilled all the criteria required by the Rasch measurement model to constitute a valid measure in the pooled and country specific samples, except Austria and Japan. In the pooled sample, measurement invariance between the eight countries as well as between gender and age was found. Analyses within different countries showed occasional gender and age DIF for some items. The results were promising regarding BAT4’s construct validity and measurement invariance. Although the BAT4 includes only four items, its content coverage is acceptable. The BAT4 can be used as a short screening instrument for burnout complaints at the group or organisational level.
Journal article
Individual and community-contextual level factors associated with wellbeing among older adults in rural Zambia.
Banda, A., Hoffman, J., & Roos V.
International Journal of Public Health Vol 69, Issue 1606571, Pages 1-13. https://doi.org/10.3389/ijph.2024.1606571
Abstract
This article aims to identify individual and community-contextual level factors associated with the wellbeing of older adults (50 years and older) in rural Zambia. Data from the nationally representative 2015 Living Conditions Monitoring Survey (LCMS) was used. Employing multilevel mixed effects, the individual and community-contextual factors on wellbeing were determined. Overall, 31.7% of rural older adults perceived their wellbeing as good. Both individual and community-contextual level factors are associated with the wellbeing of older adults in rural communities. At the individual level, wellbeing was associated with higher education attainment. Community-contextual factors significantly associated with wellbeing included improved housing, access to piped tap water within the premises, own charcoal or income to purchase firewood. The findings foreground the imperative to analyse both individual and community-contextual level factors of wellbeing to generate and present evidence for investments in education across the life course and for the development of infrastructure towards increasing the wellbeing of rural older adults. Additionally, the results provide a basis for planning by devising policies and programmes for older people to thrive and for no one to be left behind regardless the setting.
Journal article
Prevalence of sarcopenia in Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.
Veronese, N., Smith, L., Koyanagi, A., Hoffman, J., Snoussi, M., Prokopidis, K., Dominguez, L.J., & Barbagallo, M.
Aging Clinical and Experimental Research Vol 36, Pages -7. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-023-02671-w
Abstract
Existing literature suggests that sarcopenia is a highly prevalent condition in older people. However, most studies to date reporting data on its prevalence have been mainly carried out in Western countries, while data on sarcopenia in Africa is scarce. With this systematic review and meta?analysis, we aimed to determine the prevalence of sarcopenia in African countries and to explore potential factors that could explain higher or lower prevalence of this condition in Africa. Major databases for studies reporting data on sarcopenia in African countries were searched from inception to June 2023. We conducted a meta-analysis of the prevalence [and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs)] of sarcopenia in Africa, applying a random effect model. Several sensitivity and meta-regression analyses were run. Among 147 articles initially screened, six articles (with seven cohorts) including a total of 10,656 participants were included. Mean age of participants was 66.9 years, and the majority were female (58.1%). The weighted prevalence of sarcopenia in the selected countries of Africa was 25.72% (95%CI: 18.90–32.55). This outcome was characterized by a high heterogeneity (I2 = 99%) and by publication bias. Among the factors investigated, sarcopenia was lower when assessed using only one anthropometric measure, or in South Africa. Sarcopenia is a prevalent condition in Africa and thus research regarding this topic is a public health priority. Future studies that cover African countries for which data are not available and using standardized criteria are needed.
Journal article
Gratitude in the Time of the Coronavirus: A Thematic Analysis of the Three Good Things in Young Adults
Di Blasi, Z., O’Doherty, M. & van Zyl, L.E.
International Journal of Applied Positive Psychology Pages https://doi.org/10.1007/s41042-023-00138-x
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly disrupted the daily lives of college students, resulting in elevated levels of stress, anxiety, and isolation. Research suggests positive psychology interventions aimed at practicing gratitude, offer potential benefits in reducing these common mental health problems. However, there is a limited understanding of how or why these interventions work nor what function gratitude plays in the lives of young adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, the purpose of the paper was to explore the sources and targets of gratitude of college students during the COVID-10 lockdown in Ireland. This study aimed to analyse the content of the ‘Three Good Things’ intervention as reported by young adults during the COVID-19 lockdowns in Ireland. A total of 109 college students participated in a 7-day online ‘Three Good Things’ intervention, where they were prompted to reflect on and document three positive experiences each day. Participants were asked to elaborate on how these experiences made them feel and to highlight their role in facilitating these positive experiences. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the 2,200 submitted responses. The findings revealed three overarching themes relating to participants’ expressions of gratitude during the COVID-19 lockdown: (1) cultivating positive social interactions, (2) prioritizing meaningful self-care, and (3) fostering hope for a more normal life post-pandemic. By delving into the lived experiences of college students, this study sheds light on the elements central to their expressions of gratitude during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings underscore the importance of social connections, self-care practices, and hopeful prospects as sources of gratitude among students.
Journal article
Validation of the Croatian version of the short form of the Burnout Assessment Tool: Findings from a nationally representative sample.
Tomas, J., Maslic Seršic, D.M., Mikac, U., Rebernjak, B., Buško, V. & De Witte, H.
International Journal of Selection and Assessment Vol 32, Issue 1, Pages 40-53. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijsa.12447
Abstract
Burnout poses severe health?related and financial risks. However, valid and reliable measurement of this occupational phenomenon has been impeded by the conceptual, psychometric and pragmatical shortcomings of the extant burnout instruments. The Burnout Assessment Tool (BAT) is a new measure of burnout that was developed to overcome these deficiencies. The purpose of this study was to validate the Croatian version of its short form, BAT?12, using a representative sample of the Croatian working population. To do so, we examined the factor structure and measurement invariance of BAT?12 across gender, age, and occupational type, as well as convergent and discriminant data on BAT?12 vis?à? vis an alternative burnout measure, the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory, job resources, job demands and job outcomes. The results obtained on online survey data from 966 employees supported the hierarchical structure of BAT?12, although with slight modifications. We also found comparable loading structure across age, gender, and occupational type, whereas the intercept invariance depended on the moderator. Convergent and discriminant validity was supported in relation to all examined variables. Therefore, the psychometric soundness of the Croatian version of BAT?12 adds new evidence to the current validation process of the BAT?12 and supports the application of this measure on the Croatian working population.
Journal article
The distinction between first-person perspective and third-person perspective in virtual bodily self-consciousness.
Liou, W.-K., Lin, W.-H., Lee, Y.-T., Chen, S., & Liang, C.
In M. Coetzee, I.L. Potgieter, & N. Ferreira (Eds.), Psychology of retention: Theory, research and practice Vol 28, Issue 1, Pages 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10055-023-00907-8
Abstract
The distinction between the first-person perspective (1PP) and the third-person perspective (3PP) has been widely regarded as fundamental and rigid, and many researchers hold that genuine bodily illusions can only be experienced from the 1PP. We applied VR technology to investigate whether this mainstream view is correct. In our experiments, the participants were immersed in a VR environment in which they saw a life-sized virtual body either from the 1PP or from the 3PP. They either passively received tactile stimulations and/or actively interacted with a virtual soccer ball. Our VR system created novel visuo-motor-tactile correlations between the real and the virtual world: when the participant interacted with a real plastic soccer ball, he/she would feel corresponding tactile sensations and see the avatar performing the exact same movements. We found that a clear sense of ownership over the avatar was induced not only in the 1PP condition but also in the Passive-3PP and the Active-3PP conditions. We also observed evidence suggesting that it is possible to experience one’s body-location, 1PP-location, as well as self-location, both from the 1PP and from the 3PP. Together, we demonstrate that there is in fact no fundamental gap between embodied 1PP and embodied 3PP in the virtual world.
Journal article
Attenuating the relationship between job insecurity and job satisfaction: An examination of the role of organizational learning climate in three countries.
Probst, T. M., Tomas, J., Roll, L., Maslic Sersic, D., Jiang, L., & Jenkins, M. R.
Economic and Industrial Democracy Pages https://doi.org/10.1177/0143831X231155975
Abstract
Research indicates job insecurity (JI) is related to lower job satisfaction, partially mediated by psychological contract breach (PCB; a perceived breaking of the implicit exchange relationship between employer and employee). The authors investigated the extent to which providing a positive organizational learning climate (OLC) might attenuate the relationships between (a) qualitative JI and PCB and (b) PCB and job satisfaction. Using cross-sectional survey data from higher education industry employees within the US (N = 372), South Africa (N = 1096), and Croatia (N = 719), the study found consistent results across all three settings. Qualitative JI was negatively associated with job satisfaction both directly and indirectly via PCB. Although a positive OLC did not attenuate the relationship between JI and PCB, it did buffer the relationship between PCB and job satisfaction. The findings are discussed in light of Conservation of Resources theory and the need to identify practical organizational interventions to alleviate the adverse effects of qualitative JI.
Journal article
Engaging leadership and nurse well-being: The role of the work environment and work motivation - a cross-sectional study.
Kohnen, D., De Witte, H., Schaufeli, W.B., Dello, S., Bruyneel, L., & Sermeus, W.
Human Resources for Health Vol 22, Issue 8, Pages 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12960-023-00886-6
Abstract
Healthcare literature suggests that leadership behavior has a profound impact on nurse work-related well-being. Yet, more research is needed to better conceptualize, measure, and analyse the concepts of leadership and well-being, and to understand the psychological mechanisms underlying this association. Combining Self-Determination and Job Demands-Resources theory, this study aims to investigate the association between engaging leadership and burnout and work engagement among nurses by focusing on two explanatory mechanisms: perceived job characteristics (job demands and resources) and intrinsic motivation. A cross-sectional survey of 1117 direct care nurses (response rate = 25%) from 13 general acute care hospitals in Belgium. Validated instruments were used to measure nurses’ perceptions of engaging leadership, burnout, work engagement, intrinsic motivation and job demands and job resources. Structural equation modeling was performed to test the hypothesised model which assumed a serial mediation of job characteristics and intrinsic motivation in the relationship of engaging leadership with nurse work-related well-being. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated a good fit of the measurement model. The findings offer support for the hypothesized model, indicating that engaging leadership is linked to enhanced well-being, as reflected in increased work engagement, and reduced burnout. The results further showed that this association is mediated by nurses’ perceptions of job resources and intrinsic motivation. Notably, while job demands mediated the relationship between EL and nurses’ well-being, the relationship became unsignificant when including intrinsic motivation as second mediator. Engaging leaders foster a favourable work environment for nursing staff which is not only beneficial for their work motivation but also for their work-related well-being. Engaging leadership and job resources are modifiable aspects of healthcare organisations. Interventions aimed at developing engaging leadership behaviours among nursing leaders and building job resources will help healthcare organisations to create favourable working conditions for their nurses.
Journal article
Health-related quality of life among people living with HIV in the era of universal test and treat: Results from a cross-sectional study in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Moyo, R.C., Sigwadhi, L.N., Carries, S., Mkhwanazi, Z., Bhana, A., Bruno, D., Davids, E.L., Van Hout, M. & Govindasamy, D.
HIV Research & Clinical Practice Vol 25, Issue 2298094, Pages 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1080/25787489.2023.2298094
Abstract
The World Health Organisation’s (WHO) key population-based strategy for ending the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic is universal HIV test and treat (UTT) along with pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). Despite the successful scale-up of the UTT strategy in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), the quality of life (QoL) of people living with HIV (PLHIV) remains sub-optimal. Poor QoL in PLHIV may threaten the UNAIDS 95- 95-95 programme targets. Monitoring QoL of PLHIV has become a key focus of HIV research among other outcomes so as to understand health-related QoL (HRQoL) profiles and identify interventions to improve programme performance. This study aimed to describe HRQoL profiles and identify their predictors in PLHIV in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. We conducted a secondary data analysis of a cross-sectional survey conducted between May and June 2022 among PLHIV (n ¼ 105) accessing HIV services at an outpatient clinic in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Socio-demographic, HRQoL (EQ-5D-5L index scores), clinical data, depressive symptoms (CES-D-10), and viral load data were collected from all participants. We examined predictors of HRQoL using generalised linear models controlling for age and sex. The mean age of the participants was 45 years (SD = 13). The proportion of participants with disabilities and comorbidities were 3% and 18%, respectively. Depressive symptoms were present in 49% of the participants. Participant’s mean EQ-5D-5L index score was 0.87 (SD = 0.21) and ranged from 0.11 to 1.0. The mean general health state (EQ-VAS) was 74.7 (SD = 18.8) and ranged from 6 to 100. Factors that reduced HRQoL were disability (b = ?0.607, p < 0.001), comorbidities (b = ? 0.23, p < 0.05), presence of depressive symptoms (b = ?0.10, p < 0.05), and old age (b = ?0.04, p < 0.05). Factors that increased HRQoL were a good perceived health state (b = 0.147, p < 0.001) and availability of social support (b = 0.098, p < 0.05). A combination of old age (60 years and above), any disability and comorbidities had a considerable effect on HRQoL among PLHIV. Our findings support the recommendation for an additional fourth UNAIDS target that should focus on ensuring that 95% of PLHIV have the highest possible HRQoL. Psycho-social support interventions are recommended to improve the HRQoL of PLHIV
Journal article
Conceptualization and validation of the Occupation Insecurity Scale (OCIS): Measuring employees’ occupation insecurity due to automation.
Roll, L. C., De Witte, H., & Wang, H. J.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Vol 20, Issue 3, Pages 2589. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20032589
Abstract
Increased use and implementation of automation, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, gives rise to a new phenomenon: occupation insecurity. In this paper, we conceptualize and define occupation insecurity, as well as develop an Occupation Insecurity Scale (OCIS) to measure it. From focus groups, subject-matter expert interviews, and a quantitative pilot study, two dimensions emerged: global occupation insecurity, which refers to employees’ fear that their occupations might disappear, and content occupation insecurity, which addresses employees’ concern that (the tasks of) their occupations might significantly change due to automation. In a survey-study sampling 1373 UK employees, psychometric properties of OCIS were examined in terms of reliability, construct validity, measurement invariance (across gender, age, and occupational position), convergent and divergent validity (with job and career insecurity), external discriminant validity (with organizational future time perspective), external validity (by comparing theoretically secure vs. insecure groups), and external and incremental validity (by examining burnout and work engagement as potential outcomes of occupation insecurity). Overall, OCIS shows good results in terms of reliability and validity. Therefore, OCIS offers an avenue to measure and address occupation insecurity before it can impact employee wellbeing and organizational performance.
Journal article
Strategies for researching programs’ impact on capability: A scoping review.
Rijke, W.J., Meerman, J., Bloemen, B., Venkatapuram, S., Van der Klink, J., & Van der Wilt, G.J.
Journal of Human Development and Capabilities Vol 24, Issue 3, Pages 401-4233. https://doi.org/10.1080/19452829.2023.2209027
Abstract
Researchers seeking to assess the impact of a program on the capability of its target audience face numerous methodological challenges. The purpose of our review was to see to what extent such challenges are recognised and what choices researchers made in order to address them, and why. We identified 3354 studies by searching five databases in addition to cross-checking references from selected studies. A total of 71 studies met our pre-defined selection criteria: empirical studies reporting data on how interventions impacted the beneficiaries’ capability, providing sufficient detail on how impact was measured, in English language. Four independent raters assessed those studies on four domains: descriptive information, consideration of causal attribution, operationalisation of capability, and interpretation of findings. Challenges related to capability impact assessment were not widely explicitly acknowledged, and available measures to address these challenges were not being used routinely. Major weaknesses included little attention to causal attribution, infrequent justification of the specific content of capability, and failure to research the constitutive elements of capability and their interactions. Research into a program’s impact on the capability of its recipients is challenging for several reasons, but options are available to further improve the quality of this type of research.
Journal article
Benefiting the organization while helping yourself: A three-wave study of reciprocal effects between job crafting and innovative work behaviour.
Tomas, J., Jung Lee, H., Bettac, E.L., Jenkins, M.R., De Witte, H., Probst, T.M., Maslic Seršic, D.
European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology Vol 32, Issue 6, Pages 761-776, https://doi.org/10.1080/1359432X.2023.2250094
Abstract
Most employees proactively alter their jobs to improve their functioning at work. Such self-initiated behaviours, referred to as job crafting, are primarily intended to benefit the employees themselves. This study contrasts the self-serving nature of job crafting by hypothesizing its positive, reciprocal relationship with a form of work behaviour which primarily benefits organizations – innovative work behaviour (IWB). Drawing upon Conservation of Resources theory, we test a novel perspective suggesting that job crafting and IWB can perpetuate each other by forming gain cycles. Furthermore, we examine whether participative decision making (PDM) can instigate these gain cycles by enhancing subsequent job crafting and IWB. These research hypotheses were tested using three-wave survey data collected from employees (N = 404) within the Belgian higher education sector. The results demonstrate that not only does job crafting relate to subsequent increases in IWB, but also that IWB relates to subsequent increases in job crafting over three measurements occasions. In contrast, PDM did not predict subsequent changes in either form of work behaviour. We discuss these results in light of their contributions to advancing theoretical understanding of the job crafting-IWB relationship and practices intended to promote gain cycles beneficial to employees and employers alike.
Journal article
Longitudinal association of adolescents’ perceptions of parental mediations and compulsive Internet use.
Akungu, O. A., Chen, S., & Su, C. H.
Computers in Human Behavior Vol 150, Pages 107989. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2023.107989
Abstract
Today’s adolescents do not know a life without the Internet, which is here to stay. Much of adolescents’ Internet consumption takes place at home. Accordingly, it is imperative that parents are centrally positioned to aid adolescents to maximize the opportunities it presents while also minimizing the associated risks. This 2-year, four- wave longitudinal study involved 1983 middle school adolescents (Mage =13.01, SD =0.70; Grade seven at Time 1; 46.9% female) to examine the relationship between adolescents’ perceived parental mediation styles, including encouragement, worry, monitoring, and permission, and compulsive Internet use (CIU). Autoregressive cross lag panel analyses showed that the mediation styles functioned differently and interacted with CIU at different time periods. Parental encouragement was the only mediation that reduced adolescents’ CIU, and it only worked during a school year, but not across school years. CIU was a constant trigger of parental worry in all time periods. CIU predicted parental monitoring across school years but not within a school year. It also prompted parental permission during a school year. Parents exhibited more than one parental mediation style at any given time period. Steps to elevate parental encouragement should be put in place so as to reduce adolescents’ CIU.
Journal article
A literature review of the effects of social networking sites on secondary school students’ academic achievement
Astatke, M., Weng, C., & Chen, S.
Interactive Learning Environments Vol 31, Issue 4, Pages 2153-2169. https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2021.1875002
Abstract
Due to COVID-19 pandemic, schools all over the world have gone from full face-to-face to online lessons. This paper analyzed the influences of social networking sites (SNS) on secondary school students’ academic achievement. The original studies were extracted from the Web of Science database, and the review of the 27 selected journal articles revealed that the use of SNS is both positively and negatively related to secondary school students’ academic achievement. However, it was found that few studies have reported the positive impacts of SNS use on students’ academic achievement. On the contrary, several studies have shown that excessive usage of SNS, inappropriate SNS use, and usage of SNS for other recreational activities instead of educational purposes harmed students’ academic achievement. Factors that mediate (such as internet addiction, intention to cyberbully, and sexually explicit material use) and moderate (such as gender, sleep time, learning environment, time management skill and school day and non-school day behaviors) the SNS-academic achievement link are discussed. These findings have important implications for parents, teachers, educationalists, and counsellors who should be aware of the potential for inappropriate and excessive use of SNS by students, and who should develop intervention mechanisms to address the problem.
Journal article
Examining the dynamics of mathematics anxiety, perceived cost, and achievement: A control-value theory approach.
St Omer, S. M., & Chen, S.
Contemporary Educational Psychology Vol 73, Issue 102169, Pages . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2023.102169
Abstract
Concerns about the influence of students’ perceived negative consequences of engagement in a task (i.e., cost) on their emotions, motivation, and cognition have increased in the last decade. The use of longitudinal models is needed to provide new insights into the role of perceived cost in mathematics learning. Grounded in the control-value theory, this study examined cross-lagged relations of mathematics anxiety, perceived cost, and mathematics achievement. The participants (N = 335) reported their mathematics anxiety and perceived cost four times during Grades 7 and 8, and their mathematics grades were attained from their school records. Cross-lagged panel model analysis revealed evidence of a long-term positive reciprocal relationship between mathematics anxiety and effort/emotional cost, a gradually diminished relationship between effort/emotional cost and mathematics performance, and a positive achievement to anxiety link during the transition between grade levels. Moreover, mathematics performance is a distal predictor of mathematics anxiety through effort/emotional cost rather than a proximal predictor or an outcome of anxiety. This study also clarified the distinction in the central role of effort/emotional versus opportunity cost in the interrelatedness of mathematics anxiety and performance, where the latter failed to demonstrate significant paths. Specific timing for interventions was discerned. Early cost prevention interventions along with considerations of academic achievement to alleviate both anxiety and perceived effort/emotional are highlighted as crucial for a positive high school mathematics experience.
Journal article
Outcome assessment of a complex mental health intervention in the workplace. Results from the MENTUPP pilot study.
Tsantila, F., Coppens, E., De Witte, H., Arensman, E., Amann, B., Cerga-Pashoja, A., Corcoran, P., Creswell Smith, J., Cully, G., Toth, M.D., Greiner, B., Griffin, E., Hegerl, U., Holland, C., Leduc, C., Leduc, M., Ni Dhalaigh, D., O' Brien, C., Paterson, C., Purebl, G., Reich, H., Ross, V., Rugulies, R., Sanches, S., Thompson, K., Van Audenhove, C., & MENTUPP Consortium Members
International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health Vol 96, Pages 1149–1165 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-023-01996-3
Abstract
According to the Medical Research Council (MRC) framework, the theorisation of how multilevel, multicomponent interventions work and the understanding of their interaction with their implementation context are necessary to be able to evaluate them beyond their complexity. More research is needed to provide good examples following this approach in order to produce evidence-based information on implementation practices. This article reports on the results of the process evaluation of a complex mental health intervention in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) tested through a pilot study. The overarching aim is to contribute to the evidence base related to the recruitment, engagement and implementation strategies of applied mental health interventions in the workplace. The Mental Health Promotion and Intervention in Occupational Settings (MENTUPP) intervention was pilot tested in 25 SMEs in three work sectors and nine countries. The evaluation strategy of the pilot test relied on a mixed-methods approach combining qualitative and quantitative research methods. The process evaluation was inspired by the RE-AIM framework and the taxonomy of implementation outcomes suggested by Proctor and colleagues and focused on seven dimensions: reach, adoption, implementation, acceptability, appropriateness, feasibility and maintenance. Factors facilitating implementation included the variety of the provided materials, the support provided by the research officers (ROs) and the existence of a structured plan for implementation, among others. Main barriers to implementation were the difficulty of talking about mental health, familiarisation with technology, difficulty in fitting the intervention into the daily routine and restrictions caused by COVID-19. The results will be used to optimise the MENTUPP intervention and the theoretical framework that we developed to evaluate the causal mechanisms underlying MENTUPP. Conducting this systematic and comprehensive process evaluation contributes to the enhancement of the evidence base related to mental health interventions in the workplace and it can be used as a guide to overcome their contextual complexity.
Journal article
The relationship between having a job and the outcome of brief therapy in patients with common mental disorders.
van Oosten, A. J., van Mens, K., Blonk, R. W., Burdorf, A., & Tiemens, B.
BMC Psychiatry Vol 23, Issue 1, Pages 910. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-023-05418-z
Abstract
Previous studies have shown that being employed is associated not only with patients’ health but also with the outcome of their treatment for severe mental illness. This study examined what influence employment had on improvements in mental health and functioning among patients with common mental disorders who received brief treatment and how patients’ diagnosis, environmental and individual factors moderated the association between being employed and treatment outcome. The study used naturalistic data from a cohort of patients in a large mental health franchise in the Netherlands. The data were obtained from electronic registration systems, intake questionnaires and Routine Outcome Monitoring (ROM). The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework was used to identify potential subgroups of patients. Logistic regression models were used to analyze the relationship between employment status and treatment outcome and to determine how the relationship differed among ICF subgroups of patients. A strong relationship was found between employment status and the outcome of brief therapy for patients with common mental disorders. After potential confounding variables had been controlled, patients who were employed were 54% more likely to recover compared to unemployed patients. Two significant interactions were identified. Among patients who were 60 years of age or younger, being employed was positively related to recovery, but this relationship disappeared in patients older than 60 years. Second, among patients in all living situations there was a positive effect of being employed on recovery, but this effect did not occur among children (18+) who were living with a single parent. Being employed was positively associated with treatment outcome among both people with a severe mental illness and those with a common mental disorder (CMD). The main strength of this study was its use of a large dataset from a nationwide franchised company. Attention to work is important not only for people with a severe mental illness, but also for people with a CMD. This means that in addition to re-integration methods that focus on people with a severe mental illness, more interventions are needed for people with a CMD.
Journal article
Organisational policies and practices for the inclusion of vulnerable workers: A scoping review of the employer’s perspective.
Kersten, A., Van Woerkom, M., Geuskens, G. A., & Blonk, R. W. B.
Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation Vol 33, Issue 2, Pages 245-266. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10926-022-10067-2
Abstract
Current models of inclusive workplaces are primarily based on the perceptions of vulnerable workers, whereas attention for employer’s perceptions is lacking. This scoping review addresses this issue by mapping the literature that covers employer’s perceptions on the application and importance of organisational policies and practices aimed at the inclusion of vulnerable workers. A literature search for qualitative and quantitative research articles was conducted in MEDLINE, Scopus, ProQuest, PsychInfo, Google Scholar and Web of Science. Studies were included when (a) they reported on practices aimed at the inclusion, participation, or rehabilitation of (b) workers with disabilities, a low education or migration background, or who were long-term unemployed, and (c) were based on samples of employers or their representatives. The search resulted in 3,134 articles. In total, 38 articles met the inclusion criteria of this study. We identified seven types of inclusive practices to stimulate the inclusion of vulnerable workers that employers applied and/or perceived as valuable: senior management commitment, recruitment and selection, performance management and development practices, job accommodations and redesign of work, supportive culture, external collaborations with other employers, and monitoring. Our review identified seven categories of inclusive practices that pertain to all stages of the employee journey of vulnerable workers. These categories move beyond those reported in studies based on employee samples, for instance by highlighting the importance of monitoring and collaborations with other employers. Hence, our findings stress that insight into employers’ perceptions about effective measures is crucial to increase labour market participation of vulnerable groups.
Journal article
What matters more for daily well- and ill-being? The dual pathways of daily need satisfaction and frustration.
Coxen, L., van der Vaart, L., Van den Broeck, A., Rothmann, S. & Schreurs, B.
Current Psychology Vol 42, Pages 32552–32565. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-04235-7
Abstract
The self-determination theory denotes that employees’ basic psychological needs should be fulfilled for them to experience optimal functioning (‘bright’ pathway). However, these needs may also be thwarted, often resulting in less favorable outcomes (‘dark’ pathway). Although need satisfaction has been widely researched, need frustration has been explored less. The needs are context-responsive and vary daily but are more often investigated at the between-person level rather than the within-person level. This study aimed to understand the dual pathways (to well- and ill-being) of daily need satisfaction and frustration through the different motivational regulations. We also compared whether daily need satisfaction related more strongly to positive outcomes than need frustration and whether need frustration was more strongly associated with adverse outcomes. An intensive longitudinal quantitative research design with a multilevel approach was used. Employees in small and medium enterprises were asked to complete daily surveys for 10 working days (N=68/n=557). Data were analyzed using multilevel structural equation modeling. The results revealed that both daily need satisfaction and frustration had an indirect influence on work engagement and exhaustion via intrinsic motivation. The indirect effect of daily need satisfaction on work engagement was more substantial than need frustration, while daily need frustration was more strongly related to exhaustion via intrinsic motivation. The implications are that management can actively make efforts to support employees’ daily needs and reduce their daily need frustration. Theoretically, researchers should include both need satisfaction and frustration to account for the dual pathways to employee outcomes.
Journal article
Identification of psychological constructs for a positive psychology intervention to assist with the adjustment to closed loop technology among adolescents living with type 1 diabetes.
Kruger, S., Deacon, E., van Rensburg, E. & Segal, D.
Frontiers in Psychology Vol 14, Issue 1273586, Pages https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1273586
Abstract
Adolescents have been identified as the group who struggle most with successful adjustment to closed loop technology. This study aims to identify the psychological constructs that should form part of a positive psychology intervention to assist with the adjustment to closed loop technology among adolescents living with type 1 diabetes. Qualitative document analysis was employed to integrate findings from two documents: a published ongoing intervention study and a recent phenomenological study by the authors. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to identify themes from the documents. The following themes were identified as important psychological constructs that aid adjustment: the importance of knowledge and education; the process of positive adjustment to closed loop technology; a positive outlook; and building a relationship with diabetes. Interventions are needed to assist adolescents in their adjustment to closed loop technology. The psychological constructs identified served as a starting point in designing an effective, evidence-based intervention grounded in data and theory. Knowledge and education, responsibility, identity, positive affect, gratitude, support, and trust are psychological constructs that need to be included in an intervention program.
Journal article
Decent work, capabilities and flourishing at work.
Ragadu, S.C. & Rothmann, S.
Mental Health and Social Inclusion Vol 27, Issue 4, Pages 317-339. https://doi.org/10.1108/MHSI-05-2023-0054
Abstract
This study aims to investigate the associations among decent work (DW), capabilities and the flourishing of employees in a South African context. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with a convenience sample (N = 436) of early childhood development practitioners from two South African provinces. A demographic questionnaire, the Decent Work Scale, the Capability Set for Work Questionnaire and the Flourishing-at-Work Scale were administered. Latent class analysis showed four capability sets: robust, relational, knowledge/skills and weak capability sets. Employees with a robust capability set were more inclined to report DW than those with knowledge/skills and weak capability sets. Employees with a weak capability set were significantly less inclined to report organisational values that complement family and social values than the other three capability sets. Employees with a robust capability set reported significantly higher emotional well-being (EWB), psychological well-being (PWB) and social well-being (SWB) levels than those with relational, knowledge/skills and weak capability sets. DW was significantly related to EWB, PWB and SWB. This study contributes to the literature regarding DW, capabilities and flourishing of employees in a non-western, educated, industrialized, rich and democratic and non-POSH context. The study highlights the need for well-being policies that focus on DW and the capabilities of people in disadvantaged positions. These together would strengthen their agency for converting capabilities into well-being.
Journal article
Participative decision-making, autonomy, and creative performance: Evidence of match-up employee relations between engineers and managers.
Kimpah, J., Ibrahim, H. I., Rothmann, S., & Jaaffar, A. H.
Serbian Journal of Management Vol 18, Issue 2, Pages 331-351. https://doi.org/10.5937/sjm18-38188
Abstract
This study aimed to determine the associations between engineers’ perceptions of participative decision-making and autonomy, and their creative performance. The study utilised a paired matchup technique, with engineers and managers as respondents. Managers were responsible for assessing engineers’ creative performance. Due to the study match-up design, questionnaires measuring participative decision-making, autonomy, and creative performance were distributed to the electrical and electronic manufacturing firms. SmartPLS software was used to analyse the hypothesised relationships. The results indicated that engineers’ participative decision-making significantly predicted autonomy dimensions (work schedule, work criterion, and work method). Engineers’autonomy regarding work schedule, work criterion, and work method had no positive relationship with creative performance. The results showed that engineers’ work schedule, work criterion, and work method negatively mediated the relationships between participative decision-making and creative performance. The findings indicated an insignificant direct effect and negative mediation of engineers’ work schedule, work criterion, and work method on creative performance, pointing to the structured nature of work. This situation leaves engineers with minimal opportunity to determine the work designs, time allocations, and multicriteria of job descriptions. The study recommends potential directions for studying the improvement of engineers’ creative performance in future studies.
Journal article
The role of significance relative to the other dimensions of meaning in life–an examination utilizing the three-dimensional meaning in life scale (3DM).
Martela, F., & Steger, M. F.
Journal of Positive Psychology Vol 18, Issue 4, Pages 606-626. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2022.2070528
Abstract
Following calls for multidimensional conceptualizations of meaning in life, the tripartite view where meaning is seen to consist of significance, purpose, and coherence has gained in popularity. To operationalize it, we developed the Three Dimensional Meaning in Life Scale (3DM), confirming its factor structure, psychometric properties, and validity in Studies 1 (n = 301), 2 (n = 300), and 3 (n’s = 171 & 161). Study 4 (n = 241) was experimental inviting participants to read vignettes in three conditions, each emphasizing one dimension of meaning in life, demonstrating that people can discriminate between lives high on each specific dimension. Study 5 (n = 336) investigated the separateness of significance and mattering, finding both overlap and distinctiveness, suggesting that they could be sub-facets of the sam
