As contemporary organizations are met with increasing demands and uncertainty, their continued success relies on employees' willingness and ability to think proactively and take action in the face of challenges. Some scholars have reasoned that stressors in the work environment may serve as indicators, to employees, that change is needed, therefore promoting proactive work behavior. However, current theories related to work stress assert that demands in the environment may exert effects dependent on the degree to which resources are available to cope with demands. Drawing on the Job Demands-Resources model and others, the present research examines the interplay between psychological resources, work stressors, and proactive work behavior in a sample of 229 preschool teachers in Germany. Specifically, the focus is on the moderating role of state-level psychological resources (e.g., enthusiasm, self-assurance, attentiveness, and feeling recovered) in the relationship between work stressors and proactive work behavior. Data was collected at three time points and included both self- and co-worker reports of proactive work behavior. Results indicate that psychological resources, characterized by positive mood and high energy, play an important motivational role in the face of work stressors. Findings support the importance of considering individual factors (e.g. availability of psychological resources) when examining relationships between environmental factors and proactive behavior. Implications for future research are discussed.

No description available.

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Health Sciences of the University of the Witwatersrand in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Medicine in the branch of Community Health (Public Health Medicine). May 2014 / Background Occupational stress represents a substantial public health challenge. Although there has been an extensive focus on this form of stress within the international setting, there appears to be a paucity of relevant evidence within South Africa. Specifically, within the local context, there are relatively few: (1) reliability testing studies of screening and assessment instruments, (2) prevalence analyses of occupational stress and (3) work-related stress management intervention designs. Methods A cross-sectional descriptive and analytical study was undertaken in a large tertiary hospital in Johannesburg. Primary data were collected between February 2013 and September 2013 using the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ). A sample (n=166) of administrative staff was selected, stratified into front line staff (n=54), back office staff (n=90) and managers (n=22). Data analysis included reliability testing of the COPSOQ using the Cronbach‘s alpha statistic. Prevalence measurement was also undertaken to describe the distribution of stress and other variables across the study sample. Finally, logistic regression was used to estimate associations between the exposure variables and the stress outcome (at the p < 0.05 level of significance). Results The Cronbach‘s alpha range for the COPSOQ was 0.31 to 0.85. Two out of 24 scales of the instrument fell below the unacceptability threshold of 0.5. In terms of prevalence, the stress mean for the study sample (on a scale from 0 to 100) was 38.8 (SD 19.8). Furthermore, 68.1% (n=113) of the study sample had a stress value above the reference mean. There were also significant differences in the stress values by job category, with managers having the highest mean at 51.2 (SD 24.2). Adjusting for job category, risk factors significantly associated with occupational stress in the main logistic model were offensive behaviour (OR 3.38, 95% CI: 1.54 – 7.43), quantitative demands (OR 2.83, 95% CI: 1.35 – 5.92) and emotional demands (OR 2.32, 95% CI: 1.08 – 4.96), while quality of leadership (OR 0.32, 95% CI: 0.15 – 0.67) was a protective factor. Further analysis showed that the most harmful risk factor for females was work-family conflict (OR 4.03; 95% CI: 1.45 - 11.21), and for males was exposure to offensive behaviour (OR 4.63; 95% CI: 1.15 - 18.63). Finally, ordinal regression found offensive behaviour (OR 3.60; 95% CI: 1.92 - 6.75) and quantitative demands (OR: 2.38; 95% CI: 1.27 - 4.46) to be significant risks for moving from low stress to high stress, while a commitment to workplace (OR 0.46; 95% CI: 0.24 - 0.86) could help to prevent this. Conclusions The level of occupational stress in the study sample was high relative to reference values. An occupational stress intervention is recommended, which should include primary, secondary and tertiary prevention strategies (according to identified risks). Further development of the instrument is also recommended, so as to improve its reliability in the local context. Finally, future research into occupational stress should explore the impact of factors such as resource constraints and HIV/AIDS, and should include an expansion into other settings and occupational categories. Key words Occupational stress, questionnaire reliability, psychosocial risks, intervention design.

No description available.

Syfte: Syftet var att utvärdera om experimentell psykologisk stress påverkar smärtkänsligheten i massetermuskeln, kortisolkoncentrationen i saliv, blodtryck och puls hos kvinnor. Material&Metod: 15 friska kvinnor deltog i studien (medelålder 23.7±2.3 år). Studien var en enkelblind randomiserad longitudinell studie, som sträckte sig över två besök. Deltagarna var randomiserat tilldelade att börja med kontroll- eller experimentellt besök. Experimentell stressuppgift utgjordes av aktivt deltagande i Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task och kontrolluppgiften av passivt deltagande. Kortisolkoncentration i saliv, upplevd stress och smärtkänsligheten mättes vid baseline och efter uppgiften. Smärtkänslighet, smärttröskel och smärttolerans, mättes med Painmatcher, Algometer och Palpometer på massetermuskel. Puls och blodtryck mättes regelbundet under hela besöket. Resultat: Ingen signifikant skillnad mellan experimentella- och kontrollbesöket kunde noteras för kortisolkoncentration i saliv, puls, blodtryck, smärta vid palpation, smärttröskel för tryck, smärttolerans för tryck och smärttröskel för elektricitet. Signifikant ökning av upplevd stress (P<0.01), smärttröskel för elektricitet (P<0.05), smärttolerans för elektricitet (P<0.05), smärttröskel för tryck (P<0.01)och smärttolerans för tryck (P<0.01) noterades däremot över tid i det experimentella besöket men ej i kontrollbesöket. Slutsats: Experimentell psykologisk stress, hos friska kvinnor, inducerade analgesi över tid. Detta tros bero på opioidhämmande systemet. Experimentell psykologisk stress hade ingen signifikant påverkan på kortisolkoncentration i saliv, blodtryck eller puls hos friska kvinnor. Fler studier krävs för att utreda psykologiska stressens roll i etiologin för orofacial smärta.

No description available.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Göteborg : Univ., 2003. / Härtill 5 uppsatser. Del av upplagan utan uppsatser.

Diss. Stockholm : Univ., 2004. / Härtill 4 uppsatser. Pp. 46-66: Bibliography.

Despite the immense volume of depression literature, there are significant gaps of knowledge in depression research of ethnic minorities including Korean Americans. The primary purpose of this study was to enhance the theoretical and empirical understanding of the depressive experience of Korean Americans. A correlational-descriptive, cross-sectional design with multivariate analysis was employed to: (1) identify significant factors that influence the depression experience of Korean Americans, (2) test the psychometric properties of the Kim Depression Scale for Korean Americans, and (3) identify essential similarities and differences in manifestations of depression of Korean and Anglo Americans. A total of 305 subjects, 154 Korean Americans and 151 Anglo Americans participated in this comparison study of depression in Korean and Anglo Americans. The findings of this study identified some important mediators and moderators of the depression experience for Korean Americans. The results of the study also identified essential similarities and differences in depression manifestations of Korean and Anglo Americans. Among the most important outcomes of the study was the discovery of a clue that may help to delineate a cross-cultural boundary of depression. While understanding of the perceptions, antecedents, and outcomes of depression may need a culture-specific approach, the manifestation of depression seems to show more universal characteristics. These findings have implications for future cross-cultural depression research, the clinical management of depression, and potential preventive strategies against depression in immigrant populations such as Korean Americans.

Introdução: A imagem corporal, a autoestima, o distress e a Síndrome Anorexia-Caquexia (SAC) em doentes com câncer gastrointestinal são pouco conhecidas. Objetivos: caracterizar o perfil sociodemográfico, clínico, antropométrico, bioquímico e nutricional dos doentes e analisar a prevalência e os fatores independentemente associados à acurácia e insatisfação da imagem corporal, autoestima e distress em doentes com Pré-SAC, SAC e Sem SAC. Método: Estudo transversal com 378 adultos com câncer gastrointestinal, classificados nos grupos Pré-caquexia (Pré-SAC, 53 doentes, 14%), Caquexia (SAC, 122, 32,3%) e Sem Caquexia (Sem SAC, 203, 53,7%). Foram elegíveis aqueles com escolaridade 6 anos, KPS 60%, sem quadro infeccioso e anasarca. As análises univariadas e de regressão logística identificaram os fatores associados à imagem corporal, autoestima e distress. Resultados: A maioria dos doentes foi homem (55,3%), idade média de 53 anos. Os tumores mais frequentes foram cólon/sigmóide (29,6%) e reto/ânus (29,4%) e sem metástases (65,1%). O grupo SAC teve maior prevalência de tumor de esôfago/estômago, metástases, perda de peso, desnutrição moderada a grave e sintomas mais intensos, além de menor tempo de diagnóstico, menor KPS, menor ingesta alimentar, menores níveis de hemoglobina e albumina e maior nível de proteína C-reativa. A prevalência de acurácia do tamanho corporal foi 75,8% e de insatisfação foi 78,8%. A maior parte relatou autoestima alta (81,2%) e 51,8% referiram distress. No grupo Pré-SAC/SAC, foram fatores de risco para distorcer a imagem corporal, subestimando-a, sexo masculino e presença de metástase. Idade elevada foi fator protetor para subestimar o tamanho corporal. Sexo masculino e depressão moderada/intensa foram fatores de risco para aumentar o tamanho corporal. Quanto à insatisfação corporal, tumor de cólon/sigmóide e maior tempo de diagnóstico diminuíram o desejo de aumentar o tamanho corporal. O risco de autoestima alta foi aumentado por idade mais elevada e ausência de dor e diminuído por fadiga muito incapacitante e ansiedade intensa. Distress, neste grupo, teve como fatores de risco maior intensidade de ansiedade, prejuízo no sono e de alteração da sensação de bem-estar e como fator protetor maior tempo de diagnóstico. No grupo Sem SAC, ter maior KPS protegeu e ter companheiro e depressão leve foram fatores de risco para superestimação do tamanho corporal. Na insatisfação corporal, sexo masculino diminuiu o desejo de ser mais magro e tumor de cólon/sigmóide diminuiu o desejo de ser mais gordo. Ausência de impacto da fadiga na vida diária foi fator protetor para autoestima alta. Ansiedade e dispneia intensas aumentaram o risco de distress neste grupo. Conclusão: Os doentes do Grupo SAC eram mais debilitados clinicamente, com maiores alterações nutricionais e sintomas mais intensos. Subestimação e desejo de aumentar peso, menor autoestima e ter distress estavam relacionados a características clínicas, antropométricas, nutricionais ou sintomas presentes no Grupo SAC; o inverso estava relacionado ao Grupo Sem SAC. Variáveis sociodemográficas, clínicas e sintomas foram os fatores independentemente associados à IC, AE e DT nos grupos. A identificação de diversos fatores de risco e protetores para acurácia e insatisfação com a imagem corporal, piora da autoestima e ocorrência de distress permite o planejamento de ações que previnam ou controlem essas variações / Introduction: Body image, self-esteem, distress and the cancer Anorexia Cachexia Syndrome (CACS) in patients with gastrointestinal cancer are not well known. Objectives: To characterize sociodemographic, clinical, anthropometric, biochemical and nutritional profile and to analyze the prevalence and the factors independently associated with accuracy and dissatisfaction of body size, self-esteem and distress in patients with pre-CACS, CACS and No CACS. Methods: Cross-sectional study of 378 adults with gastrointestinal cancer, classified in Pre-cachexia groups (Pre-CACS, 53 patients, 14%), cachexia (CACS, 122, 32.3%) and without cachexia (No CACS, 203, 53.7%). Patients with schooling 6 years, KPS 60% without infectious condition and anasarca were eligible. The univariate and logistic regression analyzes identified factors associated with body image, self-esteem and distress. Results: Most patients were men (55.3%), mean age 53 years. The most common tumors were colon/sigmoid (29.6%) and rectum/anus (29.4%), without metastasis (65.1%). The CACS group had a higher prevalence of esophageal/stomach tumor, metastases, weight loss, moderate to severe malnutrition and more severe symptoms, as well as shorter diagnosis time, lower KPS, lower food intake, lower levels of hemoglobin and albumin and higher level of C-reactive protein. The prevalence of accuracy of body size was 75.8% and dissatisfaction was 78.8%. Most reported high self-esteem (81.2%) and 51.8% reported distress. In the Pre-CACS/CACS group, risk factors to underestimated body image were male gender and metastasis. And older age was a protective factor to underestimantion their body size. To overestimation, male gender and moderate/severe depression were risk factors. As for body dissatisfaction, the Pre-CACS/CACSgroups, colon/sigmoid tumor and longer diagnostic time decreased the desire of increase body size. Older age and no pain increased the risk of high self-esteem; very disabling fatigue and severe anxiety decreased the risk of high self-esteem. Anxiety, impaired sleep and change sense of well-being were risk factors of distress. In the group No CACS, having a partner and mild depression were risk factors for overestimation of body size. Male gender decreased the desire of being slimmer and duodenum/colon/sigmoid tumor decreased the desire of being fatter. No fatigue impact in daily life was a protective factor for high self-esteem. Delayed diagnosis was a protective factor and anxiety and intense dyspnea have increased the risk of distress. Conclusion: CACS Group patients were more clinically impaired, with more nutritional changes and more severe symptoms. Sociodemographic, clinical and symptom variables were the factors independently associated with bo self-esteem and distress in the groups. The identification of various risk and protective factors for distortion and dissatisfaction with body image, low self-esteem and distress allows planning actions to prevent or control these variations