The Impact of Personality and Culture on the Job Demands-Control Model of Job Stress

Among the various work stress models, one of the most popular has been the job demands-control (JDC) model developed by Karasek (1979), which postulates that work-related strain is highest under work conditions characterized by high demands and low autonomy. The absence of social support at work further increases negative outcomes. This model, however, does not apply equally to all individuals and to all cultures. This review demonstrates how various individual characteristics, especially some personality dimensions, influence the JDC model and could thus be considered buffering or moderator factors. Moreover, we review how the cultural context impacts this model as suggested by results obtained in European, American, and Asian contexts. Yet there are almost no data from Africa or South America. More crosscultural studies including populations from these continents would be valuable for a better understanding of the impact of the cultural context on the JDC model.

(Endogenous) occupational choices and job satisfaction among recent PhD recipients: evidence from Catalonia

Drawing on data from two successive cohorts of PhD graduates, this paper analyses differences in overall job satisfaction and specific job domain satisfaction among PhDs employed in different sectors four years after completing their doctorate degrees. Covariate-adjusted job satisfaction differentials suggest that, compared to faculty members, PhD holders employed outside traditional academic and research jobs are more satisfied with the pecuniary facets of their work (principally, because of higher earnings), but significantly less satisfied with the content of their job and with how well the job matches their skills (and, in the case of public sector workers, with their prospects of promotion). The evidence regarding the overall job satisfaction of the PhD holders indicates that working in the public or private sectors is associated with less work well-being, which cannot be fully compensated by the better pecuniary facets of the job. It also appears that being employed in academia or in research centres provides almost the same perceived degree of satisfaction with the job and with its four specific domains. We also take into account the endogenous sorting of PhD holders into different occupations based on latent personal traits that might be related to job satisfaction. The selectivity-corrected job satisfaction differentials reveal the importance of self-selection based on unobservable traits, and confirm the existence of a certain penalisation for working in occupations other than academia or research, which is especially marked in the case of satisfaction with job content and job-skills match. The paper presents additional interesting evidence about the determinants of occupational choice among PhD holders, highlighting the relevance of certain academic attributes (especially PhD funding and pre-and-post-doc research mobility) in affecting the likelihood of being employed in academia, in a research centre or in other public or private sector job four years after completing their doctorate programme.

Organisational PSM Antecedents. Do HRM Practices Matter? Testing the Mediating Role of Job Satisfaction and Organisational Commitment

The present study aims to identify organisational antecedents of public service motivation (PSM). Numerous research has been devoted to the identification of socio-demographic PSM antecedents, or to its outcomes. However, organisational antecedents are understudied thus far. In order to fill this research gap, we question whether human resources management practices, whether intrinsic or extrinsic ones, might be related to PSM. Drawing on person-environment fit theoretical assumptions, we depart from the idea that PSM may be developed or sustained by HRM practices, which might contribute to create an environment allowing public employees to fulfill their needs or personal aspirations. Based upon a survey in an important Swiss municipality (N = 859), our findings surprisingly highlight that extrinsic HRM practices are significantly related to PSM, whereas intrinsic ones are not. Furthermore, when taking into account work-related outcomes, such as job satisfaction and organisational commitment, there is evidence of full mediation effects towards extrinsic HRM practices from organisational commitment. Astonishingly, neither job satisfaction nor intrinsic HRM practices are significantly related to PSM.

Health at work and risk factors related to ergonomics: some results from the Swiss sample of the 4th European working conditions survey

Introduction The European Foundation for the improvement of living and working conditions conducts a survey every 5 years since 1990. The foundation also offers the possibility to non-EU countries to be included in the survey: in 2005, Switzerland took part for the first time in the fourth edition of this survey. The Institute for Work and Health (IST) has been associated to the Swiss project conducted under the leadership of the SECO and the Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz. The survey covers different aspects of work like job characteristics and employment conditions, health and safety, work organization, learning and development opportunities, and the balance between working and non-working life (Parent-Thirion, Fernandez Macias, Hurley, & Vermeylen, 2007). More particularly, one question assesses the worker's self-perception of the effects of work on health. We identified (for the Swiss sample) several factors affecting the risk to report health problems caused by work. The Swiss sample includes 1040 respondents. Selection of participants was based on a random multi-stage sampling and was carried out by M.I.S Trend S.A. (Lausanne). Participation rate was 59%. The database was weighted by household size, gender, age, region of domicile, occupational group, and economic sector. Specially trained interviewers carried out the interviews at the respondents home. The survey was carriedout between the 19th of September 2005 and the 30th of November 2005. As detailed in (Graf et al., 2007), 31% of the Swiss respondents identify work as the cause of health problems they experience. Most frequently reported health problems include back pain (18%), stress (17%), muscle pain (13%), and overall fatigue (11%). Ergonomic aspects associated with higher risk of reporting health problems caused by work include frequent awkward postures (odds ratio [OR] 4.7, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.1 to 5.4), tasks involving lifting heavy loads (OR 2.7, 95% CI 2.0 to 3.6) or lifting people (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.4 to 3.5), standing or walking (OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.1 to 1.9), as well as repetitive movements (OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.3 to 2.3). These results highlight the need to continue and intensify the prevention of work related health problems in occupations characterized by risk factors related to ergonomics.

Beliefs about and attitudes toward gambling in French-speaking Switzerland.

The present study aims to analyze attitudes and beliefs of the French-speaking general Swiss population (n = 2500; female n = 1280; mean age = 43 years) as regards gambling, which are to date almost exclusively studied in the North American and Australian contexts. Beliefs related to gambling include the perception of the effectiveness of preventive measures toward gambling, the comparative risk assessment of different addictive behaviors, the perceived risks of different types of gambling and attitudes are related to the gambler's personality. The general population perceived gambling rather negatively and was conscious of the potential risks of gambling; indeed, 59.0% of the sample identified gambling as an addictive practice. Slot machines were estimated to bear the highest risk. Compared with women and older people, men and young people indicated more positive beliefs about gambling; they perceived gambling as less addictive, supported structural preventive measures less often, and perceived gambling as a less serious problem for society. Gamblers were more likely to put their practices into perspective, perceiving gambling more positively than non-gamblers. General population surveys on such beliefs can deliver insights into preventive actions that should be targeted to young men who showed more favorable views of gambling, which have been shown to be associated with increased risk for problematic gambling.

Work-related stress according to the demand-control model and minor psychic disorders in nursing workers

This was a cross-sectional study that aimed to assess the association between work-related stress according to the Demand-Control Model, and the occurrence of Minor Psychic Disorder (MPD) in nursing workers. The participants were 335 professionals, out of which 245 were nursing technicians, aged predominantly between 20 and 40 years. Data were collected using the Job Stress Scale and the Self-Reporting Questionnaire-20. The analysis was performed using descriptive and analytical statistics. The prevalence of suspected MPD was 20.6%. Workers classified in the quadrants active job and high strain of the Demand-Control Model presented higher potential for developing MPD compared with those classified in the quadrant low strain. In conclusion, stress affects the mental health of workers and the aspects related to high psychological demands and high control still require further insight in order to understand their influence on the disease processes of nursing workers.

Attitudes, knowledge, and opinions regarding mental health among undergraduate nursing students

A cross-sectional study involving 235 subjects was conducted in 2011 to compare the opinions of nursing students regarding mental illness and related care practices at two institutions in the state of Paraná, Brazil. Following approval by the ethics committee, data collection was initiated using an instrument containing questions regarding the importance of personal characteristics, knowledge of mental health, and the Opinions about Mental Illness (OMI) scale. Statistical analyses, including the Mann-Whitney test, Chi-squared test, and Spearman correlation at , were performed using SPSSv.15. The students exhibited significantly different characteristics only for Benevolence. Regarding the importance of knowledge about mental health, in comparison with students from the State University of Londrina (Universidade Estadual de Londrina – UEL), students at the State University of Maringa (Universidade Estadual de Maringá – UEM) considered psychological aspects more comprehensively than technical knowledge. We conclude that there are differences between students at these institutions in terms of knowledge and the factor Benevolence. Further studies are necessary to identify the underlying causes of such differences.

Addressing Practical Issues Related Tto Nursing Care For International Visitors To Hiroshima

When nine million foreigners visited Japan in 2013, the federal government set a goal to attract an additional two and a half million visitors including medical tourists by 2020. This research investigates the attitudes and concerns of Japanese nurses when they are in a situation dealing with foreign patients. The data were collected from March through September 2010, from 114 nurses at three hospitals, in close proximity to popular tourist destinations in Hiroshima. A questionnaire was developed for this research, named Mari Meter, which included a section to write answers to an open question for the nurses to express their opinions. These responses were examined statistically and by word analysis using Text Mining Studio. Japanese nurses expressed greatest concern about payment options, foreign language skills, and issues of informed consent, when dealing with foreigners. The results confirm that, in order to provide a high quality of patient care, extra preparation and a greater knowledge of international workers and visitors are required by nursing professionals in Japan.


Patterns of alcohol use and related issues: analysis of nurses' knowledge


Descriptive study that aimed to identify and compare the nurses’ knowledge addressed to patterns of alcohol use and related issues. The study included 185 nurses of which 84 had attended a training course on the subject. Data were collected through a questionnaire of knowledge showing that while the trained group obtained the highest average on correct answers, there was a lack of knowledge in both groups, especially with regard to the identification of complications from alcohol use. Important definitions to nursing practice in the area of addictions are presented, suggesting that future training may consider the various dimensions involved in caring for people with problems related to alcohol.


Nurses’ attitudes regarding the importance of families in pediatric nursing care

Affective, cognitive and behavioral components affect nurses´ attitudes to include families in the care processes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the attitudes of nurses about the importance of including families in nursing care. Data collection was performed in pediatric and maternal-child unit of a Brazilian university hospital. A sample of 50 nurses completed the Portuguese version of the instrument Families’Importance in Nursing Care-Nurses’ Attitudes (FINC-NA). The results indicated that nurses have supportive attitudes regarding families participation in nursing care. Attitudes of lower support for involving families in nursing care were found among nurses with older age, more time in the profession and who had no previous contact with contents related to Family Nursing. The application of the instrument in other contexts of assistance may help to illuminate important aspects of the challenges to implementing a family-centered approach in clinical practice.





When Preference Is Not Satisfied but the Individual Is: How Power Distance Affects Person-Job Fit

One aspect of person-job fit reflects congruence between personal preferences and job design; as congruence increases so should satisfaction. We hypothesized that power distance would moderate whether fit is related to satisfaction with degree of job formalization. We obtained measures of job-formalization, fit and satisfaction, as well as organizational commitment from employees (n = 772) in a multinational firm with subsidiaries in six countries. Confirming previous findings, individuals from low power-distance cultures were most satisfied with increasing fit. However, the extent to which individuals from high power-distance cultures were satisfied did not necessarily depend on increasing fit, but mostly on whether the degree of formalization received was congruent to cultural norms. Irrespective of culture, satisfaction with formalization predicted a broad measure of organizational commitment. Apart from our novel extension of fit theory, we show how moderation can be tested in the context of polynomial response surface regression and how specific hypotheses can be tested regarding different points on the response surface.

Attitudes towards morphine use among Swiss nurses and physicians

Background: There is little information regarding risk perception and attitudes on morphine use in Switzerland. Objectives: We aimed at assessing such attitudes in a sample of health professionals in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. Study design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: five non-university hospitals of the French-speaking canton of Valais, Switzerland. Methods: 431 nurses and 40 physicians (age range: 20-63). Risk perception and attitudes towards morphine use were assessed using a validated questionnaire. Results: Over half of participants showed a negative attitude regarding most adverse events related to morphine, while less than one third showed a similar attitude regarding other statements. On bivariate analyses, participants working in geriatrics showed a more negative attitude towards use of morphine than participants working in medicine and surgery. Non-Swiss participants also showed a more negative attitude than Swiss regarding use of morphine. Conversely, no differences were found between genders, profession (nurses or physicians), years of experience (<=14 and >14) and religion (catholic vs. others/no religion). These findings were further confirmed by multivariate adjustment. Limitations: possible selection bias due to responders only. Results limited to French speaking participants. Conclusion: Attitudes regarding morphine uses are mainly driven by its potential adverse effects and vary according to specialty and nationality. Educational measures directed at health professionals working in geriatrics or coming from abroad might reduce the high morphinophobia levels observed in these groups.

Insuffisance rénate chronique: attitudes et pratiques de dépistages en l'absence d'etudes randomisées. [Chronic kidney disease: screening attitude and practice in the absence of randomized controlled trials].

Au vu de l'augmentation de la prévalence de l'insuffisance rénale chronique (IRC), une détection précoce a été proposée. Certaines organisations de santé proposent des mesures de détection précoce (par exemple : taux de filtration glomérulaire). L'efficacité du dépistage de l'IRC n'est cependant pas connue puisqu'aucune étude randomisée contrôlée n'a été conduite. Si le test de dépistage de l'IRC est simple et peu onéreux, un dépistage n'est justifié que s'il améliore le pronostic par rapport à l'absence de dépistage avec un rapport risques-bénéfices favorable et un rapport coût-efficacité acceptable. Sur la base d'études observationnelles et de modèles de rapport coût-efficacité, le dépistage de l'IRC doit être proposé chez les patients hypertendus et/ou diabétiques mais pas dans la population générale. [Abstract] Given the increasing prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD), early detection has been proposed. Some organizations recommend CKD screening. Yet, the efficacy of CKD screening is unknown given the absence of randomized controlled trial conducted so far. While CKD screening tests (e.g., glomerular filtration rate) are simple and inexpensive, CKD screening can only be justified if it reduces CKD-related mortality and/or CKD-related morbidity compared to no screening. In addition, CKD screening must provide more benefits than risks to the participants and must be cost-effective. Based on observational studies and cost-effectiveness models, CKD screening has to be proposed to high risk population (patients with hypertension and/or diabetes) but not to the general population.

Job switching in ants: role of a kinase

Reproductive division of labour is a defining characteristic of eusociality in insect societies. The task of reproduction is performed by the fertile males and queens of the colony, while the non-fertile female worker caste performs all other tasks related to colony upkeep, foraging and nest defence. Division of labour, or polyethism, within the worker caste is organized such that specific tasks are performed by discrete groups of individuals. Ordinarily, workers of one group will not participate in the tasks of other groups making the groups of workers behaviourally distinct. In some eusocial species, this has led to the evolution of a remarkable diversity of subcaste morphologies within the worker caste, and a division of labour amongst the subcastes. This caste polyethism is best represented in many species of ants where a smaller-bodied minor subcaste typically performs foraging duties while larger individuals of the major subcaste are tasked with nest defence. Recent work suggests that polyethism in the worker caste is influenced by an evolutionarily conserved, yet diversely regulated, gene called foraging (for), which encodes a cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG). Additionally, flexibility in the activity of this enzyme allows for workers from one task group to assist the workers of other task groups in times of need during the colony's life.

Perceived discrimination against diabetics in the workplace and in work-related insurances in Switzerland.

To investigate the prevalence and risk factors of perceived diabetes-related discrimination in the workplace and in work-related insurances in persons with diabetes mellitus in Switzerland. 509 insulin-treated diabetic subjects representative of the northwestern Swiss population responded to a self-report questionnaire on perceived diabetes-related discrimination in the workplace and in work-related insurances (salary loss insurance, supplementary occupational plan). Discrimination was defined as being treated differently at least once in relation to diabetes. The reported rates of different aspects of discrimination in the workplace and in work-related insurances ranged between 5-11% and 4-15% respectively. Risk factors that independently increased the risk of not being hired due to diabetes were the presence of at least two severe hypoglycaemic events/year and relevant diabetic complications (OR 5.6 and OR 2.6 respectively; both<0.05). The presence of at least two severe hypoglycaemic events/year was also associated with an increased risk of losing one's job (OR 6.5, <0.01). Overweight or obesity were related to increased discrimination in work-related insurances (OR for denial 2.1-2.4; OR for reserve 3.9-4.4; all<0.05). Perceived diabetes-related discrimination in the workplace and by work-related insurances is a common problem. In the light of our findings the introduction of effective non-discrimination legislation for patients with chronic illnesses appears to be desirable.