Middle managers' attitudes toward employee assistance programs in the corporate setting

Several studies have shown that successful Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) have strong management endorsement. Strong management endorsement is defined as positive support in utilizing EAP services for themselves and their employees. This study focuses solely on middle management as opposed to upper or general management support. The study further examines success or lack of success of an EAP by the utilization rate defined as the number of employees over a year period who access EAP services.^ A analytical cross-sectional design was used to compare and observe differences between two groups of middle managers (utilizers and nonutilizers). Middle manager data was collected through a mail questionnaire. The study focused on identifying predictors that influence middle managers' utilization rate specifically: attitude toward EAPs, EAP knowledge level, attitude toward mental health professionals, age, gender, years worked as a middle manager, education level, training, and other possible predictors of utilization. The overall hypothesis states middle manager utilizers of EAP services have more positive attitudes and a better understanding of their EAP than middle management nonutilizers.^ As predicted, nonparametric bivariate results showed significant differences between the two groups. Middle managers in the utilization group (n = 473) tended to show more positive attitudes toward their EAP and mental health professionals and demonstrated greater EAP knowledge compared to the nonutilization group (n = 154). These findings support past studies on variables that influence EAP utilization rates.^ Further variables found to influence middle management utilization were identified by multivariate logistic regression results. These variable were gender (female supervisors), educational levels of employees supervised (employees with lower levels of education), number of employees supervised (greater the number supervised, more likely to utilize), managerial EAP training (trained supervisors) and awareness that problems do influence an employee's productivity.^ These findings strengthen the assertion that middle management's attitudes, as well as other variables may influence utilization. Study findings add new information about important variables specifically influencing middle management who utilize EAPs. An understanding of these variables is essential in developing competent EAP program training and orientation programs for middle managers. ^

The prevalence of burnout among psychologists and psychological associates in the state of Texas

This study investigates the prevalence of burnout among a sample of Texas psychologists and psychological associates as well as differences between the three categories of practitioners within that group (Licensed Psychology Health Care Providers (LPHCP), Licensed Psychologists - Certified Psychologists (LP-CP), Psychological Associates (PA)).^ The Maslach Burnout Inventory and a questionnaire seeking demographic information was used in this cross-sectional survey. Sample size was 654. A stratified proportionate random sample of Texas Psychologists was drawn. The response rate based on usable returns was 55% (n = 359). General demographic characteristics were determined mainly by frequency distributions. For comparing means of samples, t and multiple range tests were used. A series of one-way and two-way analysis of variance procedures were used to compare subgroup differences in burnout.^ The universe was representative for the sample and for the three categories of psychologists. Urban subjects were more likely to respond, as were male PAs. Practitioners were as likely male as female, working in an urban area, in their present job eight years, and in the occupation for fifteen. The LPHCP group were older, had been in psychology and at their present job longer, and were more likely to belong to both state and local professional organizations than the other two groups. Males outnumbered females in this group and in LP-CPs. This gender trend was reversed for PAs. Of the total sample, 76% reported high job satisfaction and 77% had high levels of perceived job autonomy. There was no significant difference between the study sample and the mental health norms in emotional exhaustion (EE). Our sample had significantly less feelings of depersonalization (DP) and higher feelings of personal accomplishment (PA). Psychological Associates felt significantly less personal accomplishment than the other groups. Predictors for the total sample indicated younger practitioners and those with low job satisfaction had significantly higher burnout, as did males when compared to their female cohorts. Some types of jobs were more likely to contribute to burnout than others. Membership in their local area professional organization lessened the chances for burnout significantly. Predictors for categories of psychologists indicated that males in the LPHCP and LP-CP groups were at higher risk than females. Further, for LP-CPs low job satisfaction and job autonomy, as well as job sites, were significant. Those in this group who worked as school psychologists were at the highest risk for burnout. Job dissatisfaction was the major predictor of burnout for psychological associates. Practitioners working in state or government agencies, school systems and administrative jobs generally had higher burnout than those on a university faculty or in private practice. (Abstract shortened by UMI.) ^

Attitudes, stress and use of force in selected areas of Texas law enforcement

This research aimed to explore the extent to which police use of force was related to attitudes towards violence, agency type, and racism. Previous studies have found a culture of honor in the psychology of violence in the Southern United States. Were similar attitudes measurable among Texas professional line officers? Are there predictors of use of force?^ A self reported anonymous survey was administered to Texas patrol officers in the cities of Austin and Houston, and the Counties of Harris and Travis. A total of seventy-four questionnaires were used in the statistical analyses. Scales were developed measuring use of force, attitudes towards violence, and feelings on racism. Their relationship was examined.^ A regression model shows a strong and significant relationship between the officers' attitudes towards violence and the self-reported use of force. Further, agency type, municipal versus sheriff, also predicts use of force. Attitudes regarding race or racism, as measured by this study, were not predictive of use of force. ^

Factors related to employment among chronically mentally ill patients

A descriptive study of demographic and psychosocial factors believed to be associated with employment was carried out through face-to-face interviews with 417 chronically mentally-ill patients. Subjects had been hospitalized a minimum of two times for psychiatric treatment, had been discharged from at least one of these hospitalizations in the two years prior to the study, and were currently residing within a specific community mental health center catchment area in Texas. The study group ranged in age from 16 to 68 years and over one-half had chart diagnoses of schizophrenia.^ A structured interview was developed which addressed current employment status, length of current employment, job title of current or last job, and detailed work history for the prior five years. Four measures of social support were included in the interview. Each subject was asked to identify one recent work and one recent non-work situation which had been stressful or very demanding. A coping questionnaire was verbally administered to measure the ways in which subjects had coped with these specific stressful situations.^ Analysis of results revealed that 27 percent of the sample was gainfully employed at time of interview. Differences between the employed and unemployed groups were analyzed by t-test an chi square. The employed demonstrated significantly more weeks of employment in the prior five years than the unemployed. The current jobs of the employed required a significantly higher relationship to "things" or inanimate objects than the last jobs of the unemployed. Subjects diagnosed as schizophrenic were significantly less likely to be employed than subjects with other diagnoses.^ Employed subjects scored significantly higher on three of four measures of social support than unemployed subjects, including reported frequency of social group attendance and/or meetings with mental health professionals. Problem-focused coping was used significantly more by the employed than by the unemployed to deal with stressful situations in the work, but not the non-work, context. ^

Women physicians' specialty choices

Three hypotheses have been offered to explain the historical specialty selection by women physicians. They are: (1) women choose the specialty for which the training requirements and working conditions interfere least with their commitments to marriage and children; (2) women tend to select the more "feminine" specialties such as pediatrics and psychiatry, and to avoid the "masculine" fields such as surgery; and (3) women have been deliberately excluded from male-dominated fields such as surgery. While the above hypotheses may be true to a greater or lesser degree, none of them has been adequately tested.^ The major study hypotheses are as follows: (1) female physicians' choice of specialty is influenced by the following reasons: (a) family responsibilities; (b) sex role expectations; and (c) sex discrimination; (2) female physicians' choice of specialty is also influenced by their age and ethnicity; and (3) the primary reasons for choosing a given specialty vary by type of specialty.^ The reasons for specialty selection will be explored based on a survey of women graduates of one of the oldest medical schools in the United States, The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston, Texas (n = 930). The survey response rate was 75.3% (700 respondents).^ The results for the first study hypothesis showed that fewer than 14% of the respondents agreed that sex role expectations, sex discrimination and family responsibilities played a role in their choice of specialty. Fifty nine percent of the respondents disagreed with the idea that sex role expectations influenced specialty selection and 64% disagreed that family responsibilities had an effect on the selection of their specialty. Around half (49%) were uncertain of the influence of sex discrimination. It was concluded that sex discrimination, sex role expectations and family responsibilities did not have a major impact on specialty selection.^ With respect to the second hypothesis, age was significant in Internal Medicine, Obstetrics/Gynecology and Psychiatry. Women physicians in Internal Medicine and Obstetrics/Gynecology were significantly younger (less than 45 years old) while physicians in Psychiatry were significantly older (45 years or older) than other specialties studied.^ The third hypothesis was confirmed: the reasons for choosing a given specialty varied by specialty.^ Respondents' comments written on the survey provided insight into other possible reasons for specialty selection including exploration of the role of mentoring and job satisfaction.^ The retrospective cross-sectional study design used in this study does not adequately capture the fact that different reasons may be given for the choice of specialty at different points in time, e.g., as the time of choosing a residency program versus several years into the future.^ In conclusion, approaches that explore the range of reasons that women elect to enter and stay within a given specialty must be explored to gain richer understanding of the complex and dynamic nature of women physicians' professional lives. (Abstract shortened by UMI.) ^

Relationship between nurse leader emotional intelligence and registered nurse job satisfaction

Aim: To determine the relationship between nurse leader emotional intelligence and registered nurse job satisfaction. ^ Background: Nurse leaders influence the work environments of nurses working at the bedside. Nursing leadership plays an important role in fostering work environments that attract and retain nurses. ^ Methods: A non-experimental, predictive design study conducted in 5 hospitals evaluated relationships between 31 nurse leaders and 799 registered nurses. The nurse leaders were administered the MSCEIT and MBTI. The registered nurses participated in the 2010 NDNQI RN Job Satisfaction Survey. ^ Measurements and Results: The sample population completed two online instruments, the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT) and the Myers Brigg Trait Inventory (MBTI). Nurse leader demographic data was collected consisting of age, sex, race, educational level, certification status and years in the profession of nursing. The relationships among characteristics of the nurse leader and staff nurses were examined using regression analysis and stepwise deletion. The results from the MBTI were obtained electronically from CPP. Inc. and the results of MSCEIT were obtained electronically from MHS, Inc. The nurse leader response rate was 46% and the NDNQI RN Job Satisfaction response rate was 62%. The sample of 31 nurse leaders were 65 percent female and 67.7% were White, 12.9% Black, and 19.4% Hispanic. The most prevalent MBTI type was ESTJ (19.35%), followed by ENFJ and ISFJ (9.68% each). The nurse leader sample was primarily extroverts (n=20), sensing (n=18), thinking (n=16) and judging (n=19). The nurse leaders' overall MSCEIT scores ranged from 69 to 111 (implying a range from those who should consider development to competent) with a mean score of 89.84 (consider improvement). The nurse leaders scored highest in the MSCEIT Facilitating subscale with scores ranging from 69 to 121 (consider development to strength) and a mean score of 95.19 (low average score). The overall mean MSCEIT mean scores for the entire sample ranged from 89.90 to 95.19 (consider emotional intelligence improvement to low average score) Overall, staff nurse participants in the NDNQI RN Job Satisfaction Survey were moderately satisfied with the nurse leaders as noted by a mean t score of 55.03 of 60 and this score was consistent with the comparison hospitals that participated in the 2010 NDNQI RN Job Satisfaction Survey (American Nurses Association, 2010). Staff nurses gave nurse leaders a mean score of 4.50 for patient assignments appropriate, and rated a mean score of 4.35 and moderately agreeing to recommend the hospital to a friend. ^ Conclusions: Future research is needed to determine if there is a relationship between nurse leader emotional intelligence ability and registered nurse job satisfaction. Additional research is also needed to determine what to measure in regards to nurse leader emotional intelligence, ability or behavior. Another issue that emerged in the examination of EI is the moderating relationship between the nurse leaders span of control and staff nurse satisfaction on the NDNQI. ^

Booster Breaks in the workplace: Effects on employee stress

The current study examined the effects of a 15-minute daily physical activity break on the stress levels of white collar employees. An innovative group physical activity program, the Booster Break, was implemented in two worksites, both located in a large metropolitan area. One hundred sixteen participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions; 43 participants were assigned to the Booster Break condition, 40 participants were assigned to an individual, computer-based physical activity condition, and 32 were assigned to a no-physical activity control condition. Self-report and objective measures were taken at baseline and after the completion of the intervention. There were no significant differences among conditions in perceived stress or blood pressure after the intervention. However, the data showed trends in the direction predicted with a decrease in perceived stress among Booster Break (change in perceived stress = -0.1) and computer prompt participants (change in perceived stress = -0.2) and an increase in perceived stress among the control group (change in perceived stress = 0.2). More research is recommended to fully understand the effects of worksite physical activity on stress.^

Émergence des comportements de leadership transformationnel : examen de l’apport d’une approche basée sur les composites de personnalité et d’une perspective interactionniste

Comprendre ce qui amène un leader à émettre des comportements de leadership transformationnel fascine les chercheurs et praticiens depuis plusieurs années (Bommer, Rubin, & Baldwin, 2004; Bono & Judge, 2004; Shamir & Howell, 1999 ; Stogdill, 1948; Yukl, 1999). Or, jusqu’à présent, ces facteurs sont encore bien peu étudiés et compris comparativement aux conséquences de ce style de leadership. Dans cette lignée, la présente thèse répond à différents enjeux soulevés par les auteurs à ce sujet (Dinh & Lord, 2012; Zaccaro, 2007) en cherchant à préciser le rôle joué par différents antécédents individuels et contextuels du leadership transformationnel. Cet objectif sera poursuivi par l’adoption d’une perspective interactionniste qui intègre des antécédents de personnalité et de contexte ainsi par l’évaluation de la personnalité à l’aide d’une modélisation de la personnalité orientée vers le critère à prédire (variable composite). La présente thèse est composée de trois articles poursuivant les objectifs suivant : 1) Effectuer une synthèse de la littérature empirique portant sur les antécédents individuels et contextuels du leadership transformationnel; 2) Vérifier les liens empiriques entre la personnalité mesurée à l’aide de variables composites, plus précisément le modèle des Great Eight de Bartram (2005), et le leadership transformationnel; 3) Tester empiriquement l’effet d’interaction entre les variables de personnalité et les variables contextuelles pour prédire le leadership transformationnel. Le premier article vise d’abord à circonscrire et organiser les connaissances empiriques actuelles provenant d’une quarantaine d’articles concernant les antécédents du leadership transformationnel. L’article s’organise en trois thèmes principaux : les antécédents individuels de personnalité, les antécédents contextuels et l’étude des interactions entre le volet individuel et contextuel. Plusieurs constats et pistes de recherches sont discutés et mettent la table pour les deux articles subséquents. Ainsi, le second article s’intéresse au potentiel explicatif d’un modèle de personnalité orienté vers le critère pour prédire le leadership. Plus spécifiquement, le modèle des Great Eight proposé par Bartram (2005) est mis en relation avec les comportements de leadership transformationnel et de récompense contingente. Les résultats, obtenus auprès de 113 gestionnaires et de leurs 799 subordonnés, donnent peu d’appui à la valeur ajoutée du modèle utilisé, mais indiquent que certaines tendances de personnalité sont associées au leadership. Des analyses supplémentaires permettent de nuancer la compréhension des effets observés dans la documentation scientifique et offrent quelques pistes de groupements de traits pouvant prédire les différents comportements de leadership. Le troisième article s’inspire de la théorie de l’activation des traits (Tett & Burnett, 2003) pour vérifier l’effet combiné de la personnalité du gestionnaire et du contexte dans lequel il évolue en vue de prédire le leadership transformationnel. Les résultats (ngestionnaires = 89; nsubordonnés = 643) n’offrent qu’un appui modéré au rationnel sous-jacent du modèle de l’activation des traits. Toutefois, il en ressort que l’aspect relationnel du gestionnaire (opérationnalisé par le composite de personnalité « soutien et coopération ») est associé à l’émergence du leadership transformationnel uniquement lorsque les facteurs contextuels (considération organisationnelle, latitude décisionnelle) sont perçus positivement par le gestionnaire. L’étude permet donc d’éclaircir une part de la variabilité observée dans les études antérieures concernant la tendance relationnelle du gestionnaire, en soulignant sa sensibilité à des facteurs contextuels positifs.

Émergence des comportements de leadership transformationnel : examen de l’apport d’une approche basée sur les composites de personnalité et d’une perspective interactionniste

Comprendre ce qui amène un leader à émettre des comportements de leadership transformationnel fascine les chercheurs et praticiens depuis plusieurs années (Bommer, Rubin, & Baldwin, 2004; Bono & Judge, 2004; Shamir & Howell, 1999 ; Stogdill, 1948; Yukl, 1999). Or, jusqu’à présent, ces facteurs sont encore bien peu étudiés et compris comparativement aux conséquences de ce style de leadership. Dans cette lignée, la présente thèse répond à différents enjeux soulevés par les auteurs à ce sujet (Dinh & Lord, 2012; Zaccaro, 2007) en cherchant à préciser le rôle joué par différents antécédents individuels et contextuels du leadership transformationnel. Cet objectif sera poursuivi par l’adoption d’une perspective interactionniste qui intègre des antécédents de personnalité et de contexte ainsi par l’évaluation de la personnalité à l’aide d’une modélisation de la personnalité orientée vers le critère à prédire (variable composite). La présente thèse est composée de trois articles poursuivant les objectifs suivant : 1) Effectuer une synthèse de la littérature empirique portant sur les antécédents individuels et contextuels du leadership transformationnel; 2) Vérifier les liens empiriques entre la personnalité mesurée à l’aide de variables composites, plus précisément le modèle des Great Eight de Bartram (2005), et le leadership transformationnel; 3) Tester empiriquement l’effet d’interaction entre les variables de personnalité et les variables contextuelles pour prédire le leadership transformationnel. Le premier article vise d’abord à circonscrire et organiser les connaissances empiriques actuelles provenant d’une quarantaine d’articles concernant les antécédents du leadership transformationnel. L’article s’organise en trois thèmes principaux : les antécédents individuels de personnalité, les antécédents contextuels et l’étude des interactions entre le volet individuel et contextuel. Plusieurs constats et pistes de recherches sont discutés et mettent la table pour les deux articles subséquents. Ainsi, le second article s’intéresse au potentiel explicatif d’un modèle de personnalité orienté vers le critère pour prédire le leadership. Plus spécifiquement, le modèle des Great Eight proposé par Bartram (2005) est mis en relation avec les comportements de leadership transformationnel et de récompense contingente. Les résultats, obtenus auprès de 113 gestionnaires et de leurs 799 subordonnés, donnent peu d’appui à la valeur ajoutée du modèle utilisé, mais indiquent que certaines tendances de personnalité sont associées au leadership. Des analyses supplémentaires permettent de nuancer la compréhension des effets observés dans la documentation scientifique et offrent quelques pistes de groupements de traits pouvant prédire les différents comportements de leadership. Le troisième article s’inspire de la théorie de l’activation des traits (Tett & Burnett, 2003) pour vérifier l’effet combiné de la personnalité du gestionnaire et du contexte dans lequel il évolue en vue de prédire le leadership transformationnel. Les résultats (ngestionnaires = 89; nsubordonnés = 643) n’offrent qu’un appui modéré au rationnel sous-jacent du modèle de l’activation des traits. Toutefois, il en ressort que l’aspect relationnel du gestionnaire (opérationnalisé par le composite de personnalité « soutien et coopération ») est associé à l’émergence du leadership transformationnel uniquement lorsque les facteurs contextuels (considération organisationnelle, latitude décisionnelle) sont perçus positivement par le gestionnaire. L’étude permet donc d’éclaircir une part de la variabilité observée dans les études antérieures concernant la tendance relationnelle du gestionnaire, en soulignant sa sensibilité à des facteurs contextuels positifs.

Human engineering; a study of the management of human forces in industry,

Mode of access: Internet.

Bargaining behavior

Includes bibliographies.

Problems in occupational safety and health : a critical review of select worker physical and psychological factors /

Mode of access: Internet.

Roleplaying in business and industry

Mode of access: Internet.

Individualism and big business.

Text interwoven with papers which were presented at an Arden House conference by participants, and with several other published articles.

Report on union member attitude survey,

Survey jointly "conducted by United Steelworkers of America, District 13 and the Union Research and Education Projects of the University of Chicago."