Health and Well-Being in Highly Cohesive Units of the U.S. Army1

A large civilian literature on the role of social support in health and well-being suggests that military units high in unit cohesion should provide their members both significant protection from physical and mental illness and high levels of job satisfaction. This hypothesis was tested with a questionnaire survey of soldiers in Special Forces “A-teams”, generally viewed as the U.S. Army's most cohesive permanent units. As predicted, A-team soldiers reported greater physical and psychological well-being and greater satisfaction with job and career than did soldiers in conventionally organized units, be they Special Forces, airborne, or mechanized infantry. The best predictors in our battery of demographic, personality, and cohesion measures were ratings of social support from and satisfaction with one's Army unit, and relatively more “internal” scores on the Rotter locus-of-control scale. From these data and extensive participant observation we conclude that unit cohesion provides the soldier considerable protection from the stresses of military life, even in peace, and that it is organizational rather than individual variables that are primarily responsible for the very high levels of cohesion and/or social support in Special Forces A-teams.     

Impact of job characteristics and coping processes on well-being of American lawyers

Using a sample of 1,649 American lawyers, this article examines the relationship between job characteristics and psychological well-being, and the extent to which coping processes, including social support, specific strategies, and personality traits, affect this relationship. Findings are consistent with previous studies in showing the significant impact of job complexity, job autonomy, and job-related support on well-being. These effects, however, are somewhat moderated by job satisfaction and hardy personality. This study implies the complexity of the process by which job conditions affect psychological well-being, and suggests the need for further conceptual and methodological refinements.     

Gender,Emotional Support,and Well-Being Among the Rural Elderly

The current study sought to clarify the effects of social support on the psychological well-being of rural elders. Data were provided by 180 older men and women (mean age = 73.6 years) living in Northern Appalachia. Similar to the demographic profile of this region, most (97.2%) of the participants were Caucasian. Although mean differences in perceptions of emotional support did not emerge, the relative importance of various sources of support differed for men and women. For men, higher satisfaction with family support was associated with lower negative affect and higher positive affect. For women, although satisfaction with emotional support from family and more years of education were associated with lower levels of negative affect, emotional support from friends enhanced positive affect. The results suggest that new programs may be needed in order to help older rural men and women to maintain well-being in late life.     

Job Satisfaction Differences Between Military and Ex-Military Personnel: The Role of Demographic and Organizational Variables

This study examines differences in job satisfaction between military and ex-military personnel and examines the contribution of demographic, dispositional, and organizational variables to those differences. Analysis of data from 571 current New Zealand Army personnel and 171 ex-Army personnel found that Army personnel rated significantly lower than the latter on overall job satisfaction and on 7 of 15 job satisfaction facets. For both groups, high leader support, low job conflict and pressure, and high challenge, autonomy, and job importance were related to high levels of job satisfaction. For Army personnel, low levels of negative affect (a propensity to have a negative outlook on life in general), shorter tenure, and low centralization and formalization also contributed to higher levels of job satisfaction. For ex-Army personnel, income contributed to higher levels of job satisfaction. There were a number of significant differences, however, between Army and ex-Army groups on job satisfaction predictors. These results suggest that differences in job satisfaction between the two groups may be due to (a) different variables that contribute to job satisfaction for each group and (b) different demographic and organizational variables between the groups. Despite a number of limitations, the findings highlight potential future directions for the investigation of interventions in the work environment to provide enhanced psychological rewards for military personnel.     

Organizational Citizenship Behavior,Job Attitudes,and the Psychological Contract

Previous research has shown a positive relationship between job satisfaction and various dimensions of organizational citizenship behavior. These studies, however, have focused almost exclusively on civilian sector organizations. While insight gained from these studies is instructive, it remains to be seen if these relationships also exist in the context of military organizations. The relationships between job satisfaction as well as cynicism (as moderated by psychological contracts) with organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) are explored. Data were collected from military officers (n = 151) attending a 10-month professional military education school. As an improvement over other similar studies, control measures were incorporated to address potential confounds associated with self-reported attitudes. Results showed job satisfaction was a strong predictor of OCB, cynicism was negatively related to the altruism dimension of OCB, and the relationship between cynicism and the altruism dimension of organizational citizenship behavior was moderated such that the relationship was stronger when there were high levels of perceived psychological contract support than when there were low levels of support.     

Development and Validation of the Navy Climate Index

Because military work environments have unique contexts, characteristics, and challenges, military policymakers need to understand how personnel perceive the work environment and how this affects individual and organizational outcomes. This study describes the development and testing of the Navy Climate Index (NCI), a new measure comprising items from the Navy-wide Personnel Survey (NPS) that captures eight aspects of psychological climate: advancement/promotion, autonomy/challenge, leadership, communication, fairness, job security, Tempo, and work group. Using NPS data for 3,610 active duty personnel, confirmatory factor analyses support the validity of the NCI. NCI scores were positively associated with job satisfaction, morale, organizational commitment, and retention intentions.     

Deployment Stress and Well-Being Among Military Spouses: The Role of Social Support

The demands of military service, including the intensity and frequency of military operations, can have numerous effects on military families. Evidence suggests that spousal support may play an important role in the resiliency of military families. The present study examined the roles of deployment stress and social support in the psychological well-being of spouses of deployed military personnel (N = 639). The results showed that deployment stress and perceived social support from family, nonmilitary friends, and military partner played independent roles in the psychological wellbeing of military spouses. This evidence suggests the importance of taking perceived social support into account when explaining the variance in the psychological wellbeing of military spouses. Results are discussed in light of some methodological constraints, and the potential implications related to heightening families’ perceptions of interpersonal relationships are emphasized.     

Positive Experiences at Work and Daily Recovery: Effects on Couple’s Well-Being

The present diary study investigates, at the within-person level, how job satisfaction mediates the relationship between self-rated job performance and recovery experiences (i.e., psychological detachment from work and relaxation) during off-job time. Furthermore, we explore the effects of these two recovery experiences on couple´s well-being. Data were collected from 145 dual-earner couples (N = 290 participants; N = 1450 occasions) with a daily diary design (five consecutive working days). Multilevel analyses showed that daily job performance positively predicted psychological detachment and relaxation, and that daily job satisfaction partially mediated this relationship. In addition, we found that psychological detachment and relaxation have positive effects on own and partner´s indicators of well-being (i.e., relationship satisfaction and positive emotions). The benefits of recovery go beyond the individual and affect their partner´s level of well-being.     

Satisfaction and psychological well-being as antecedents of organisational commitment

Satisfaction and psychological well-being as antecedents of organisational commitment. The role of organisational commitment in public administration and its repercussions on the institution are examined in this study. It reports part of a larger research project that studies job satisfaction, life satisfaction, and psychological well-being as antecedents of organisational commitment. Data were collected from 697 public-sector employees, using questionnaires. Results showed that job satisfaction, life satisfaction, and psychological well-being were strong predictors of organisational commitment. Higher levels of job satisfaction, life satisfaction, and psychological well-being were associated with more favourable perceptions of organisational commitment. Furthermore, this study highlights the impact of dynamic work on the employee's commitment.     

Psychological Well-Being of Canadian Forces Officer Candidates: The Role of Personality and Coping Strategies

Previous research has suggested that personality influences the coping strategies an individual uses to deal with stressors, which, in turn, influences psychological well-being. This study examines whether coping strategies mediate the relationship between neuroticism and the psychological well-being of Canadian Forces officer candidates undergoing basic training. Only partial evidence was found for the mediating role of coping strategies between neuroticism and psychological well-being. These findings suggest that coping strategies and personality may constitute two independent constructs, both of which have significant contributions to well-being among military personnel.     

What kind of networking strategy advice should career counsellors offer university graduates searching for a job?

This study investigated the relationship between social networking and job placement of university graduates. It explored whether getting a job through social contacts is the consequence of an intentional investment in social capital or is related to the biographical and psychological characteristics of the job-seeker; to what extent job-search strategies are related to the chance of being offered a job; and, finally, the relationships between social networking, social support and psychological well-being. Results showed two different approaches to the process of job entry-use of formal or informal contacts in job-finding-which led to different patterns of job-seeking strategies and employment outcomes after graduation. Significant differences were found between use of formal and informal sources of help relating to graduates' job-search intention and confidence in using social networks to find a job. No significant relationship was found between use of different sources of help and psychological well-being. Implications for university guidance services are discussed.     

Gender Differences in Psychological Well-Being in Emerging Adulthood

Gender is recognized as an important social determinant of health, but past research on gender differences in psychological well-being have not produced conclusive results. This study investigated gender differences in eudaimonic well-being and life satisfaction in emerging adulthood. A cross-sectional study with a sample of 1990 emerging adults (50% males) from the Spanish general population was conducted. Participants were assessed through five questionnaires. Results showed that women scored higher than men in purpose in life and personal growth. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed that the most important predictors of emerging adult men’s and women’s eudaimonic well-being and life satisfaction were higher self-confidence and lower negative self-evaluation. Other significant variables in the eudaimonic well-being of both women and men were higher score in the masculine/instrumental trait, higher emotional social support, higher educational level, and higher score in the feminine/expressive trait. Furthermore, higher instrumental social support was associated with eudaimonic well-being in females. Other predictors of women’s and men’s life satisfaction were higher score in the feminine/expressive trait, less age, higher educational level and higher instrumental social support. In addition, higher emotional social support was associated with life satisfaction in males. The results suggest that gender is important in the psychological well-being of people in emerging adulthood, although self-esteem and instrumental social support are, in both emerging adult women and men, the most important predictors of psychological well-being.

     

Effets du soutien organisationnel perçu et des caractéristiques de l’emploi sur l’anxiété au travail et l’épuisement professionnel : le rôle médiateur de la satisfaction des besoins psychologiques

Based on organizational support theory, job characteristics model, and self-determination theory, we examined the mechanisms that underlie the relations between organizational factors and ill-being. Specifically, the main purpose of the present study was to demonstrate the mediating role of the psychological needs for autonomy (i.e., the need for individuals to feel volitional and responsible for their own behavior), competence (i.e., the need for individuals to interact effectively with their environment), and relatedness (i.e., the need for individuals to feel connected and accepted by others), in the relationships of perceived organizational support (i.e., the degree to which employees believe that their organization values their contributions and cares about their well-being) and three motivational job characteristics (i.e., task identity, task significance, and work scheduling autonomy) to job anxiety and burnout. This is the first research, to the best of our knowledge, to test for the joint effects of perceived organizational support and motivational job characteristics on job anxiety and burnout through psychological need satisfaction. Four hundred and fifty-seven employees (216 men and 241 women) from different sectors (i.e., industry, trade, crafts) took part in the study. Fifty-seven participants worked in companies with less than 10 employees, 105 in companies with 11–49 employees, 138 in companies with 50–249 employees, 33 in companies with 250–499 employees, and 124 in companies with more than 500 employees. The hypothesized model was tested with structural equation modeling analyses. Results provided support for our hypotheses and revealed that all hypothesized paths were significant. Specifically, our results showed that perceived organizational support and job characteristics were positively related to psychological need satisfaction. In addition, satisfaction of these psychological needs was negatively associated with job anxiety and burnout. Therefore, feelings of autonomy, competence, and relatedness play a central role in the development or reduction of well- and ill-being at work. These results are consistent with previous research in the work context, which has shown that social factors (e.g., autonomy-supportive behaviors) have significant effects on workplace mental health through their influence on psychological need satisfaction. Practical and research implications as well as suggestions for future research are discussed.     

Coping with recruiter stress: Hardiness,performance and well-being in US Army recruiters

ABSTRACT

Recruiting for military service can be a highly stressful job, but it is one that is essential for success in the all-volunteer force. Military recruiters face a number of job stressors, including pressure to meet monthly production quotas, long work hours and time away from family. They also work in relative isolation, with limited work social support networks. These factors make recruiters vulnerable to burnout and early attrition. The present study examines psychological hardiness and active, problem focused coping as potential stress resilience resources in US Army recruiters. In a stratified random sample of N = 817 recruiters, hardiness was found to predict supervisor-rated performance and psychological well-being. Hardiness also interacted with problem focused coping to predict psychological well-being, suggesting a mediating role for coping. These results can be applied to help improve policy for selecting and training military recruiters.     

Job demands and psychological well-being: Moderating role of occupational self-efficacy and job social support among mid-career academics

The study investigated the moderating role of occupational self-efficacy and job social support on the relationship between job demands and psychological well-being among mid-career academics. Participants were 203 academics at three public Nigerian universities (female = 37.93%; mean years of service = 8.58 years, SD = 2.20). The academics completed measures of job demands, occupational self-efficacy, job social support, and psychological well-being. Moderated regression analysis of the data suggested only occupational self-efficacy to moderate the relationship between work demands and psychological well-being. Findings underpin the buffering effects of work self-efficacy in employee psychological well-being with high job demands.     

Correlates of life satisfaction among military wives

Military life includes constant change. This study explored the relationship of life satisfaction among military wives with the individual attitudinal and personality variables of perceived social support, locus of control, and temperament. Sixty wives of noncommissioned military personnel were selected as participants. Life satisfaction was found to be related to high levels of perceived social support from family and from friends, to an internal locus of control, and to low levels of emotionality-stress and emotionality-fear. The results supported the role of individual resources for mediating adjustment and enhancing life satisfaction during the changes inherent in military life. Implications for identifying and helping high-risk women emerged.     

The Role of Natural Support Systems in the Post-deployment Adjustment of Active Duty Military Personnel

This study examined the relations among three different types of naturally occurring social support (from romantic partners, friends and neighbors, and unit leaders) and three indices of service member well‐being (self reports of depressive symptoms, satisfaction with military life, and perceptions of unit readiness) for service members who did and did not report negative experiences associated with military deployment. Data were drawn from the 2011 Community Assessment completed anonymously by more than 63,000 USAF personnel. Regression analyses revealed that higher levels of social support was associated with better outcomes regardless of negative deployment experiences. Evidence of moderation was also noted, with all forms of social support moderating the impact of negative deployment experiences on depressive symptoms and support from unit leaders moderating the impact of negative deployment experience on satisfaction with military life. No moderation was found for perceptions of unit readiness. Subgroup analyses revealed slightly different patterns for male and female service members, with support providing fewer moderation effects for women. These findings may have value for military leaders and mental health professionals working to harness the power of naturally occurring relationships to maximize the positive adjustment of service members and their families. Implications for practices related to re‐integration of post‐deployment military personnel are discussed.     

高中生感恩对心理幸福感的影响:领悟社会支持和基本心理需要的链式中介作用

本研究采用感恩量表GQ-6、领悟社会支持量表、基本心理需要量表以及心理幸福感量表,测查了583名高中生,考察了社会支持和基本心理需要在感恩与心理幸福感之间是否起着链式中介的作用。结果表明:(1)领悟社会支持和基本心理需要在感恩和心理幸福感中起着链式中介的作用;(2)在感恩—领悟社会支持—基本心理需要—心理幸福感这一链式中介模型中,除了领悟社会支持到心理幸福感这条路径的系数不显著以外,其余的路径系数均显著。此外,本研究不支持心理幸福感量表的原维度构念。以往研究对该量表构念的结论不一,存在争议,建议对该量表进行全面修订。     

工作不安全感与幸福感、绩效的关系：自我效能感的作用

旨在探讨工作不安全感对员工工作幸福感和工作绩效(上级评定)的影响,以及一般自我效能感在其中的作用机制。研究采用问卷调查的方法,共收集到513个有效样本。数据分析采用层级回归分析的方法。研究结果发现：⑴工作不安全感对员工工作幸福感和工作绩效都有显著的消极影响;⑵一般自我效能感对工作不安全感与身体健康、心理健康之间关系具有显著的调节作用,但对工作满意度的调节作用不显著;⑶一般自我效能感对不安全感—工作绩效之间关系具有显著的调节作用。这就表明,在当今处于转型期的中国社会里,工作不安全感是影响员工工作幸福感和工作绩效的一个重要压力源,而一般自我效能感可以发挥有效的调节作用