Work–family enrichment,job satisfaction,and work engagement: The mediating role of subjective career success

Objective: The aim of the study was to explore the possible indirect effect of subjective career success on the relationship between work–family enrichment and job satisfaction and work–family enrichment and work engagement. Method: A cross-sectional, quantitative research design approach was followed using a convenience sample (N = 334). Results: Results revealed that work–family enrichment was not only positively related to subjective career success, job satisfaction and work engagement, but also predictive of the mentioned constructs. Furthermore, subjective career success was found to indirectly effect the relationship between work–family enrichment and job satisfaction and work engagement. Conclusion: Using the resource-gain-development framework, new insights are provided into the processes and mechanisms relating to work–family enrichment. Our findings suggest that resources are creating positive affect in not only the work and career domains of employees, but also leading to more engaged and satisfied employees. (i.e., the indirect effect of subjective career success). Organisations can benefit when they enhance work environments (e.g., by providing relevant resources) to promote work–family enrichment and, by implication, subjective career success and positive work outcomes such as job satisfaction and work engagement.     

The effect of exposure to thin models and digital modification disclaimers on women's body satisfaction

This study tests the effectiveness of public health initiatives aimed at reducing the adverse effects of exposure to thin images in advertising on women's body satisfaction. Using an online experiment with 195 Israeli adult women, we test the effects of message factors that are expected to influence body satisfaction—the model's body size, and the presence and size of disclaimers. Compared with advertisements featuring a thin model, exposure to an average sized model was indirectly and positively associated with body size satisfaction, through the perception of the model's body size. However, exposure to disclaimers regarding digital modification of the model did not influence body satisfaction. Moreover, irrespective of whether they were exposed to a disclaimer or not, most participants who viewed ads featuring thin models thought that the image had been digitally modified. The results call for further research on the effectiveness of disclaimer labels for promoting body satisfaction.     

Your life satisfaction will change more than you think: A comment on Harris and Busseri (2019)

Harris and Busseri (2019) examined the changes in life satisfaction people predicted vs. experienced for 30-years based on the three waves of the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) survey. They conclude that “Contrary to the EOHI [end of history illusion], most individuals either were accurate or anticipated too much change into the future, rather than too little” (abstract). Examining these same data we arrive at the opposite conclusion, that people systematically underestimate future changes to their life satisfaction. The discrepancy arises because Harris and Busseri find stability in the average life satisfaction across the entire sample, while we find instability in life satisfaction within individuals. Both of these can happen. Although the average altitude of all the elevators in a skyscraper is remarkably stable over time, the altitude of each elevator changes by the second.     

Marital interactions and experiences of women living in polygamy: An exploratory study

The study examines interactions and experiences of Bedouin women living in polygamous households in Israel. A mixed-method approach was applied in a two-part study. The quantitative part examined differences in differentiation of self and marital satisfaction between 50 Bedouin women in polygamous marriages and 50 in monogamous marriages. It found that, in polygamous families, women's levels of marital satisfaction were positively related to their I-position and fusion with others and negatively related to emotional cutoff and number of children at home, whereas among monogamous counterparts, marital satisfaction was only negatively associated with emotional cutoff. Surprisingly, fused relationships with the family of origin predicted higher satisfaction only in women in polygamous marriages. The qualitative part, which yielded deeper understanding of the authentic voices and experiences of 18 senior wives, revealed that they had severe emotional and physiological responses to their husbands' marriage to another woman. For most, particularly those who married young, living in a polygamous family adversely affected their marital satisfaction. Interactions ranged from violent relationships, accompanied by jealousy and anger, to respectful and harmonious relations. Along with the challenges, some women, especially the educated, chose proactive ways of coping. Educated women also preferred cohabitation with the other wife.     

There is no temporal relationship between hedonic values and life satisfaction: A longitudinal study spanning 13 years

Hedonism is defined as valuing the personal experience of pleasure and comfort as a guiding principle in one’s life. Cross-sectional research shows null or weak positive associations between hedonism and life satisfaction. To examine the longitudinal associations between hedonism and life satisfaction, the present study used a nationally representative sample of Dutch adults (N = 7199), collected across 5 waves during about 13 years. The lagged within-person associations between the 2 variables indicated that hedonism and life satisfaction are not longitudinally linked. The results also showed that whereas hedonism steadily decreased, life satisfaction showed a quadratic trend over the course of the study.     

Patient and spouse perceptions of the patient's heart disease and their associations with received and provided social support and undermining

Numerous empirical studies have investigated the relationships between cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and patients’ psychological well-being, with a focus almost exclusively on its dark side. Very little is known on the impact of illness severity on both negative and positive indicators of patients’ well-being, as well as on the psychosocial variables that may mediate this association. Aim of the study was to investigate the impact of illness severity on depression as well as on health satisfaction and life satisfaction of patients undergoing a cardiovascular rehabilitation. It also aimed at testing the mediation of illness perception and self-efficacy beliefs in managing cardiac risk factors. The study involved 172 patients (mean age?=?66.43?years; SD?=?9.99?years; 76.2% men). Illness severity was measured in terms of left ventricular ejection fraction at discharge from the cardiology department, whereas all psychological dimensions were assessed one week later. Results showed significant relationships among illness severity, depression and health satisfaction that were fully mediated by illness perception and self-efficacy beliefs, but not significant relation between disease severity and life satisfaction (χ ²(1)?=?2.30, p?=?n.s.). Overall, findings underline the importance of working on illness perception and self-efficacy beliefs to contrast depression and to improve health and life satisfaction in patients with CVD.