Differential psychomotor skills in a clinical group

Schoppe's Motoric Performance Series (MLS) was administered to a group of psychiatric patients. Three factors emerged after principal component analysis with varimax rotation, the first two of which represented about 60% of the total variance and corresponded to a speed and precision factor. Zonal analysis revealed that MLS profiles of high and low trait neurotic patients were not significantly different from each other. Extraverts were inclined to exhibit inferior performance compared to introverts as witnessed by elevated scores on the subtests associated with lack of precision (steadiness and line-tracing error rates, steadiness error duration, as well as insertion of small pins). Introverted and extraverted neurotics did not differ significantly in MLS components.High and low P Ss displayed similar MLS profiles with the exception of the subtest, line-tracing (duration), in which high trait P individuals tended to perform faster. The dissimulating group (L +) required significantly longer to complete the two pin insertion tasks (both loaded on the speed factor) indicating inferior hand- and finger-dexterity, compared to low L-scoring patients. Several interactions, P × L, emerged as statistically significant. P − were less precise (steadiness error time), and required considerably less time to execute the line-tracing task, than P + Ss, for high L-scoring individuals only. P − L − individuals yielded the lowest tremor scores of all four groups.     

A Structural Analysis of a Psycho-oncology Unit

Abstract

This Action Research study came out of a mutual cooperation between the psychosomatic and psychotherapy departments of a large clinic in Germany. The perceptions of a number of members of a team of caretakers within an Oncology Ward were investigated using a Repertory Grid. The paper comments on the similarities and differences bewteen the various team members. In particular, it focuses on the Repertory Grids from the patient and the physician. Recognizing that teams are the building blocks of organizations, the paper suggests that Repertory Grid technology, when implemented as an heuristic device, can provide the basis for team members to consider their various roles and negotiate their aims and objectives.     

Matches and mismatches between telic dominance and type of sport: Changes in emotions and stress pre- to post-performance

This study was intended to test the proposition that telic dominant individuals have a greater affinity and preference for endurance sports compared to paratelic dominant individuals who prefer explosive sports. The Telic Dominance Scale (TDS) was used to divide 66 university students into telic (high) and paratelic (low) dominance groups (n = 33 in each group). The state version of the Tension and Effort Stress Inventory (TESI) was completed before and after participation in an endurance sport (long distance running) and an explosive sport (basketball). It was predicted that participation in a preferred sport would produce a higher level of positive response for each group. This prediction was not supported. Irrespective of the type of sport, participation consistently produced positive changes in emotional tone with significant increases in excitement and decreases in anxiety, boredom, sullenness, modesty, resentment, and guilt. Some differences were found between groups and between sports. The telic group had higher levels of pride, gratitude, and virtue. Placidity, somatic tension stress and effort stress were higher for running than basketball. The findings are discussed within reversal theory’s motivational constructs and the broader context of sport and exercise adherence in health care.     

Personality profiles at various levels of athletic participation

Various grades of athletes (265 male and 134 female) were administered the German version of the EPQ. The entire group was characterized by being more extraverted and less neurotic (compared to population norms); sex differences were exhibited, female profiles being higher on emotionality and lower on Psychoticism (tough-mindedness) with no significant difference being observed in mean Extraversion scores. When grouped in terms of ‘level of competitive involvement’, top-class male athletes were shown to be significantly more tough-minded and less stable than middle- or lower-class participants, an almost opposite trend being found in females, where top athletes were liable to be more extraverted, less neurotic and less aggressive and tough-minded than the other classes.     

The influence of type A behaviour and locus of control upon job satisfaction and occupational health

Results from this study show that in a sample of 332 German managers a Type A personality and an External locus of control are associated with greater perceived levels of stress (particularly in terms of inter-personal relationships), lower job satisfaction and a poorer physical and mental health than that of managers with a type B personality and an Internal locus of control. The magnitude of main effect size is substantially larger than the interaction terms (Type A×Locus of Control). There is no evidence to support a significant effect of a Type A×Locus of Control interaction on either of the health outcome measures (physical and psychological health), but there is some evidence of an interaction with work satisfaction outcomes (job satisfaction and organizational satisfaction). Those with an External locus showed significantly lower levels of work satisfaction, especially when this characteristic was combined with a Type A personality. It appears that negative health consequences may outweigh the superficial attractiveness of the type A personality in a managerial position, particularly when this trait is coupled with a more external locus of control.     

Working hours, job stress, work satisfaction, and accident rates among medical practitioners and allied personnel

Predictors of accident behavior among German medical staff revealed that work-related injuries/accidents experienced during a recent 12-month period were significantly related to working hours per week, distance from home to practice, number of dependent children, gender, and job-related stress. The average yearly number of car accidents was predicted by age and number of working hours. Furthermore, driving accidents going to or coming from work during the last year was determined by working climate, hours of work, length of lunchtime break, distance traveled to and from work, number of dependent children, and gender. Physicians working in excess of 48 hours per week displayed significantly more driving accidents but not work-related accidents, and they reported significantly higher levels of job-related stress than those colleagues working fewer than 48 hours per week. The implications of these results are discussed in the framework on risk management in the health services.     

The interrelationship between state and trait variables

Sexes could be discriminated in terms of their personality profiles—females being less toughminded than males and tending to be more emotional. None of the state factors were shown to be different between sexes. Factorial analysis revealed that the 15 state scales were intimately interrelated: the first two factors extracted resembled fairly closely, E and N. Canonical analysis showed that personality traits are good predictors of emotional state. Discrimination analysis demonstrated that stables and unstables were clearly distinguishable in terms of state profile (exhibiting 12 significant differences along the 15 state scales).     

The role of coping in the stress-strain relationship among senior police officers

In a large-scale study of senior police officers in Great Britain (Superintendent and Chief Superintendent ranks), the role of coping in the stress-strain relationship was explored. There was no indication of a direct impact of coping on physical well-being nor was there any evidence of a direct effect on job satisfaction, but coping was related to mental health. Coping also exhibited a direct relationship to subjectively perceived job stress. Moreover, coping moderated the relationship between job stress and job satisfaction, but a buffering influence was not observed on the job satisfaction-health linkages. Job satisfaction had a direct impact on both mental and physical ill-health (showing high satisfaction was associated with superior physical and psychological health). Likewise, there was a direct relationship between overall job stress and job satisfaction.     

Emotional expression and implications for occupational stress; an application of the Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-i)

The concept of emotional intelligence was examined in relation to the latitude permitted for emotional expressiveness and adaptation to occupational culture in three groups of helping professionals: police officers, child care workers, and educators in mental health care. A total of 167 individuals were administered the Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-i). There were no differences in the primary scales measuring various aspects of emotional intelligence between the two groups of care workers. There were differences between a combined care worker grouping and the police officers with the latter seeming more emotionally adaptable than the former. Whilst there were some overall gender differences, there were no gender by occupation interactions. There were also differences in terms of three higher order factors of the EQ-i with police officers achieving higher scores on positive affect and emotional stability than the care workers. Results are discussed in the light of differences in occupational cultures and methodological considerations.     

Individual differences in tonic activity and reactivity of somatic functioning

Extraversion was negatively correlated with resting HR. On execution of a visual choice RT task, both as a free-response-speed and experimenter-paced (high-signal-frequency) task, the differences observed between introverts and extraverts in tonic HR disappeared. Neurotics displayed resting frontalis EMG values which were not different from those observed for stables; differences did emerge, however, during choice RT tasks (under both conditions), neurotics displaying significantly higher tensional values compared to stables. Females characterized by high HRs at rest were likely to score low on the Social Desirability scale, the direction being opposite to that observed in males.