PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL REACTIONS TO HIGH WORKLOADS: IMPLICATIONS FOR WELL-BEING

We report a field study examining within-individual effects of workload on distress at work and daily well-being. The study was conducted using experience-sampling methodology to measure daily workload, affective distress, and blood pressure throughout and at the end of each of 10 workdays, and emotional burnout and daily strain (two indicators of low well-being) during the evening in a sample of 64 full-time employees who provided a total of 354 person-day data points. We also measured employees’ job control and perceived organizational support with a separate survey. Results showed that workload was positively associated with affective distress and blood pressure, and with the indicators of low daily well-being. Furthermore, affective distress mediated the relationship between workload and daily well-being. More importantly, job control and organizational support had cross-level moderating influences on the relationships of workload with affective distress and blood pressure such that these relationships were weaker for participants who reported having more control on their job, as well as for participants who reported receiving more organizational support.     

Peer victimization and depression in Greek preadolescents: Personality and attachment as moderators

The study examined 2 plausible models of the predictive association between depressive symptoms and peer victimization, both physical and relational, with personality (Big Five), attachment style, and gender as moderators in a nonclinical sample of 282 Greek preadolescents. Results indicated that depressive symptoms, victimization, and Big Five traits were significantly associated. Moderation analyses indicated that only extraversion and perceived secure attachment moderated the relationship between victimization and depression. Preadolescents low on extraversion and those insecurely attached were more vulnerable to the negative effects of victimization on depression. High levels of conscientiousness moderated the negative influences of depression on victimization. Results are discussed in terms of their practical implications.