Bart Van de Ven

Emotion work and emotional exhaustion in teachers: The job and individual perspective.

Teaching requires much emotion work which takes its toll on teachers. Emotion work is usually studied from one of two perspectives, a job or an individual perspective. In this study, we assessed the relative importance of these two perspectives in predicting emotional exhaustion. More than 200 teachers completed a questionnaire comprising the DISQ (Demand‐Induced Strain Compensation Questionnaire), the Dutch Questionnaire on Emotional Labour (D‐QEL), and the UBOS (Utrechtse Burnout Schaal [Utrecht Burnout Scale]). In line with previous studies, our findings indicated that emotional exhaustion is positively associated with emotional job demands and surface acting. The relative importance of the two operationalisations of emotion work was assessed by comparing the results of two regression analyses. Whereas the model with job demands explained 18% of the variance, the model with emotional labour explained only 5%. In understanding what might contribute to emotional exhaustion in teachers, the emotional job demands might be much more important than the self‐regulation perspective that is measured with emotional labour.

Timing in Methods for Studying Psychosocial Factors at Work

In the present chapter we focus on time lags in panel studies investigating psychosocial factors and stressor-strain relationships. First, a framework of theoretical reasons for choosing specific time lags is provided, which is based on the work by Frese and Zapf (Methodological issues in the study of work stress: objective vs. subjective measurement of work stress and the question of longitudinal studies. In: Cooper CL, Payne R (eds) Causes, coping and consequences of stress at work. Wiley, Chichester, pp 375–411, 1988). Although this theoretical framework provides a clear rationale for time intervals, researchers are frequently mistaken using it to derive appropriate time lags. Second, an overview of other theoretical, methodological, and practical reasons, found in the literature, is provided. Reasons for choosing time lags are categorized as related to the construct, operationalizations, mechanisms, method, epistemology, or to the researcher. We advocate that elaborating on this topic in research papers is crucial in order to expand knowledge on the effects of time on stressor-strain relationships. Third, we suggest a much-needed taxonomy on different time lags. We advocate the use of the terms “immediate”, “short-term”, “mid-term”, “meso-term”, “long-term”, and “grand-term” stress-reactions in order to describe time lags used in different studies in a more nuanced way. Fourth, we apply both the overview of arguments for choosing time lags and the taxonomy on lengths of time lags to systematically review 16 panel studies from the Asia Pacific region, published in high-ranked journals. Case studies of six selected studies are provided and we conclude that studies in the Asia Pacific share both the strengths and the weaknesses of the literature worldwide. Applying the taxonomies and overviews in this chapter will help researchers to justify choices of shorter and longer time lags.

Job resources and matching active coping styles as moderators of the longitudinal relation between job demands and job strain

BackgroundOnly in a few longitudinal studies it has been examined whether job resources should be matched to job demands to show stress-buffering effects of job resources (matching hypothesis), while there are no empirical studies in which the moderating effect of matching personal characteristics on the stress-buffering effect of job resources has been examined.PurposeIn this study, both the matching hypothesis and the moderating effect of matching active coping styles were examined with respect to the longitudinal relation between job demands, job resources, and job strain.MethodThe study group consisted of 317 beginning teachers from Belgium. The two-wave survey data with a 1-year time lag were analyzed by means of structural equation modeling and multiple group analyses.ResultsData did not support the matching hypothesis. In addition, no support was found for the moderating effect of specific active coping styles, irrespective of the level of match.ConclusionTo show stress-buffering effects of job resources, it seems to make no difference whether or not specific types of job demands and job resources are matched, and whether or not individual differences in specific active coping styles are taken into account.

The Impact of Effort–Reward Imbalance and Learning Motivation on Teachers' Sickness Absence

The aim of this study was to analyse the impact of the effort-reward imbalance and learning motivation on sickness absence duration and sickness absence frequency among beginning teachers in Flanders (Belgium). A total of 603 teachers, who recently graduated, participated in this study. Effort-reward imbalance and learning motivation were assessed by means of self-administered questionnaires. Prospective data of registered sickness absence during 12 months follow-up were collected. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed. An imbalance between high efforts and low rewards (extrinsic hypothesis) was associated with longer sickness absence duration and more frequent absences. A low level of learning motivation (intrinsic hypothesis) was not associated with longer sickness absence duration but was significantly positively associated with sickness absence frequency. No significant results were obtained for the interaction hypothesis between imbalance and learning motivation. Further research is needed to deepen our understanding of the impact of psychosocial work conditions and personal resources on both sickness absence duration and frequency. Specifically, attention could be given to optimizing or reducing efforts spent at work, increasing rewards and stimulating learning motivation to influence sickness absence.

Emotional job resources and emotional support seeking as moderators of the relation between emotional job demands and emotional exhaustion : A two-wave panel study

In the present study, the relation between emotional job demands and emotional exhaustion was investigated, as was the moderating role of emotional job resources and emotional support seeking on this relation. We hypothesized a positive lagged effect of emotional job demands on emotional exhaustion, and proposed that this relation is weakened by the availability of emotional job resources. Furthermore, it was hypothesized that this stress-buffer effect of emotional job resources would be stronger for employees high on emotional support seeking (3-way interaction). A 2-wave survey study with a 1-year time lag was conducted among 711 employees in the technology sector. Results showed that emotional job demands are least likely to result in emotional exhaustion when employees are provided with high emotional job resources and score high on emotional support seeking. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved).

Testing the triple-match principle among technology employees

The triple-match principle (TMP) proposes that the strongest, interactive relationships between job demands and job resources are observed when job demands, job resources and job-related outcomes are based on qualitatively identical dimensions. This principle is tested with regard to three outcomes: cognitive failure, emotional exhaustion, and physical health complaints. Data were collected in a large sample of employees in the technology sector (n = 1533). Results demonstrate that the positive association between emotional job demands and emotional exhaustion is compensated by the availability of emotional job resources. No triple-match interactions are found with regard to cognitive failure or physical health complaints. In line with the TMP, results show that the likelihood of finding theoretically valid interactions is related to the degree of match between job demands, job resources, and outcomes.

The relation between social capital and burnout: a longitudinal study

ObjectivesAlthough social capital approach has showed its merits in predicting well-being and health in the working environment, studies examining the relation between social capital and burnout are scarce and limited to cross-sectional studies in the health care sector. This study aims to explore the longitudinal relationship between workplace social capital and burnout in a Belgian company in the energy sector. An additional aim was to assess whether the relation between workplace social capital and the dimensions of burnout was independent of job characteristics, i.e., the level of decision-making autonomy and task variety, and demographical variables.MethodsAnalyses are conducted on the questionnaire data of 473 workers who participated at the two waves (2013 and 2014) of a longitudinal study.ResultsThe results showed a negative relation between social capital and distance and a positive relation between social capital and competence, after 1-year follow-up and after adjustments for baseline levels of the respective burnout dimension. In contrast with the literature, no relation between social capital and emotional exhaustion was found after adjustment for baseline level of emotional exhaustion. After additional adjustments were made for the job characteristics ‘decision-making autonomy’ and ‘task variety’, the relation between social capital and competence disappeared.ConclusionsThis study delivered evidence for the lagged relation between social capital and distance, even after controlling for demographical and job characteristics. Therefore, the findings suggest that organizations should pay attention to strategies enhancing social interaction, enabling to increase the levels of support, reciprocity, sharing and trust, in the prevention of burnout.

A longitudinal study of physical demands, musculoskeletal complaints and employees' psychosocial job resources

Aim: Occupational physical activity (OPA), and particularly static postures and physically exerting activities, is known to impact worker health and to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, ...Aim: To quantify the associations of two aspects of the psychosocial work environment, job strain and long working hours, with the risk of incident stroke.Methods: We conducted large-scale meta-ana ...Aim: Physical activity (PA) is considered to be an important factor in the prevention of various cardiovascular diseases. However, recent studies suggest that while leisure time PA promotes cardiov ...

Het motivationele proces van het Job Demands-Resources Model bij vrijwillig en onvrijwillig ontslagen werknemers tijdens de opzegtermijn

This study examines the motivational process of the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) Model in a sample of recently dismissed (voluntary and involuntary) Flemish employees (N = 213). Specifically, the relations between three work-related resources (perceived employability, social support, and acceptance of feedback given during the exit conversation) and work-related behavior (in-role and extra-role behavior) were examined. We hypothesized (1) that this relationship is mediated by dedication, and (2) there would be a difference between voluntary and involuntary dismissed employees. The results showed that the resources had an indirect effect on in-role and extra-role behavior, (partially) mediated by dedication. There was a positive relationship and a negative relationship between perceived employability and dedication for voluntary and involuntary dismissed employees, respectively. In summary, the JD-R Model serves as a relevant framework for studying employees’ work behavior and motivational process during their term of notice.