Melanie Giles

The importance of context specificity in work stress research: A test of the Demand-Control-Support model in academics

Abstract The Demand-Control (D-C) (Karasek, 1979) and the Demand-Control-Support (D-C-S) (Johnson & Hall, 1988; Johnson, Hall, & Theorell, 1989; Karasek & Theorell, 1990) models of work stress suggest that jobs with high demands and low control (and low support) are stressful. In line with the support in the literature for context-specificity in occupational stress research (Sparks & Cooper, 1999) and the limited and even contradictory support for interaction effects, the main aim of the present study was to examine how the D-C-S model applied in a well-defined occupational group. Using hierarchical regression analyses, and controlling for negative affect, the D-C-S model accounted for 26%, 6%, and 8% of the variance in job satisfaction, psychological distress and burnout, respectively, among 166 academics in a UK university. No two-way or three-way interactive effects were evident, but additive effects of job demands and control on psychological well-being and of job demands and support on both burnout and job satisfaction were shown, corroborating research showing that high job strain is linked to ill health and job dissatisfaction in this homogenous occupational sample. It is recommended that, in future, research includes more variables that are specific to a particular occupation.

Condom use in African adolescents : The role of individual and group factors

Abstract This study set out to assess the ability of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) to predict and explain condom use in a traditional African context and in particular to assess the relative contributions of individual and normative constructs. A questionnaire survey was administered to 152 young adults (48% male, 52% female) at two points in time. Key constructs contained within the TPB were measured at Time 1. A short follow-up set of items was administered one week later at Time 2, thereby allowing for the measurement of actual behaviour. The results not only provide strong support for the predictive power of the TPB, since 67% of the variance in intention was explained, but also highlight the extent to which sexual behaviour in a rural location is governed by family/social influences. Subjective norm not only proved to be one of the most significant elements of the TPB model, together with self-efficacy (neither attitude nor perceived control were significantly involved), but ‘my family’ emerged as the most significant other. As such, the findings offer empirical evidence to support interventions that penetrate community networks.

People as sculptors versus sculptures: what shape career development programmes

Based on the assumption that employees want more personal control over their career development, organizations are currently pursuing the implementation of career development programmes at an unprecedented rate. In reality, however, employees appear reluctant to assume increased responsibility for their careers. Explores general satisfaction with a career development programme currently in operation. Determines what underlying factors both internal to employees and within their work environment tend to facilitate or impede the tendency to become proactive in shaping career opportunities. Semi‐structured in‐depth interviews were conducted with 72 salaried personnel randomly selected from an international organization. Some support was provided for the role of both individual and situational characteristics in predicting uptake of the career development programme. Particular importance was attributed to the lack of organizational support for the process. The implications of these findings are discussed and ...

Career self-efficacy: An application of the theory of planned behaviour

Given the inequitable distribution of men and women in the workplace, this study employed the theory of planned behaviour to investigate whether men are generally less willing to pursue sex-atypical careers than women and, if so, to determine what factors help to explain their reluctance. To this end, an Ajzen & Fishbein (1980) type questionnaire was administered to 212 fifth-form students, randomly selected from secondary schools in Ireland. Strong evidence was provided to suggest that males are much less willing than females to adopt egalitarian roles. Moreover, the present findings clearly demonstrated the importance of self-efficacy theory in the career decision-making process.

Intergroup contact, friendship quality and political attitudes in integrated and segregated schools in Northern Ireland.

BACKGROUND This study examines the effects of integrated and segregated schooling on Northern Irish childrens self-reported contact and friendship with members of the other denominational group in school and community settings. AIM To assess the effects of cross group friendships and cross group contacts in school and outside school on childrens political attitudes. SAMPLE A cross-sectional design was employed with 1732 children being assessed at three age levels 11,12 & 14 years in eight-matched integrated, maintained (Catholic) and controlled (Protestant) schools. METHOD Lisrel modelling was used to investigate the interrelationships among cross group friendship quality, cross group contacts in school and outside school and childrens political attitudes. RESULTS Intergroup contact within and outside school was reported frequently in integrated schools but only occasionally in segregated schools. Modelling revealed that cross group contacts in school and outside school were both associated with less extreme political attitudes. Friendship quality with cross group members had no significant effects on political attitudes. CONCLUSIONS The results provide support for educating Protestants and Catholics together as a means of moderating attitudes and creating cross-community friendships in a divided society.

Attitudes to breastfeeding among adolescents.

BACKGROUND Breastfeeding is a major public health concern and a decision to breastfeed has important health benefits for both the infant and mother. Breastfeeding rates are low in many Western countries, and evidence is accumulating to suggest that breastfeeding should be promoted in schools. The present study aimed to employ the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) to predict and explain young peoples motivations to breastfeed with a view to designing an intervention to positively promote breastfeeding among adolescents. METHODS Senior schools in Northern Ireland were sorted by a number of key stratification variables, and then randomly sampled. In anticipation of a nonresponse, a first and second reserve list was drawn using matched replacements. Selected schools were contacted by letter, followed by a telephone call. Thirty-six schools agreed to take part in the research, and a cross-sectional survey was conducted with 2021 Year 10 pupils. RESULTS Having been breastfed as a child and having seen a mother breastfeeding significantly correlated with intention among both females and males. In descending order of importance, the TPB direct constructs were all significantly correlated with intention among males and females. A hierarchical multiple regression was performed with the intention to breastfeed/encourage partner to breastfeed as the dependent variable, and the TPB successfully predicted intention among males and females. CONCLUSIONS The findings obtained in the present study suggest that the TPB is a useful framework on which to base the design of an intervention to promote attitude change, and highlight the importance of key theoretical constructs in predicting intentions to breastfeed.

Service user involvement in mental health care : an evolutionary concept analysis

The concept of service user involvement is an evolving concept in the mental health‐care literature.

Parental and School Effects on Children's Political Attitudes in Northern Ireland.

BACKGROUND Recent research has suggested that intergroup contacts with out-group members can both reduce prejudice and is associated with attitude change. AIM This study extends prior work in Northern Ireland to examine parental and schooling effects on childrens attitudes in a post-conflict environment. SAMPLE A large-scale cross-sectional survey of secondary schoolchildren (N=1,732) and their parents (N=800) in Northern Ireland assessed the effects of in-school and out-of-school intergroup contacts on intergroup attitudes. METHOD Multivariate analysis of variance was employed to examine associations between childrens political attitudes and parental, group membership, school, and contact variables. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that parental attitudes, group membership, and cross-group contacts explain the majority of variance (58%) in childrens political attitudes. The findings provide a comprehensive account of the factors that influence childrens political attitudes within a deeply divided society and offer teachers and educationalists a way to improve community relations in a segregated society.

Further exploration of the Young Carers Perceived Stress Scale: Identifying a benefit-finding dimension

OBJECTIVES A substantial number of children are involved in informal caregiving and make a significant contribution to health care delivery. While this places high levels of demand on their coping resources, there is some evidence that these children find benefit in their caring role. The Young Carers Perceived Stress Scale (YCPSS) (Early et al., 2006, J. Child Fam. Stud., 15, 169) identified a positive dimension of caring, which appears to have potential in terms of measuring benefit finding in this group. The current study aimed to further explore YCPSS to clarify this dimension. DESIGN A survey design using questionnaire data collection was used with a sample of 329 children between the ages of 12 and 16. METHODS A pool of 52 items based on the YCPSS was administered along with measures of support, coping, and psychological distress to 329 young carers attending organized support groups. RESULTS Factor analysis with maximum likelihood extraction identified six factors including one 8-item dimension labelled benefit finding, which had good internal reliability and produced a pattern of correlations with support, coping, and psychological distress indicating initial evidence of validity. CONCLUSIONS The study produced initial evidence for reliability and validity of an 8-item benefit-finding measure, as well as a clearer set of dimensions for the original YCPSS. The resulting measures should prove useful in further explorations of benefit finding and resilience in young carers.

Benefit finding and resilience in child caregivers

OBJECTIVES A substantial number of children are involved in informal caregiving and make a significant contribution to health care delivery. While this places high levels of demand on their coping resources, there is some evidence that these children find benefit in their caring role. DESIGN A survey design using questionnaire data collection was used with a sample of 442 children (174 boys and 268 girls) between the ages of 12 and 16. METHODS The role of benefit finding and resilience was explored within a stress and coping model of the impact of caregiving. RESULTS Hierarchical multiple regression analysis (HMRA) identified resilience and benefit finding as accounting for significant amounts of variance in positive health and mediating the impact of caregiving. In regard to negative health, only benefit finding played a significant role. CONCLUSIONS Young caregivers do experience benefit finding and exhibit resilience although the relationship with caregiving burden was inverse. Benefit finding seems to be related to social recognition of the caregiving role and to family support. STATEMENT OF CONTRIBUTION What is already known on this subject? There is some emerging evidence that child caregivers experience some positive effects or benefits from their caring in spite of the demands of the role. However, the main focus has been on reducing negative outcomes rather than on building resilience. What this study adds? This study provides evidence that young caregivers do experience benefit finding in situations where the role demand is not overly excessive and where the role is socially recognized.