Job Demand-control Model Research Articles

The impact of sense of coherence and high-demand/low-control job environment on self-reported health, burnout and psychophysiological stress indicators

Sense of Coherence (SOC) is a new concept belonging to a salutogenic paradigm, proposing to explain health as contrasted to disease, a pathogenic paradigm. The Job Demand-Control (JDC) model of job stress suggests that the combination of high job demands and low job control, defined as job strain, is strongly associated with adverse health consequences. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between SOC and the JDC model in assessment of negative job effects within three pathogenically defined contexts: self-reported health, burnout and psychophysiological stress indicators, assessing the explanatory value of SOC for such variables. The study was conducted with 103 employees of social-welfare and social-insurance agencies in Sweden. A questionnaire related to job conditions, health and burnout was administered, and blood samples were collected and analysed for serum concentrations of cortisol, prolactin and immunoglobulin G. Multiple-regression models were calculated including variables from all three contexts. In the analyses, a distinction was made between emotional job strain and quantitative job strain. The SOC interacted with emotional job strain, but the interaction also increased the independent effect of emotional job strain. The independent effect of SOC disappeared in most models when interaction was included. It is concluded that studies of job strain-effects according to the JDC model should include the SOC as an interaction factor.

The incorporation of different demand concepts in the job demand-control model: effects on health care professionals

This paper reports a study of 212 health care professionals that focuses on job characteristics as predictors of employee health. By means of covariance structure modelling (LISREL 8) we tested the interactive assumptions of the Karasek (1979) Job Demand-Control (JD-C) Model [Karasek, R.A., Jr., 1979. Job demands, job decision latitude, and mental strain: implications for job redesign. Administrative Science Quarterly, 24, 285–307.] using three different concepts of job demands (i.e. psychological job demands, physical demands and emotional demands) in combination with a more focused measure of decision latitude (i.e. job autonomy) to predict employee health (i.e. job satisfaction, job involvement, emotional exhaustion and psychosomatic health complaints). Controlling for gender and age, the results partly support the JD-C hypotheses by finding three out of twelve assumed interaction effects. More specifically, different outcome variables are predicted by different combinations of job autonomy with the three kinds of job demands, respectively. In conclusion, although we refute the central hypotheses of the JD-C model to a large extent, the current (interactive) findings are quite illuminating and will be discussed in the context of their theoretical and practical implications. Researchers as well as practitioners have to broaden their perspective on ‘job demands’ in health care work and need to focus on different kinds of job demands to capture the complexity of this work setting.

Epidemiology of job stress and health in Japan: review of current evidence and future direction.

With the increasing concern about job stress, there is a growing body of literature addressing psychosocial job stress and its adverse effects on health in Japan. This paper reviews research findings over the past 15 years concerning the assessment of job stress, the relationship of job stress to mental and physical health, and the effects of worksite stress reduction activities in Japan. Although studies were conducted in the past using ad-hoc job stress questionnaires, well-established job stressor scales have since been translated into Japanese, their psychometric properties tested and these scales extensively used in recent epidemiologic studies. While the impact of overtime and quantitative job overload on mental health seems moderate, job control, skill use and worksite support, as well as qualitative job demands, had greater effects on psychological distress and drinking problems in cross-sectional and prospective studies. These job stressors also indicated a strong association with psychiatric disorders, including major depression, even with a prospective study design. Long working hours were associated with a higher risk of myocardial infarction, diabetes mellitus and hypertension. There is evidence that the job demands-control model, as well as the use of new technology at work, is associated with higher levels of blood pressure and serum lipids among Japanese working populations. Fibrinolytic activity, blood glucose levels, immune functions and medical consultation rates were also affected by job stressors. It is further suggested that Japanese workers tend to suppress expression of positive feelings, which results in apparently higher psychological distress and lower job satisfaction among Japanese workers compared with workers in the U.S. Future epidemiologic studies in Japan should focus more on a prospective study design, theoretical models of job stress, job stress among women, and cultural difference and well-designed intervention studies of various types of worksite stress reduction.

Comparing Group and Individual Level Assessments of Job Characteristics in Testing the Job Demand-Control Model: A Multilevel Approach

This article describes a test of Karasek's Job Demand-Control (JD-C) Model using both group and individual level assessments of job characteristics. By group assessments, we mean aggregated individual data. A random sample from general hospitals and nursing homes included 16 institutions, 64 units, and 1489 health care workers (82% response). Because of the hierarchically nested data structure (i.e., institutions, units, and individuals) the research questions and hypothesis were tested in multilevel regression analyses (VARCL). The results revealed both group level and individual level effects with regard to psychological outcomes, and stressed the usefulness of multilevel techniques. Karasek's JID-C Model was partly confirmed by finding two interaction effects at group level and at individual level with regard to job satisfaction and work motivation, respectively. The discussion focuses on theoretical, methodological, and practical implications of multilevel modeling with respect to the JD-C Model.

The job demand-control(-support) model and physical health outcomes: A review of the strain and buffer hypotheses

This review of the Job Demand-Control (JDC) model and the expanded Job Demand-Control-Support (JDCS) model and employees' physical health, focuses on the two prevalent views on these models. According to their view on the models researchers study different hypotheses: (a) the (iso)strain hypothesis, stating that the highest level of ill health is expected when the job is characterized by high demand and low control (and low social sup port), ot (b) the buffer hypothesis, predicting that control (and social support) can buffer the potential negative effects of high demands on physical health. It is argued that these hypotheses reflect theoretical distinct models, and that the practical implications associated with these models differ. The review of 51 studies on the JDC(S) model reveals that the “strain” hypothesis predominates in studies of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease (CVD) related and specific non-CVD related health outcomes. In contrast, the “buffer” hypothesis is most prevalent in research on self-reported (psycho)somatic complaints. For the strain hypothesis as well as the buffer hypothesis the results are equivocal. Working in a high (iso)strain job appears to be associated with an elevated risk for cardiovascular disease and negative pregnancy outcomes, and increased (psycho)somatic complaints. Conclusions on other physical outcomes seem premature, considering the limited number of studies. The buffer hypothesis is supported in the few studies on CVD endpoints and in some studies on (psycho)somatic complaints. A comparison of the validity of the two hypotheses is problematic, because they are mostly applied to a different set of outcomes. Furthermore, the analyses employed in the testing of the two hypotheses are of a different nature (non-linear versus linear). The main recommendation for future research is to examine the validity of the strain and the buffer hypothesis concurrently, and to further explore the nature of the relationships.

Job strain and arterial blood pressure, serum cholesterol, and smoking as risk factors for coronary heart disease in Japan.

To determine the effects of the job demands-control model on arterial blood pressure, serum total cholesterol, and smoking in male daytime and rotating-shift workers in Japan. The survey was conducted for all employees of an electrical factory in Japan using a mailed questionnaire concerning three job stressors, i.e., job overload, work-pace control, and work-site social support. A blood sample was taken at the same time. Data on 1703 male daytime workers and 1 173 male rotating-shift workers were analyzed. Multiple logistic regression or analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) were employed to determine the effects of the job stressors on systolic and diastolic blood pressure, serum total cholesterol, and smoking with control for other covariates. Among daytime workers, systolic and diastolic blood pressures were highest in the "high-strain" (i.e., higher job overload + lower work-pace control) group; ANCOVA indicated that a two-way interaction between job overload and work-pace control was significant (P < 0.01). This tendency was not observed among rotating-shift workers. The number of cigarettes smoked per day was greater in groups with lower work-pace control and lower work-site social support among daytime workers (two-way interaction between these two job stressors, P < 0.05); it was greater in groups with lower work-site social support among rotating-shift workers (main effect of work-site social support, P < 0.05). Our study suggest that job strain as defined in the job demands-control model is associated with increased systolic and diastolic blood pressures in male daytime workers in Japan. Smoking might be affected by lower work-site social support.

Active coping and need for control as moderators of the job demand–control model: Effects on burnout

Empirical research on Karasek's job demand–control (JD‐C) model has often failed to demonstrate the predicted interaction effect of high job demands and low job control on measures of strain. It has been suggested that the conceptualization of the control dimension as well as the neglect of workers' individual characteristics in the JD‐C model may be responsible for its relative lack of empirical support. In the current study among 367 Dutch nurses from 18 intensive care units, a more focused measure of control was used. In addition, two individual characteristics (i.e. active coping and need for control) were included as potential moderators in the JD‐C model. The demand‐control interaction effect as predicted by the JD‐C model could not be demonstrated. However, active coping turned out to moderate the interaction between job demands and job control. A misfit between level of control and individual coping style intensified the stress‐enhancing effect of job demands. Further research on the extension of the JD‐C model with personal characteristics is recommended.

Work and strain on physicians in Finland.

In this study we compared the Karasek job demand-control model with an alternative model in an attempt to explain strain on Finnish physicians (n = 91) at work. Based on previous research, job demands were studied in terms of time pressure and demands related to patients. LISREL (8) analysis was used to test the models. The three factor model, providing the most parsimonious explanation of the data, suggested that time pressure, patient-related stress and controllability all have unique predictive ability of strain on Finnish physicians.

DIVERGENT EFFECTS OF JOB CONTROL ON COPING WITH WORK STRESSORS: THE KEY ROLE OF SELF-EFFICACY.

This study identifies job self-efficacy as a moderating variable that may determine whether job control contributes positively or negative to coping with work stressors. Data from two samples (health professionals and an occupationally diverse group) demonstrated similar interactions between demands, control, and self-efficacy predicting blood pressure. These results may reconcile the previous inconsistent and largely method-bound support for Karasek's job demands-control model and suggest that efforts to improve job self-efficacy may be as important to reducing the cardiovascular consequences of job stress as efforts to enhance control.

Divergent Effects Of Job Control On Coping With Work Stressors: The Key Role Of Self-Efficacy

This study identifies job self-efficacy as a moderating variable that may determine whether job control contributes positively or negative to coping with work stressors. Data from two samples (health professionals and an occupationally diverse group) demonstrated similar interactions between demands, control, and self-efficacy predicting blood pressure. These results may reconcile the previous inconsistent and largely method-bound support for Karasek's job demands-control model and suggest that efforts to improve job self-efficacy may be as important to reducing the cardiovascular consequences of job stress as efforts to enhance control.

The changing workforce, job stress, and psychological distress.

The change in the United States from a manufacturing economy to a service economy has important implications for theoretical models of the relationships between job characteristics and workers' psychological distress. A sample of 600 men and women employed full-time were recruited to test 2 theoretical models. The job demand-control model posits that jobs that are both high in job demands and low in decision latitude are associated with greater psychological distress. The job demand-service model posits that jobs that are high in job demands and low in service to others are associated with greater psychological distress. Results show that the job demand-control model is a significant predictor of psychological distress among employees in the manufacturing industry, whereas the job demand-service model is a significant predictor of psychological distress among employees in the services industries.

Testing the demand-control-support model among health-care professionals: A structural equation model

Abstract This paper reports a further empirical validation of the Demand-Control-Support Model (DCS model), which was developed by Johnson and colleagues (1988, 1989). Data were collected from a heterogeneous group of health-care professionals (nurses and nurses' aides; n = 249). Three major refinements were made to the validation of the DCS Model. First, all relationships in the model were estimated simultaneously by means of covariance structure modelling (LISREL 8). Second, the control dimension was refined substantially, using a psychometrically more sound assessment of the workers' autonomy. Third, the model was applied to the work of health-care professionals. The data did not confirm the assumption that both job strain and motivation are multiplicative functions of job demands, autonomy and social support. First, the results suggested that high levels of autonomy attenuate the increase of emotional exhaustion due to job demands. These results partially supported Karasek's Job Demand-Control Model (...

Assessment of job stress dimensions based on the job demands-control model of employees of telecommunication and electric power companies in japan: reliability and validity of the japanese version of the job content questionnaire

To investigate the reliability and validity of 4 selected scales from the Japanese version of the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ. Karasek, 1985)-decision latitude, psychological demand, supervisor support, and coworker support-a survey was conducted on a total of 626 employees of telephone and electric companies in Japan. The survey questionnaire was composed of 22 items. Data from 472 male and 108 female respondents were analyzed. Cronbach's alpha coefficients for the four JCQ scales ranged from .61 to .89 for men and from .65 to .87 for women. Scree plots based on factor analyses of scale items indicated that one major factor explained 30% to 75% of each scale variance in men and women. Factor structures of the 22 items for men and women were consistent with those theoretically expected Distributions of the decision latitude scores among occupations for men and women were similar to those in the U.S. national samples; the scores significantly and positively correlated with occupational class. It is suggested that the JCQ scales are reliable and valid instruments for assessing job stressors in a Japanese working population.

STRESS AND CONTROL AMONG NURSES: EFFECTS ON PHYSIOLOGICAL OUTCOMES.

We tested the job demands-control model of stress using physiological outcomes and objective indicators of demands. Some support for the model was found with quantitative workload interacting with ...

Work‐load, perceived control and psychological distress in Type A/B industrial workers

AbstractThe effects of work‐load (WL) and perceived control (PC) on the psychological well‐being of Type A and Type B industrial workers were studied using Karasek's Job Demands‐Control model (1979). Subjects were 3562 male workers from 21 factories in Israel.Compared to Type B, Type As showed higher stress symptoms (irritability, somatic complaints, anxiety) but also higher job satisfaction. Contrary to our hypotheses, Type As were not more stressed under conditions of low load or low PC. These findings run counter to intuitive deductions based on the ambitious, hard‐driving characteristics and control needs attributed to Type As. However there is some indication that a combination of low load and low PC (passive jobs) can be stressful for Type As, as indicated by high irritability scores. In addition, Type As were adversely affected by high load while Type Bs were not. Moreover, Type Bs reported high job satisfaction. Tests of Karasek's model revealed significant main effect for WL and PC on all dependent variables, but no interaction effects. Finally, incorporating Type A/B into the model indicated that the hypothesized high strain jobs combining high load and low PC proved to be stressful for Type As only.