Multi-occupational Sample Research Articles

Analysis of a brief biodata scale as a predictor of job performance and its incremental validity over the Big Five and Dark Tetrad personality traits.

The collection of biographical information (biodata) through CVs and application forms has many advantages, namely easiness of collection, acceptable validity, less prone to faking, and the fulfilment of legal requirements. However, its systematic use among practitioners is scarce. Two of the mains reasons is the overlap with other constructs like personality and the lack of validated biodata scales in articles and public repositories. Aimed to fill this gap, García-Izquierdo and colleagues developed an 8-item scale able to generate positive applicant reactions, but they did not provide empirical evidence that their scale is able to predict job performance. The present paper was developed for this purpose, investigating the scale’s relationship with four different dimensions of job performance (i.e., task performance, contextual performance, counterproductive behaviors, and adaptive performance) and its incremental validity with respect to Big Five and Dark Tetrad personality traits. The study comprises 528 employees from different organizations (Mage = 39.51, SD = 14.25; 52.8% women, Mexperience = 17.06, SD = 13.27) which voluntarily agreed to participate filling a questionnaire with the variables of interest. Results provide evidence of the predictive validity of the biodata scale in a multi-occupational sample; identify that these biodata contribute to predicting two specific types of job performance: contextual performance and adaptive performance; shows that a brief job-related biodata scale achieves results comparable to those of most personality traits in predictive models of job performance dimensions; and provide evidence of the incremental predictive validity of biodata over the Big Five and the Dark Tetrad. As a whole, these results provide support for the use of the scale in researcher and applied settings, and contributes to the advance the knowledge of biodata for personnel selection.

Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis of the Arabic neck disability index: A cross-sectional study

Objectives: Neck pain is the fourth leading cause of disability. The most common validated tool assessing its effect on the participant’s functional status is the neck disability index (NDI). We aimed to investigate the factorial structure of the Arabic NDI (NDI-Ar) using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) in a multioccupational sample. Methods: A cross-sectional study conducted in Saudi Arabia. A total of 641 participants completed the NDI-Ar. The Cronbach’s alpha test was used to test the reliability of the questionnaire. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to assess the existing factor structure within the 10-indicator NDI questionnaire. Parallel analysis (PA) and scree plot with the unidimensional congruence test, mean of item residual absolute loadings test, and explained common variance test were used to assess the number of the extractable factors and their unidimensionality. CFA was also carried out. Results: EFA of the NDI-Ar suggested the presence of two-factor solutions. However, the analysis with the tests of closeness to unidimensionality, PA tests, and the more rigorous CFA indicated that the two-factor solutions were not tenable, and a single latent factor solution is a better fit with the observed data measured on Middle Eastern people. Conclusion: The present study explored the factorial structure of the NDI-Ar. The two-factor solutions were not tenable and a single latent factor solution might be a better fit.

COVID-19: How the stress generated by the pandemic may affect work performance through the moderating role of emotional intelligence

This study aimed to assess the moderating effect of emotional intelligence (EI) in the direct impact of the stress generated by the pandemic on work performance and counterproductive work behaviors (CWB) in a multioccupational sample of 1048 professionals (60.7% women). The participants filled the Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale, the Impact of Event Scale 6 and the Individual Work Performance Questionnaire. The results proved a relationship between Covid stress, performance and EI, which has a moderating effect between the stress and both indicators of performance, even when sociodemographic variables were controlled. In essence, professionals with high levels of EI and low Covid stress showed the highest performance and the lowest CWB when compared to those who presented less emotional capabilities and higher stress. These results confirm the importance of EI in improving the effectiveness of work performance and reinforce the role of EI as a protective variable that can safeguard occupational health.

Could Emotional Intelligence Ability Predict Salary? A Cross-Sectional Study in a Multioccupational Sample.

The study of emotional intelligence (EI) in work environments is a trending topic. However, few studies have examined the relationship between EI and salary. Therefore, the presented research aims to analyze the influence of EI on salary using a multioccupational sample. The participants were 785 subjects aged between 18 and 58 years (M = 39.41; SD = 10.95). EI ability was measured using the Mobile Emotional Intelligence Test (MEIT), while the salary was collected together with other sociodemographic variables in a questionnaire created ad hoc. After controlling for the age, gender, social class, educational level, and work experience variables, the results of correlation and regression analysis showed that participants with higher EI and emotional-repair capacity generally have higher salary. These findings provide preliminary evidence that EI is a relevant variable in achieving career success. The ability to channel and manage emotions could help employees develop stronger interpersonal relationships, leading to higher positions and greater financial compensation.

In Pursuit of Work Performance: Testing the Contribution of Emotional Intelligence and Burnout.

Previous research has highlighted the connection between emotional intelligence (EI) and work performance. However, the role of job burnout in this context remains relatively unexplored. This study aimed to examine the mediator role of burnout in the relationship between EI and work performance in a multioccupational sample of 1197 Spanish professionals (58.6% women). The participants completed the Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale, the Maslach Burnout Inventory, and the Individual Work Performance Questionnaire. As expected, the results demonstrated a positive relationship between EI and performance, and a negative relationship with burnout, which has a mediator effect in the relationship between EI and work performance. Professionals with high levels of IE and low burnout reported the highest performance. Multiple mediation analyses showed that employees’ EI was indirectly connected to work performance via professional efficacy and exhaustion, even when controlling the effects of sociodemographic variables. The same pattern was found when multiple mediations were conducted for each EI dimension. These findings demonstrate the importance of burnout in understanding work performance and emphasize the role of EI as a protective variable which can prevent the development or chronic progression of workers’ burnout.

Pasión por el Trabajo: Un Estudio Instrumental con Trabajadores Argentinos

This article presents the results of the validation of the Work Passion Scale developed by Vallerand et al. (2003). To determine the construct validity and the psychometric properties of the scale, a convenience multi-occupational sample of 452 Argentinean workers (56% women, average age = 35.56 years [SD = 10.84], average seniority = 8.82 years [SD = 9.10]) was used. Factor analyses revealed a structure composed of 2 correlated latent factors, comprising 14 items as observable indicators (S-Bχ2/gl = 1.85, GFI = 0.90, CFI = 0.94, RMSEA = 0.04), with adequate reliability according to the ordinal alpha coefficient and the composite reliability coefficient (harmonious passion: α = 0.79, CR = 0.80; obsessive passion: α = 0.80, CR = 0.81). Evidence of concurrent validity was obtained from direct correlations, calculated using Spearman’s rho, between the scales of passion for work, flow, job involvement, and job satisfaction. According to the R2 coefficient, the predictive and incremental validity of passion as an explanation of job satisfaction surpassed the impact of flow and job involvement. The configural and measurement invariance of the scale across gender was demonstrated using the χ2 difference test. The results obtained p

Burnout Clinical Subtypes Questionnaire (BCSQ-36): reliability and validity study in Latvia

ABSTRACT The study aimed to test the validity of the burnout subtypes hierarchic model operationalized by the ‘Burnout Clinical Subtypes Questionnaire’ (BCSQ-36) and its applicability in other cultures. To that aim psychometric properties, factorial and convergent validity regarding the Maslach Burnout Inventory – General Survey (MBI-GS), and correlation with demographic factors were reviewed. A voluntary internet-based approach was used on a multi-occupational sample of adult Latvians (n = 394). The results of the internal consistency of the Latvian version of the BCSQ-36 exceeded .89 for all three subtypes. The CFA was used to test a hierarchical factorial model, and the analysis revealed an acceptable fit of the model to the data. Correlation analysis showed results as expected, similarly to the original sample – Underchallenged and Worn-out subtypes correlated with all MBI-GS scales, while Frenetic subtype did not correlate with the MBI-GS Cynicism scale. Besides, demographic data showed some correlation only on the subscale level. Overall research results provide support of the validity of the burnout subtypes hierarchical model and applicability in another culture.

On the association between job dissatisfaction and employee’s mental health problems: Does emotional regulation ability buffer the link?

Meta-analytic research has demonstrated that job dissatisfaction levels may be related to lower emotional well-being. However, few studies have specifically focused on protective factors that might serve as a buffer in the link between job dissatisfaction and mental health problems in the workplace. This study examined the moderating role of emotion regulation ability (ERA) in the association between job dissatisfaction and mental health problems (i.e., depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms) among 629 professional workers. In a multi-occupational sample, we measured ERA along with indices of job dissatisfaction, depression, anxiety, and stress. The results showed that job dissatisfaction was positively related to depression, anxiety, and stress, but that these relationships were buffered by levels of ERA; that is, higher job dissatisfaction was associated with more mental health problems, but the effect was weaker for those employees with higher ERA. These findings identify emotion-regulation ability as a noteworthy contributor to protection from mental health problems in cases of job dissatisfaction, and highlight the need to consider emotional resources in the workplace when investigating mental health problems relating to chronic job dissatisfaction.

Bad guys perform better? The incremental predictive validity of the Dark Tetrad over Big Five and Honesty-Humility

This study analyzed incremental effects of the Dark Tetrad traits (i.e., narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy, sadism) on job performance dimensions (i.e., task performance, contextual performance, counterproductive work behavior) over the Big Five and Honesty-Humility. Using a multi-occupational sample of 613 employees, results revealed positive outcomes depending on the specific Dark Tetrad trait analyzed. After including sociodemographic and work-related variables, Big Five, and Honesty-Humility, narcissism and Machiavellianism were positively related to task performance, whereas psychopathy and sadism were negative predictors. Narcissism was also a positive predictor of contextual performance, while sadism was positively related to counterproductive work behavior. These results show that the Dark Tetrad is useful in its own right and incrementally above normal-range personality measures.

In pursuit of job satisfaction and happiness: Testing the interactive contribution of emotion-regulation ability and workplace social support.

The present study focuses on the interplay of emotion-regulation ability and perceived workplace social support as predictors of job satisfaction and happiness in a Spanish multi-occupational sample. A total of 494 working adults (39.4% females) took part in this study. Emotion-regulation ability and perceived support from colleagues and supervisors were positively associated. In addition, emotion-regulation ability and perceived support from colleagues and supervisors showed positive associations with job satisfaction and happiness. Furthermore, considering results from moderation analyses, when low levels of perceived workplace social support were reported, the relationship between emotion regulation and both job satisfaction and happiness was stronger than in cases of higher perceived workplace support. In line with previous studies, these findings suggest that training in emotion regulation abilities may take into consideration the potential moderating role of job characteristics such as support from colleagues and supervisors. Finally, theoretical and practical implications of the joint study of these factors in line with the Job Demands-Resources model and the Emotional Intelligence framework are discussed.

How Does Emotional Intelligence Make One Feel Better at Work? The Mediational Role of Work Engagement.

Although previous research has highlighted the association between emotional intelligence (EI) and job satisfaction, the underlying mechanisms remain relatively unexplored. To address this gap, this study examined employee engagement as a potential mediator of the association. A multi-occupational sample of 405 Spanish professionals completed the Wong Law Emotional Intelligence Scale, the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale and an Overall Job Satisfaction Scale as well as providing socio-demographic data. As expected, employees’ EI was positively related to engagement dimensions (vigour, dedication and absorption) as well as overall job satisfaction. Bootstrap estimates from multiple mediation analysis confirmed that employees’ perceived EI was indirectly associated with job satisfaction via vigour and dedication scores, even when controlling for the effects of socio-demographic variables. Similarly, the same pattern was found when multiple mediation was conducted for each EI dimension. Our study contributes to understanding of the processes involved in maintaining and enhancing positive attitudes at work, providing the first, encouraging evidence that work engagement play a role in the EI-job satisfaction link. Our results extend the EI literature by elucidating the pathways through which EI is linked to positive employee attitudes and suggests that intervention programs designed to bolster EI might prove effective at increasing job satisfaction.

From Organizational Justice Perceptions to Turnover Intentions: The Mediating Effects of Burnout and Job Satisfaction.

Turnover intentions (TI) stand as an insidious problem that impacts on the functioning of organizations and the well-being of their members. Currently, there is a growing interest in identifying the explanatory mechanisms of TI, in order to strengthen and retain valued employees for organizations. In line with this trend, the aim of the present study was to test an integrative serial multiple mediation model that examined the possible mediating role of burnout and job satisfaction in the relationships between organizational justice and TI. To achieve this objective, a cross-sectional empirical study was carried out on a multi-occupational sample of 408 Argentine employees (219 women and 189 men). Participants completed a self-report questionnaire comprising previously validated measures for the target population. Structural equation modeling showed that perceptions of distributive, procedural, and interpersonal justice have negative indirect effects on TI through burnout and job satisfaction, while perceptions of informational justice exert such effects on TI only through job satisfaction. These results indicate that distributive, procedural, and interpersonal justice perceptions relate to lower levels of burnout, which in turn promote greater job satisfaction and lower TI among employees. In addition, informational justice perceptions are positively related to job satisfaction, leading to a decrease in employees’ TI. Findings are discussed in light of their theoretical and practical implications. Managers and human resource professionals could consider the research results in their attempts to design and implement talent retention strategies within organizations.

Confirmatory factor analysis of the ISB - Burnout Syndrome Inventory

AimBurnout is a dysfunctional reaction to chronic occupational stress. The present study analysis the psychometric qualities of the Burnout Syndrome Inventory (ISB) through Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA).MethodEmpirical study in a multi-centre and multi-occupational sample (n = 701) using the ISB. The Part I assesses antecedent factors: Positive Organizational Conditions (PC) and Negative Organizational Conditions (NC). The Part II assesses the syndrome: Emotional Exhaustion (EE), Dehumanization (DE), Emotional Distancing (ED) and Personal Accomplishment (PA).ResultsThe highest means occurred in the positive scales CP (M = 23.29, SD = 5.89) and PA (M = 14.84, SD = 4.71). Negative conditions showed the greatest variability (SD = 6.03). Reliability indexes were reasonable, with the lowest rate at .77 for DE and the highest rate .91 for PA. The CFA revealed RMSEA = .057 and CFI = .90 with all scales regressions showing significant values (β = .73 until β = .92).ConclusionThe ISB showed a plausible instrument to evaluate burnout. The two sectors maintained the initial model and confirmed the theoretical presupposition. This instrument makes possible a more comprehensive idea of the labour context, and one or another part may be used separately according to the needs and the aims of the assessor.

Hardiness as a moderator variable between the Big-Five Model and work effort

The aim of the present study is to analyse hardiness as a moderator variable among personality traits, assessed using the Big-Five or Five Factor Model (FFM) and responses in work effort of workers confronted with stress. Using a multi-occupational sample of 403 subjects, statistically significant correlations between the factors of the FFM and work effort were found, as well as between hardiness and effort, as predicted by the theoretical model. Finally, empirical evidence indicates that hardiness performs a moderating role between the factors of FFM and effort displayed, in the sense that hardiness (understood as a quantitative variable) affects the intensity of the relationship between the structure of personality (predictor variable) and work effort (criterion variable), that is, even taking into account that personality structure affects work effort, people who score high in hardiness will show more effort.

El papel moderador de la autoeficacia profesional entre situaciones de acoso laboral y la salud en una muestra multiocupacional

Self-efficacy is a personal competence stressors acts against increasing or decreasing the psychological discomfort they may generate, meanwhile workplace bullying or mobbing is one of the psychosocial work environment factors more damaging to the health of workers. Using as a framework the theoretical JD-R, this paper's main objective is to analyze the moderating role of professional self-efficacy between workplace bullying and perceived health status in a multi-occupational sample of 772 workers (379 men and 383 women). An anonymous questionnaire to workers was administered in active-duty after analyzing the data provided by the scale of workplace mobbing NAQ, Questionnaire GHQ-12 for the evaluation of the health and professional self-efficacy of the MBI. The result highlights the moderating role of self-efficacy on health in workplace bullying situations. To these work results of and its possible implication in the organizations are discussed.

Exploring the Content and Factorial Validity of Job Embeddedness Through the Lens of a Multigroup Sample

The purpose of the present research was to provide additional evidence for the construct validity of Mitchell, Holtom, Lee, Sablynski, and Erez’s Job Embeddedness Questionnaire (JEQ). While most studies have focused on building the nomological network of job embeddedness with organizationally relevant outcomes, scant research has focused attention on the psychometric properties of the JEQ. To this end, this study explores the meta-analytic relationships of the JEQ with job satisfaction and organizational commitment measures to help build additional evidence for the discriminant validity of the job embeddedness construct. Results revealed that the organizational dimensions of links, fit, and sacrifice and job satisfaction measures have differential relationships with perceived desirability and ease of movement variables thereby lending support to the construct validity of the JEQ. In addition, the content and factorial validity of the JEQ was examined using a cross-industry, multioccupational sample from 542 respondents. Results indicated that while the three-factor model for both organizational and community embeddedness had the best fit to the data, other psychometric properties were somewhat questionable. Recommendations were provided to refine the current operationalization of the JEQ and to expand the nomological network of job embeddedness by exploring predictors and outcomes of individual dimensions of organizational embeddedness and community embeddedness.

The reciprocal relationship between vigor and insomnia: a three-wave prospective study of employed adults

Vigor is a positive affect experienced at work. It refers to feelings of possessing physical strength, emotional energy, and cognitive liveliness. Accumulated evidence suggests that vigor has a protective effect on health, but the mechanisms of this link remain to be discovered. This study focused on sleep quality as one possible mechanism. We used a full-panel, longitudinal design to investigate the hypothesis that changes in vigor over time have inverse effects on insomnia and vice versa. The study was conducted on a multi-occupational sample of working adults (N=1,414, 70% men) at three time points (T1, T2, and T3), over a period of about 3years. Vigor was assessed by the Shirom-Melamed Vigor Measure, while insomnia was assessed by the Brief Athens Insomnia Scale. Results of SEM-analyses, controlling for neuroticism, and other potential confounding variables, offered a strong support for the study hypotheses, indicating cross-lagged reciprocal inverse relationships between vigor and insomnia. The results suggest that vigor has a protective effect on sleep quality and that vigor might positively influence health through this pathway.

Towards a brief definition of burnout syndrome by subtypes: Development of the "Burnout Clinical Subtypes Questionnaire" (BCSQ-12)

BackgroundBurnout has traditionally been described by means of the dimensions of exhaustion, cynicism and lack of eficacy from the "Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey" (MBI-GS). The "Burnout Clinical Subtype Questionnaire" (BCSQ-12), comprising the dimensions of overload, lack of development and neglect, is proposed as a brief means of identifying the different ways this disorder is manifested. The aim of the study is to test the construct and criterial validity of the BCSQ-12.MethodA cross-sectional design was used on a multi-occupational sample of randomly selected university employees (n = 826). An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed on half of the sample using the maximum likelihood (ML) method with varimax orthogonal rotation, while confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed on the other half by means of the ML method. ROC curve analysis was preformed in order to assess the discriminatory capacity of BCSQ-12 when compared to MBI-GS. Cut-off points were proposed for the BCSQ-12 that optimized sensitivity and specificity. Multivariate binary logistic regression models were used to estimate effect size as an odds ratio (OR) adjusted for sociodemographic and occupational variables. Contrasts for sex and occupation were made using Mann-Whitney U and Kruskall-Wallis tests on the dimensions of both models.ResultsEFA offered a solution containing 3 factors with eigenvalues > 1, explaining 73.22% of variance. CFA presented the following indices: χ2 = 112.04 (p < 0.001), χ2/gl = 2.44, GFI = 0.958, AGFI = 0.929, RMSEA = 0.059, SRMR = 0.057, NFI = 0.958, NNFI = 0.963, IFI = 0.975, CFI = 0.974. The area under the ROC curve for 'overload' with respect to the 'exhaustion' was = 0.75 (95% CI = 0.71-0.79); it was = 0.80 (95% CI = 0.76-0.86) for 'lack of development' with respect to 'cynicism' and = 0.74 (95% CI = 0.70-0.78) for 'neglect' with respect to 'inefficacy'. The presence of 'overload' increased the likelihood of suffering from 'exhaustion' (OR = 5.25; 95% IC = 3.62-7.60); 'lack of development' increased the likelihood from 'cynicism' (OR = 6.77; 95% CI = 4.79-9.57); 'neglect' increased the likelihood from 'inefficacy' (OR = 5.21; 95% CI = 3.57-7.60). No differences were found with regard to sex, but there were differences depending on occupation.ConclusionsOur results support the validity of the definition of burnout proposed in the BSCQ-12 through the brief differentiation of clinical subtypes.

Sociodemographic and occupational risk factors associated with the development of different burnout types: the cross-sectional University of Zaragoza study

BackgroundThree different burnout types have been described: The "frenetic" type describes involved and ambitious subjects who sacrifice their health and personal lives for their jobs; the "underchallenged" type describes indifferent and bored workers who fail to find personal development in their jobs and the "worn-out" in type describes neglectful subjects who feel they have little control over results and whose efforts go unacknowledged. The study aimed to describe the possible associations between burnout types and general sociodemographic and occupational characteristics.MethodsA cross-sectional study was carried out on a multi-occupational sample of randomly selected university employees (n = 409). The presence of burnout types was assessed by means of the "Burnout Clinical Subtype Questionnaire (BCSQ-36)", and the degree of association between variables was assessed using an adjusted odds ratio (OR) obtained from multivariate logistic regression models.ResultsIndividuals working more than 40 hours per week presented with the greatest risk for "frenetic" burnout compared to those working fewer than 35 hours (adjusted OR = 5.69; 95% CI = 2.52-12.82; p < 0.001). Administration and service personnel presented the greatest risk of "underchallenged" burnout compared to teaching and research staff (adjusted OR = 2.85; 95% CI = 1.16-7.01; p = 0.023). Employees with more than sixteen years of service in the organisation presented the greatest risk of "worn-out" burnout compared to those with less than four years of service (adjusted OR = 4.56; 95% CI = 1.47-14.16; p = 0.009).ConclusionsThis study is the first to our knowledge that suggests the existence of associations between the different burnout subtypes (classified according to the degree of dedication to work) and the different sociodemographic and occupational characteristics that are congruent with the definition of each of the subtypes. These results are consistent with the clinical profile definitions of burnout syndrome. In addition, they assist the recognition of distinct profiles and reinforce the idea of differential characterisation of the syndrome for more effective treatment.

Exploring the reciprocal causal relationship between job strain and burnout: A longitudinal study of apparently healthy employed persons

AbstractWe used a full‐panel longitudinal design to investigate the hypotheses that changes in the components of the Job Demand‐Control‐Support (JDC‐S) model predict changes in burnout over time, and vice versa. The study was conducted on a multi‐occupational sample of apparently healthy employed men and women (N = 986), followed‐up after 3 years. We found support for both direct and reverse causal relationship between the study variables. Changes over time in the JDC‐S components and changes over time in burnout levels mutually influenced each other. No interactive effects among the JDC‐S components in the prediction of burnout were found. These findings suggest a predominance of the direct casual relationship between work characteristics and burnout compared with the reverse relationship. The findings remained significant even after controlling for depressive symptoms, neuroticism and other potential confounding variables. An explanation for the dynamic association between work characteristics and burnout uncovered here is offered based on the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory. Based on the COR theory, we outline the theoretical implications of our findings and their relevance for efforts to combat burnout. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.