Prevention Of Psychosocial Risks Research Articles

Workplace Bullying Seen from the Perspective of Bystanders: Effects on Engagement and Burnout, Mediating Role of Positive and Negative Affects.

The first and original aim of this study was to measure the impact of workplace bullying (WB) seen from the perspective of the witnesses (bystanders) on the work engagement and the burnout of these bystanders. The second aim was to test the mediating roles of affects between WB seen from the perspective of bystanders and two resulting variables, bystanders' work engagement and bystanders' burnout. This study was conducted using self-administered questionnaires with WB bystanders (n = 222) from the Cameroonian health sector. The results indicated that positive and negative affects played mediating roles between WB as seen by witnesses and the two resulting variables, burnout and work engagement. This study offers new avenues for intervention on the issue of WB bystanders. In addition to prevention for victims, witnesses experiencing bullying as bystanders in Cameroon must be supported and accompanied by occupational health services, occupational and psychosocial risk prevention workers, psychologists, as well as human resources.

Role of psychosocial safety climate in job satisfaction and emotional exhaustion: mediating role of effort–reward imbalance

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to study the role of psychosocial safety climate (PSC) on job satisfaction and emotional exhaustion among employees and to examine the mediating role of effort–reward imbalance (ERI) in this relationship.Design/methodology/approachThis study investigated a mediation model with ERI explaining the relationship between PSC and the outcome variables using a sample of 441 employees of information technology (IT) organizations in India. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) techniques with LISREL (linear structural relations) 8.72 software.FindingsThe results suggest that PSC significantly influences the employees' experiences of job satisfaction and emotional exhaustion. Also, ERI was demonstrated as a significant intervening construct with full mediation of the PSC–emotional exhaustion relationship and partial mediation of the PSC–job satisfaction relationship.Research limitations/implicationsThe study provides substantial results and arguments to encourage organizational-level commitment for psychosocial risk management through distributive fairness and reciprocity in the form of ERI to foster positive attitudes and prevent negative health and psychological outcomes. The cross-sectional nature of the study limits generalizability but contributes to the literature on work stress in a developing country's context.Originality/valueThe study demonstrates how employee outcomes like job satisfaction and emotional exhaustion often result from their perceptions of inequity and imbalance at the workplace. Further, the study builds a strong case for helping organizations contribute to the United Nations (UN) 2030 sustainability goals by empirically establishing the crucial role of top management's commitment and prioritization of employee psychosocial health and safety for designing primary stress-management initiatives for sustainable psychosocial risk prevention and management.

Digital training for psychosocial risk assessment as an approach to foster primary prevention for SMEs: An evaluation study.

Rapidly changing stressful working conditions put new challenges on mental health in future work, especially for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) which need to be addressed on an organisational level. To promote, secure and sustain a healthy workforce in the long run, primary prevention of psychosocial risks is needed. Still, 70% of EU companies and over 85% of German SMEs lack the legally required implementation of psychosocial risk assessment (PRA) in their occupational safety and health (OSH) management. The aim of the study was to evaluate the digital training PsyHealth worXs! as a suitable approach to teach OSH stakeholders how to conduct PRA. We conducted a longitudinal evaluation study with two measurement times in the first and last week of the digital training based on N = 312 questionnaires. After the training, participants' knowledge of the PRA process was significantly higher, and they felt significantly more competent to derive OSH interventions. Overall, the process of PRA and the involvement of stakeholders were perceived as significantly easier. Results suggest that the digital training provides an easily accessible opportunity for SMEs to successfully enable their OSH management to implement PRA strategies. Future research will have to evaluate the overall long-term implementation increase of PRA in German SME companies.

Validation of the medium and short version of CENSOPAS-COPSOQ: a psychometric study in the Peruvian population.

BackgroundThe presence of psychosocial risks at work are associated with mental and physical health issues in workers. The study aim was to adapt the COPSOQ-ISTAS21 (Spanish version of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire and Union Institute of Work, Environment and Health) Medium-Version to the Peruvian context and to develop a Short-Version of the instrument.MethodCross-sectional design study. The COPSOQ-ISTAS21 Medium Version was used. A confirmatory factor analysis was performed to determine the internal structure of each subdimension (first-order) and dimension (second-order) using the Robust Maximum Likelihood estimation method, and classic fit indices in the literature (CFI, SRMR, RMSEA). Internal consistency was evaluated using the alpha and omega coefficients. A short version was developed based on the items with the highest factorial load and that reduce the factorial complexity.ResultsA total of 1707 participants were evaluated. In the confirmatory factor analysis, the goodness-of-fit indices for seventeen of the 20 one-dimensional models (subdimensions) were identified; two subdimensions could not be evaluated because they presented only two items. When conducting a multidimensional analysis, we identified that all second-order models presented optimal goodness-of-fit indices, except “psychological demands at work”. Finally, a short version of only 31 items was designed from the items with optimal fit indices.ConclusionsThe new adapted versions of COPSOQ-ISTAS21 were renamed CENSOPAS-COPSOQ (National center of occupational health and environment protection for health -in Spanish- and Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire). The CENSOPAS-COPSOQ is an instrument with sufficient evidence of validity and reliability in its medium and short version, which is why its use is recommended in Peruvian work centers to identify the evaluation and prevention of psychosocial risks at work in Peru.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-022-13328-0.

Meta-analysis of effort-reward imbalance prevalence among physicians.

Estimate the effort-reward imbalance prevalence (ERI) among physicians. A systematic review was conducted from 2005 to 2019 using PRISMA guidelines on the PubMed and EBSCOhost search engines. Data were classified according to the ERI definition used by the authors. A meta-analysis was performed on effort and reward scores and on ERI prevalence rates. Out of 3787 results, we selected 41 studies. The physicians' ERI prevalence rate ranged from 3.50 to 96.9%. The standardized pooled effort mean score was 58.5 for effort and 48.9 for a reward out of 100, respectively. The overall combined ERI rate (when the ratio between effort and reward scores was above 1) was 40.2% among 21,939 practitioners (31.7% in the working European population). ERI rate was 70.2% using a four-point Likert scale and 21.1% using a five-point Likert scale. The highest rate (96.9%) was observed among German rural general practitioners and the lowest rate (3.50%) among Swiss hospital practitioners. The low percentage of variability (I2 = 27%) attributed to effort scores heterogeneity between studies suggested that this dimension is not discriminant in the physician ERI assessment. The high heterogeneity in reward scores (I2 = 83%) indicated that this dimension is sensible in ERI assessment among physicians. The number of items used did not appear as a significant source of heterogeneity. Physician job ERI appeared to be higher than in the working population. Studying each dimension and item indicators could help improve psychosocial risk prevention.

Relación entre exposición a riesgos psicosociales y salud: un estudio de cohorte mediante el COPSOQ-Istas21

ObjectiveTo estimate the prospective relationships between exposure to psychosocial risks dimensions included in the COPSOQ-Istas21 and the deterioration of general and mental health and sleep problems among workers residing in Spain. MethodCohort whose baseline corresponds to the 2016 Psychosocial Risks Survey with a new measurement after one year. ResultsSocial capital and interpersonal relations and leadership dimensions, as well as work̶life conflict, were related to all health variables. Dimensions of work organization and job contents did it especially with the mental health, the quantitative demands with the general health and the emotional ones with the mental health. The dimensions related to job insecurity did not show relationships with health. ConclusionsThe results obtained reinforce the role of the COPSOQ-Istas21 as a useful instrument for the evaluation and prevention of psychosocial risks at work.

Una reflexión de la Norma Oficial Mexicana 035 en torno al debate de la tensión capital-trabajo

The objective proposed in this article is to make a theoretical reflection based on the requirements required by NOM-035-STPS-2018. Psychosocial risk factors at work. Identification, analysis and prevention; with the purpose of identifying its limitations and inconsistencies in the prevention of psychosocial risks borne within the legal framework; It is based on the assumption that in every labor relationship there is a relationship between capital and work in which the interests of the employer and the needs of the workers are put in tension, which are manifested as negotiations that apparently have a benefit for both parties but they do not find a point of communion between them. Therefore, the usefulness of Standard 035 in its purpose of reducing psychosocial risk factors in organizations is questioned.The results of this first approach focus on the identification of some critical points that this standard presents; These reflections contribute to the analysis of organizations from the field of work studies.

Ecuadorian Journalists Mental Health Influence on Changing Job Desire: A Cross Sectional Study.

Journalist’s mental health could predict their job change. This study aims at determining the prevalence of mental health issues and their association with perception of aptitude for covering emergencies and difficulty in seeing a corpse, and also to determine the mental health factors associated with job change. An ad hoc survey, GHQ-28 (Somatization, Anxiety-Insomnia, Social Dysfunction, Depression), MBI-P (Burnout, Emotional Exhaustion, Depersonalization, personal accomplishment) and Brief scale to diagnose Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Suicide Risk were applied to 196 journalists (female = 51.6%). Descriptive analysis, correlations (Pearson and Spearman), T-test and binary logistic regression were performed. It was found that one third part of journalists perceive themselves as having low aptitude to cover emergencies and difficulty in seeing a corpse, 17.3% would consider changing jobs and 42.1% could only access free mental health services. The most frequent mental health problems are: low personal accomplishment, emotional exhaustion and post-traumatic stress disorder (11.2 to 17.3%). People who want to change jobs present more: social dysfunction, depression, emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, low personal accomplishment, post-traumatic stress disorder and suicide risk. The two mental health factors associated with desire of changing jobs are high emotional exhaustion, and low personal accomplishment. These results guide the psychosocial risk prevention processes for journalists, as well as the training needs that universities could consider to protect the mental health of this vulnerable group.

Growing up Strong Program, positive youth development and education: A healthy framework

The Growing up Strong Program has been designed within the framework of positive psychology as an exercise in character education based on the identification, recognition, and use of character strengths among teenagers in secondary school. The study explores the role of mental health (understood as proper psychosocial functioning) in the promotion of adolescent psychological well-being and positive youth development. The aim of this research was to evaluate the resources of the subjects following their participation in the Program. The sample comprised 221 male and female adolescents, aged between 12 and 15. The data were collected using the Scale of Psychological Well-Being for Adolescents and the Factors in Youth Development Scale, both with demonstrated reliability and validity. The results showed, after the Program: good levels of positive youth developmental resources (self-esteem, optimism, self-efficacy and future orientation); evidence of prevention of psychosocial risk behaviors, specifically in relation to raised awareness of substance use, alcohol consumption and smoking, and non-specifically in relation to social-relational risks; good levels of life satisfaction and psychological well-being; positive correlations between positive youth development, psychological well-being, life satisfaction and prevention of psychosocial risks. It can be concluded that the Growing up Strong Program is an instance in character, emotional and well-being education, which generates a healthy network among adolescent users in the educational community.

The Impact of the Direct Participation of Workers on the Rates of Absenteeism in the Spanish Labor Environment.

The aim of this research was to study the relationship between the different levels of direct participation of workers (passive, consultative or active-delegated) in risk prevention management with the levels of absenteeism in Spain. To this end, a transversal study was carried out using microdata from the Second European Survey of Companies on New and Emerging Risks (ESENER-2-Spain, 2014) with a master population of 3162 work centres. A multinomial logistic regression model was carried out, with the dependent variable being the levels of absenteeism and the independent variables, the participation indicators and preventive management, calculating the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) between all the independent and control variables, with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% IC). The results obtained showed how the active-delegative participation of workers in the design and adoption of psychosocial risk prevention measures reported 2.33 less probabilities of having a very high or fairly high level of absenteeism (aOR = 0.43; 95%IC:0.27–0.69). However, having documented aspects of preventive management (plan, risk assessment, planning measures) did not have any impact on absenteeism levels, which shows that we can fall into an unrealistic institutional mirage of security with active policies of co-education or co-management being necessary to reduce absenteeism.

Gestión de prevención de riesgos psicosociales en el personal que labora en el cuerpo de bomberos del cantón Guano, Provincia de Chimborazo

La investigación tuvo como objetivo determinar como la Gestión de prevención de riesgos psicosociales influye en el desempeño laboral del personal que labora en el Cuerpo de Bomberos del cantón Guano provincia de Chimborazo aplicando el programa de prevención. Por lo que, el diseño de la investigación fue pre experimental, de tipo aplicativa y se utilizó el método deductivo acorde a sus pasos. La población de estudio corresponde al personal administrativo y operativo del Cuerpo de Bomberos del cantón Guano formando un total de 23 personas. La identificación de la línea base mediante el instrumento de evaluación de riesgos psicosociales FPSICO, demostró que los factores de riesgo estaban muy elevados, por lo que, se estableció el programa de prevención de riesgos psicosociales verificando la disminución de los factores de riesgo y el incremento de los estándares de desempeño. El programa de prevención de riesgos psicosociales incluyó estrategias como manejo de emociones, participación del personal en distribución de tareas, distribución adecuada de personal, definición de actividades, funciones y actividades de recreación y manejo de conflictos. La comprobación de hipótesis se realizó usando la prueba Chi Cuadrado con los datos obtenidos antes y después de la implementación del programa. Con ello se obtuvo que la gestión de prevención de riesgos psicosociales mejora el desempeño laboral del personal operativo y administrativo del Cuerpo de Bomberos del cantón Guano; y se recomienda continuar desarrollando las actividades planteadas en el programa para asegurar que se tiene una gestión continua de los riesgos manteniendo así el buen desempeño de los trabajadores.

The Usefulness of Training in Psycho-Social Risk Prevention. The Effects of PSR Training on the Development of Psycho-Social ResourcesThe Usefulness of Training in Psycho-Social Risk Prevention. The Effects of PSR Training on the Development of Psycho-Social Resources

Cet article se propose d’alimenter la réflexion sur l’intervention dans le champ de la santé au travail. Dans cette recherche, nous nous sommes plus particulièrement centrée sur la capacité d’une action de formation sur la prévention des risques psychosociaux au travail (RPS) à développer des ressources psychosociales nouvelles dans les organisations. Les résultats sont issus de l’analyse de 14 plans d’action et comparent le niveau d’importance des ressources élaborées selon qu’il y ait eu ou pas une formation des acteurs impliqués en amont de la démarche de prévention primaire. L’analyse des résultats montre que, paradoxalement, la formation a tendance à centrer l’action des acteurs sur des réponses individuelles.

Psychosocial Risk Prevention in a Global Occupational Health Perspective. A Descriptive Analysis

This study aimed to find out which countries around the world require psychosocial hazards and workplace violence to be assessed by employers through a mandatory occupational risk assessment process and to compare the type of legislation between countries. We systematically searched the International Labour Office (ILO) “LEGOSH” database for documents published during the period between December 2017 and February 2018. The search included 132 countries, of which 23 were considered as developed and 109 as developing according to the United Nations. Our review showed that most countries (85, i.e., 64%) have not included mandatory psychosocial risk assessment and prevention in their national occupational safety and health legislation. Moreover, we found differences between developed and developing countries, showing that developed countries more frequently have legislative measures. Within developed countries, we also found differences between countries following the Scandinavian model of workplace health and safety culture and other countries. Moreover, in many countries, workplace violence was prohibited only if it involves an offence to moral or religious customs. In conclusion, the marked difference in psychosocial hazards and workplace violence regulations among countries leads to unequal levels of workers’ protection, with adverse effects on global health.

The Aspects of Psychosocial Risks Prevention in a Developing Country: Turkey

Purpose: The aims of the study were determining the main psychosocial risks and identifying the role of workers’ representatives/unions, managers, and occupational health and safety OHS professionals to improve workers’ participation in the psychosocial risk prevention.Methods: This is a qualitative research. Three volunteering companies, those agreed to participate, were selected in Turkey. Interviews were conducted with workers’ /union reps and managers in each company, separately. The data were collected through semi-structured focus group interviews between 14th April-2nd May 2014. A total of 13 managers and 19 workers were interviewed in 3 workplaces. Interviews were carried out with tape-recording accompanied by note-taking. The content analysis method was evaluated by two researchers.Results: There is no policy or legislation about psychosocial risk evaluation and prevention in Turkey. Employers and employees were not aware of psychosocial risks. Job insecurity, high workload, low job control and the identification of economic problems are the priority problems to be assessed in this process. While the main barriers for the participative psychosocial risk prevention process were lack of laws and regulations, communication gaps, financial requirements, pressure associated with production and quotas, excessive monitoring of workers’ performance; the main drivers were management’s supportive approach, justice, role clarity, and rewards.Conclusion: Psychosocial risks must be assessed in all workplaces to change working conditions and the legal regulations should be done clearly on psychosocial risk prevention. The cooperation should be achieved with the union and workers’ representatives, and their support and experiences should be utilized

AFECTACIÓN A LA CALIDAD DE VIDA LABORAL: CASO FUNCIONARIOS DE LA DIRECCIÓN ADMINISTRATIVA DEL GADMA

the main objective of this study was to observe the impact on the quality of working life, in the case of officials of the Administrative Directorate of the Autonomous Decentralized Government of the Municipality of Ambato. Methodologically, an analysis was carried out that corresponds to a non-experimental design, with a quantitative and cross-sectional descriptive approach, to extend the results obtained from it with the use of the ISTAS 21 (CoPsoQ) method for the prevention of psychosocial risks, for the positions or positions of the administrative direction. It was concluded that in relation to the quality of working life, positions that present psychosocial risks in a large percentage are those with the lowest quality of working life, both in objective and subjective conditions, that is, work environment, work environment, functions, regulations, procedures, regulations, work organization, schedules, salaries, work days, development opportunities, job security, job content, as well as individual and collective experiences and perceptions. The quality of working life is a key factor in the personal, social and work of employees, the various factors of work directly affect the quality of life at work, such as supervision, working conditions, remuneration, benefits and the characteristics of the position, because it affects the organizational, environmental and behavioral aspects, considering the efficiency, capacity, availability of the workers and their social expectations.

Preventing psychosocial risks at work: An evaluation study of labour inspectorate interventions

Workplace responses to labour inspectorate interventions regarding psychosocial risks at work are not well known. This study aimed to assess the effects of inspection visits at company level. A survey was conducted in two groups of companies. In one group, companies were visited by a labour inspector some days after the survey, and in the other group, not. The survey was repeated one year later in both groups. It relied on a structured phone interview with the person within the company who best knew about occupational health and safety. We collected information about health and safety management, worker participation, as well as ability, willingness and measures for the prevention of psychosocial risks. Two kinds of prevention measures were distinguished: specific psychosocial risk management measures on one side, and more general improvements of working conditions on the other side. 185 companies with an inspection visit and 161 companies without took part in the study. The results were encouraging, since inspected companies improved their management of health and safety, increased their ability in psychosocial issues, and demonstrated a stronger willingness to act. To a lesser extent, they implemented specific psychosocial risk management measures. However, visits did not lead to improvements regarding scores for employee participation or general improvements of working conditions, such as work organisation, working schedules or staffing levels. A further step for regulatory initiatives would be to emphasise more strongly the need for a prevention approach grounded in the assessment and improvement of job designs, content and organisation.

A new overall approach to psychosocial risk prevention and well-being development

L’objectif de cet article de recherche est de proposer une nouvelle démarche de prévention des risques psychosociaux. En s’appuyant sur une méthodologie de recherche-intervention, cette étude présente un nouveau modèle selon trois niveaux : 1) la compréhension des relations entre la santé et le travail ; 2) le développement des leviers d’action au niveau de l’individu et de l’organisation pour réduire les risques psychosociaux ; 3) la mise en place du processus de changement. Cette étude s’appuie sur une intervention au sein d’une entreprise française du bâtiment. Elle présente les différents résultats obtenus suite à la mise en place de cette nouvelle démarche de prévention des risques psychosociaux.

Assessment of safety and health of storage workers - a psychosocial approach

Background: Although there is still a lot to do as far as prevention and elimination of traditional health and work safety hazards is concerned, the problem of psychosocial risk prevention is extremely important nowadays. It is crucial to take into consideration the health of workers and promotion of health in the workplace, as the occupational stress epidemics is getting more and more widespread. Methods: The article is based on the statistic analysis of accidents at work as well as the analysis of health problems resulting from the job itself. The latest work safety reports have been reviewed and special attention has been paid to psychosocial risk analysis. The author has tried to explicate the terms of new and emerging risks as regards storage work. Results: Various threat aspects of storage work have been evaluated. Deficits in psychosocial hazard identification have been indicated. What is more, no correlation between occupational tasks of storage workers and their knowledge about psychosocial risks has been emphasized. An exemplified approach to warehouse psychosocial threat identification has been presented. The approach is based on the diagnosis of the current situation. Conclusions: The psychosocial risk of storage work may lead to health deterioration, greater accident risk and worse performance at work. Such consequences mean that the psychosocial risks affect both an individual and the organization. Therefore, we should expect more intense efforts to increase psychosocial risk awareness of both employers and

Síndrome de Desgaste Ocupacional (Burnout) y su Relación con Salud y Riesgo Psicosocial en Funcionarios Públicos que Imparten Justicia en México, D.F.

The purposes of this study were to determine the prevalence of psychosocial risk in major public officials who administer justice in Mexico City, and to identify the relationship between socio-demographic variables, occupational wear (burnout) and psychosomatic disorders. Information of 75 workers who administer justice was obtained in Mexico, DF (n=75) by the Occupational Scale Wear of Uribe-Prado (2010). The results showed that burnout is the best variable to predict psychosomatic disorders in terms of psychosocial factors at work; analyzes of this study are discussed in terms of the importance of understanding the effects of psychosocial risk prevention, diagnosis and intervention from the response to chronic stress. Correlations, analysis of variance, regressions and a structural model to adjust the variables used in structural terms. Cronbach’s alpha for the evaluated variables was located between .63 and .83 reliability. The importance of secretaries, judges and magistrates to administer justice undertake their work in terms of occupational health is emphasized.

Is psychosocial risk prevention possible? Deconstructing common presumptions

This paper tackles a much debated and often misunderstood issue in the modern world of work, psychosocial risks. Although the prevalence and impact of psychosocial risks is now widely acknowledged as a priority in health and safety in Europe, there remains resistance by key stakeholders in prioritizing psychosocial risk management both in business and policy making. This paper explores why this is still the case by discussing three presumptions in relation to the current state of the art in this area. It examines the validity of these presumptions by summarizing key evidence, policies and practices. It is concluded that, although guidance on psychosocial risks and their management exists in abundance as does evidence to support the ‘case’ for psychosocial risk management, the concept of psychosocial risk is still not clearly understood in its entirety with discussions being focused on negative impacts and not opportunities that can be capitalized upon through effective psychosocial risk management at the organizational and societal levels. A key issue is the false distinction often made between psychosocial factors and issues pertaining to work organization, since psychosocial risks are embedded in certain forms of work organization. The suitability of available methods and tools is also considered as well as existing capabilities in the context of socioeconomic changes and constraints. On the basis of the current state of the art, an action plan for the prevention of psychosocial risks in the workplace is proposed, linked to sustainability and a value-based perspective.