Job crafting interventions: what works, for whom, why, and in which contexts? Research protocol for a systematic review with coincidence analysis.

BACKGROUND: Recent challenges in the working world that resulted from the pandemic and technological advances have underlined the importance of flexibility in how jobs are designed. Job crafting (JC) refers to self-initiated changes that employees introduce to their jobs to optimize their job design and increase the fit between the job and their needs and preferences. These behaviors can be stimulated by job crafting training interventions, which aim to change how individual employees design, organize, or manage their work. However, since the interventions are implemented in various ways, we do not know which context and intervention factors are necessary or sufficient to achieve desired outcomes. Without this knowledge, benefitting from the potential of job crafting interventions is limited. The overall aim of this project will be to investigate what combinations of context, intervention, and mechanism factors are linked with effective JC interventions. Specifically, we will detect what factors are minimally sufficient and/or necessary to produce a successful JC intervention, how they combine, as well as what are the multiple alternative paths to their success. METHODS: We will perform a systematic review of the JC interventions literature combined with coincidence analysis (CNA). We will search electronic databases of journals and utilize Rayyan software to make decisions regarding inclusion. Data regarding context (e.g., fit), intervention (e.g., types of activities), mechanisms (e.g., intention implementation), and outcomes (e.g., employee well-being, job performance) will be extracted using a pre-piloted form and coded into a crisp-set (factor present vs. absent). Analyses will be carried out using the CNA package in R. DISCUSSION: This review will address gaps in knowledge about the context, intervention, and mechanism-related factors that may impact the effects of JC interventions. Consequently, this review will help develop a program theory for JC interventions that explains what works, how and under which circumstances. Applying CNA to synthesize these complex solutions across multiple studies provides an innovative method that may be used in future review attempts evaluating the implementation of interventions. Finally, our synthesis will provide knowledge relevant to organizational practitioners and scholars who want to implement JC interventions. TRIAL REGISTRATION: https://osf.io/2g6yx.

A Data-Driven Clustering Method for Discovering Profiles in the Dynamics of Major Depressive Disorder Using a Smartphone-Based Ecological Momentary Assessment of Mood.

Background: Although major depressive disorder (MDD) is characterized by a pervasive negative mood, research indicates that the mood of depressed patients is rarely entirely stagnant. It is often dynamic, distinguished by highs and lows, and it is highly responsive to external and internal regulatory processes. Mood dynamics can be defined as a combination of mood variability (the magnitude of the mood changes) and emotional inertia (the speed of mood shifts). The purpose of this study is to explore various distinctive profiles in real-time monitored mood dynamics among MDD patients in routine mental healthcare. Methods: Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) data were collected as part of the cross-European E-COMPARED trial, in which approximately half of the patients were randomly assigned to receive the blended Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (bCBT). In this study a subsample of the bCBT group was included (n = 287). As part of bCBT, patients were prompted to rate their current mood (on a 1-10 scale) using a smartphone-based EMA application. During the first week of treatment, the patients were prompted to rate their mood on three separate occasions during the day. Latent profile analyses were subsequently applied to identify distinct profiles based on average mood, mood variability, and emotional inertia across the monitoring period. Results: Overall, four profiles were identified, which we labeled as: (1) "very negative and least variable mood" (n = 14) (2) "negative and moderate variable mood" (n = 204), (3) "positive and moderate variable mood" (n = 41), and (4) "negative and highest variable mood" (n = 28). The degree of emotional inertia was virtually identical across the profiles. Conclusions: The real-time monitoring conducted in the present study provides some preliminary indications of different patterns of both average mood and mood variability among MDD patients in treatment in mental health settings. Such varying patterns were not found for emotional inertia.

In the Labyrinth of Dietary Patterns and Well-Being-When Eating Healthy Is Not Enough to Be Well.

This paper aims to identify the relation between food consumption and well-being, and the level of well-being depending on a diet followed. Moreover, we analyze whether people driven by single motives, such as the health, pleasure or social dimension of food declare the lower or higher level of well-being than those motivated by a larger number of factors. The survey was conducted online (CAWI, n = 1067). The following scales were used: Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS), Satisfaction with Food-related Life Scale (SWFL), Health Taste Attitude Scales (HTAS) and Social Dimension of Food Meaning. The data analysis was carried out with the application of one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), partial eta squared, a t-Student's test, the Hochberg test, the Games-Howell test, and Pearson's correlation. Levels of Subjective Well-Being (SWB) and Food Well-Being (FWB) are strongly correlated with consumers' dietary pattern. The frequency of consumption of organic food and following vegan, low salt, and low sugar diets leads to higher levels of SWB, while FWB is additionally affected by the regular consumption of low-fat products and foods that improve one's mood. The level of well-being is linked with the motivation to follow specific diets and attentiveness related to dietary patterns. People paying attention to the health aspects, pleasure and social dimension of food meaning show higher level of FWB than people focusing exclusively on health aspects.

I believe I can craft! introducing Job Crafting Self-Efficacy Scale (JCSES).

Job crafting is beneficial for employees and organizations. To better predict these behaviors, we introduce the concept of job crafting self-efficacy (JCSE) and define it as an individual's beliefs about their capability to modify the demands and resources of their job to better fit their needs. This article describes the development and validation of a scale to measure JCSE. We conducted a qualitative study to design and four quantitative studies to test the psychometric properties of this scale among Polish and American employees in both paper-and-pencil and online versions. Three independent (N1 = 364; N2 = 432; N3 = 403) confirmatory factor analyses demonstrated a good fit to a 3-factor solution comprising JCSE beliefs about increasing (a) structural job resources, (b) social job resources, and (c) challenging job demands. The 9-item JCSE Scale had good internal consistency, high time stability, and good validity. It correlated positively with general self-efficacy. JCSE explained unique variance in job crafting behaviors over and above general self-efficacy, and was more important in predicting job crafting than contextual factors. We demonstrate the role of social cognitions in shaping job redesign behaviors and provide a useful tool to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions dedicated to empowering JCSE.

Internet-based self-help intervention aimed at increasing social self-efficacy among internal migrants in Poland: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Migration is a challenging life transition that may be a source of various problems related to well-being and mental health. However, the psychological adaptation of migrants may be potentially facilitated by social self-efficacy-the beliefs in one's ability to initiate and maintain interpersonal relationships. Previous research suggests that social self-efficacy is positively related to adjustment and negatively related to loneliness, depression, and psychological distress. Research also confirms that self-efficacy beliefs can be effectively enhanced using Internet-based interventions. These results served as a background for creating the New in Town, a self-help Internet-based intervention for internal migrants in Poland that aims at increasing social self-efficacy. Exercises in the intervention are based on the principles of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and relate to sources of self-efficacy beliefs: mastery experiences, vicarious experiences, verbal persuasions, and emotional and physiological states. Users complete increasingly challenging tasks that encourage them to interact with their environment. The aim of this trial was to investigate the efficacy of the New in Town intervention. METHODS: The efficacy of the New in Town intervention will be tested in a two-arm randomized controlled trial with a waitlist control group. Social self-efficacy will be the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes will include loneliness, perceived social support, and satisfaction with life. Additionally, we will measure user experience among participants allocated to the experimental group. We aim to recruit a total of N = 280 participants aged at least 18 years who have changed their place of residence in the last 6 months and have an Internet connection. Participants will be assessed at baseline, 3-week post-test, and 8-week follow-up. DISCUSSION: The trial will provide insights into the efficacy of Internet-based self-help interventions in increasing social self-efficacy. Given that the intervention works, New in Town could provide an easily accessible support option for internal migrants in Poland. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (identifier: NCT04088487) on 11th September 2019.

[A job crafting measure: psychometric properties of the Polish version of the Job Crafting Scale]. / Narzedzie do pomiaru przeksztalcania pracy: Wlasciwosci psychometryczne polskiej wersji Job Crafting Scale.

BACKGROUND: The interest among researchers and practitioners in job crafting has been growing for the last dozen of years. Job crafting refers to behaviors that employees engage in to align aspects of their jobs with their own skills and needs. The aim of this paper was to analyze psychometric properties of the Polish version of a job crafting measure - the Job Crafting Scale (JCS). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The original JCS consists of 21 items and has 4 subscales: Increasing Structural Job Resources, Increasing Social Job Resources, Increasing Challenging Job Demands, and Decreasing Hindering Job Demands. Confirmatory factor analysis, internal consistency analysis, theoretical validity analysis and test-retest stability analysis were carried out among 249 white collar workers who use information and communication technology (ICT) in their daily work. Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis and invariance test were carried out among 228 white collar workers using ICT and additionally working in a team for most of the week. RESULTS: The Polish version of the JCS displays satisfactory internal consistency, theoretical validity, and test-retest stability. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis showed a 4-dimensional structure of the JCS. Four items were excluded from the Polish version of the JCS because of low factor loadings. The results of invariance test showed that factor loadings were invariant across groups. CONCLUSIONS: The Polish version of the JCS consists of 17 items and - like the original scale - has 4 subscales. Additional studies are recommended to confirm the internal structure of the JCS and measurement invariance across different occupational groups. Med Pr. 2019;70(4):445-57.

Positive Emotions at Work and Job Crafting: Results From Two Prospective Studies.

To date, research confirmed the effects of job crafting on the functioning of employees and organizations. In contrast, the evidence for the predictors of job crafting is limited. Based on broaden-and-build (B&B) theory, it may be assumed that high positive emotions at work would predict high job crafting behaviors at follow-ups. In line with social cognitive theory (SCT), it may be hypothesized that self-efficacy would mediate the relationship between positive emotions at work and following job crafting behaviors. The hypotheses were tested in a three-wave prospective study (Study 1, N = 124), with individual beliefs measured as the predictors. In a three-wave prospective Study 2 (N = 99), individual perceptions of collective flow at work and collective efficacy were assessed. Results of Studies 1 and 2 indicated that positive emotions at work predicted increasing structural resources, a job crafting dimension. Moreover, findings of Study 2 showed that collective flow at work predicted another job crafting dimension, i.e., increasing social resources. These results may inform good practices and help in designing individual- and team-level interventions enhancing job crafting behaviors.

European COMPARative Effectiveness research on blended Depression treatment versus treatment-as-usual (E-COMPARED): study protocol for a randomized controlled, non-inferiority trial in eight European countries.

BACKGROUND: Effective, accessible, and affordable depression treatment is of high importance considering the large personal and economic burden of depression. Internet-based treatment is considered a promising clinical and cost-effective alternative to current routine depression treatment strategies such as face-to-face psychotherapy. However, it is not clear whether research findings translate to routine clinical practice such as primary or specialized mental health care. The E-COMPARED project aims to gain knowledge on the clinical and cost-effectiveness of blended depression treatment compared to treatment-as-usual in routine care. METHODS/DESIGN: E-COMPARED will employ a pragmatic, multinational, randomized controlled, non-inferiority trial in eight European countries. Adults diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD) will be recruited in primary care (Germany, Poland, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom) or specialized mental health care (France, The Netherlands, and Switzerland). Regular care for depression is compared to "blended" service delivery combining mobile and Internet technologies with face-to-face treatment in one treatment protocol. Participants will be followed up at 3, 6, and 12 months after baseline to determine clinical improvements in symptoms of depression (primary outcome: Patient Health Questionnaire-9), remission of depression, and cost-effectiveness. Main analyses will be conducted on the pooled data from the eight countries (n = 1200 in total, 150 participants in each country). DISCUSSION: The E-COMPARED project will provide mental health care stakeholders with evidence-based information and recommendations on the clinical and cost-effectiveness of blended depression treatment. TRIAL REGISTRATION: France: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02542891 . Registered on 4 September 2015; Germany: German Clinical Trials Register DRKS00006866 . Registered on 2 December 2014; The Netherlands: Netherlands Trials Register NTR4962 . Registered on 5 January 2015; Poland: ClinicalTrials.Gov NCT02389660 . Registered on 18 February 2015; Spain: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02361684 . Registered on 8 January 2015; Sweden: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02449447 . Registered on 30 March 2015; Switzerland: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02410616 . Registered on 2 April 2015; United Kingdom: ISRCTN registry, ISRCTN12388725 . Registered on 20 March 2015.

Effects of Internet-Based Self-Efficacy Intervention on Secondary Traumatic Stress and Secondary Posttraumatic Growth among Health and Human Services Professionals Exposed to Indirect Trauma.

BACKGROUND: Although the evidence for the associations among self-efficacy, secondary traumatic stress (STS) and secondary posttraumatic growth (SPTG) is mounting, there is a lack of the experimental evidence for the influence of self-efficacy on positive and negative mental health outcomes among professionals indirectly exposed to trauma. PURPOSE: This study investigated the effects of an internet-based self-efficacy intervention (the experimental condition), compared to an education (the active control condition) on STS and SPTG among workers exposed to traumatic events indirectly, through their clients. We hypothesized that the group assignment (experimental vs. control) would affect STS and SPTG indirectly, with a mediating role of self-efficacy beliefs. METHODS: Participants were 168 health and human services professionals (78% women), exposed indirectly to a traumatic event at work. They were randomly assigned to either a 4-session internet-based self-efficacy intervention (n = 87) or an education control group (n = 81) which received information about coping resources and consequences of stressors at work or at home. STS, SPTG, and self-efficacy were measured at the baseline (Time 1), 1-month follow-up (Time 2) and 2-month follow-up (Time 3). RESULTS: Analysis of covariance showed that the group assignment had a significant effect on STS (Time 2) and self-efficacy (Time 2), with lower STS and higher self-efficacy reported by the self-efficacy intervention participants. Compared to the experimental group, the active control (education) group participants reported higher SPTG at Time 2. Mediation analyses indicated that the group assignment had indirect effects on STS and SPTG at Time 3. Workers who experienced increases in self-efficacy (Time 2) through the intervention were more likely to report lower STS and higher SPTG at Time 3. CONCLUSION: Elucidating the mediating processes that explain why an intervention for secondary trauma works is essential in order to develop more effective support systems that promote improved mental health outcomes among health and human services professionals. Prevention programs for workers exposed indirectly to traumatic events may target self-efficacy enhancement and education.

[The helpers' stress: Effectiveness of a web-based intervention for professionals working with trauma survivors in reducing job burnout and improving work engagement]. / Stres pomagajacych - efektywnosc interwencji internetowej dla osób pracujacych z ofiarami traumy w obnizaniu wypalenia zawodowego i wzmacnianiu zaangazowania w prace.

BACKGROUND: The study aimed at evaluating effectiveness of the web-based intervention, "The Helpers' Stress," in reducing job burnout and enhancing work engagement among professionals working with trauma survivors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Participants were randomly allocated to 1 of the 3 intervention modules: 1 - the self-efficacy enhancement (N = 87), 2 - the social support enhancement (N = 85), or to 3 - the educational module (comparison group, N = 81). Participants completed the online questionnaires before the intervention (T1), immediately after (T2), and 4 weeks after the intervention (T3). RESULTS: Due to high drop-out rate at T2 and T3 in social support enhancement module, we excluded from analysis participants assigned to this condition. Participants assigned to the self-efficacy enhancement module presented higher levels of self-efficacy (at T2 and T3), compared to those assigned to the educational module. Job burnout decreased significantly between T1 and T2, and between T2 and T3, and work engagement increased significantly between T1 and T2, and between T1 and T3, among participants assigned to both modules mentioned above. Self-efficacy (T2) mediated the relationship between the group assignment (educational module vs. self-efficacy enhancement module) and respectively job burnout (T3) or work engagement (T3). CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study highlight the role of self-efficacy in reducing job burnout and increasing work engagement. Med Pr 2016;67(2):223-237.

Associations between job burnout and self-efficacy: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study aimed at systematically reviewing and meta-analyzing the strength of associations between self-efficacy and job burnout (the global index and its components). We investigated whether these associations would be moderated by: (a) the type of measurement of burnout and self-efficacy, (b) the type of occupation, (c) the number of years of work experience and age, and (d) culture. DESIGN AND METHODS: We systematically reviewed and analyzed 57 original studies (N = 22,773) conducted among teachers (k = 29), health-care providers (k = 17), and other professionals (k = 11). RESULTS: The average effect size estimate for the association between self-efficacy and burnout was of medium size (-.33). Regarding the three burnout components, the largest estimate of the average effect (-.49) was found for the lack of accomplishment. The estimates of the average effect were similar, regardless of the type of measures of burnout and self-efficacy measurement (general vs. context-specific). Significantly larger estimates of the average effects were found among teachers (compared to health-care providers), older workers, and those with longer work experience. CONCLUSIONS: Significant self-efficacy-burnout relationships were observed across countries, although the strength of associations varied across burnout components, participants' profession, and their age.

From Exhaustion to Disengagement via Self-Efficacy Change: Findings from Two Longitudinal Studies among Human Services Workers.

This longitudinal research examined the relationship direction between burnout components (exhaustion and disengagement) within the context of personal resources measured by self-efficacy and social support. In line with the conservation of resources theory we hypothesized that exhaustion may trigger a spiral loss of personal resources where self-efficacy declines and subsequently, social support also declines and in turn predict disengagement. Participants in Study 1 were mental healthcare providers (N = 135) working with U.S. military personnel suffering from trauma. Participants in Study 2 were healthcare providers, social workers, and other human services professionals (N = 193) providing various types of services for civilian trauma survivors in Poland. Baseline and 6-month follow-up measurements included burnout components, burnout self-efficacy and perceived social support. The path analysis showed consistent results for both longitudinal studies; exhaustion measured at Time 1 led to disengagement at Time 2, after controlling for baseline disengagement levels. Across Study 1 and Study 2 these associations were mediated by self-efficacy change: Higher exhaustion led to greater decline in self-efficacy which in turn explained higher disengagement at the follow-up. Social support, however, did not mediate between self-efficacy and disengagement. These mediating effects were invariant across Studies 1 and 2, although the mean levels of burnout and personal resources differed significantly. The results contribute to a discussion on the internal structure of job burnout and a broader understanding of the associations between exhaustion and disengagement that may be explained by the underlying mechanism of change in self-efficacy.

Secondary trauma self-efficacy: concept and its measurement.

The Secondary Trauma Self-Efficacy (STSE) Scale was developed and psychometrically evaluated in 2 studies targeting populations indirectly exposed to traumatic events through work with traumatized clients. Study 1 enrolled behavioral health professionals (n = 247) providing trauma therapy for military clients in the United States. Study 2 investigated characteristics of the STSE Scale among health care and social workers (n(T1) = 306, nT2 = 193) providing services for trauma victims and survivors in Poland. Rooted in social cognitive theory, the 7-item STSE Scale is used to evaluate perceived ability to cope with the challenging demands resulting from work with traumatized clients and perceived ability to deal with the secondary traumatic stress symptoms. In both studies, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis showed unidimensionality of the scale. The results indicated good internal consistency of the STSE Scale and its stability over time. STSE correlated highly or moderately with secondary traumatic stress symptoms. Comparatively, associations between STSE and perceived social support, secondary traumatic growth, and negative beliefs about the world and self were either moderate or low. The STSE factor structure and pattern of correlations with the validity measures were invariant across the 2 studies, which indicated that the STSE Scale may be a culturally unbiased instrument.