Sense of coherence and strategies for coping with stress among nurses.

BACKGROUND: The nursing profession is associated with constant presence of difficult situations and stress, which arise from responsibility for the highest values - human life and health. With demographic changes in the society, the demand for nursing care increases. Looking after the health of nursing staff becomes a non-material investment in employees. One of the most important health potentials described in literature is the sense of coherence. It can significantly contribute to maintaining good health, modify one's functioning in a stressful working environment and influence the choice of strategies for coping with stress. AIM: The aim of the study was to describe the specific relationship between the sense of coherence and strategies for coping with stress in a group of professionally active nurses. METHODOLOGY AND METHODS: The study involved 91 nurses in central Poland, aged 22-52. The group was diversified in terms of: education, work system, marital status and place of residence. The study was conducted with the use of: Sense of Coherence Questionnaire SOC-29 and Inventory to Measure Coping Strategies with Stress - Mini-COPE. The study was conducted in accordance with the principles of scientific research set out in the Helsinki Declaration. RESULTS: The sense of coherence value in the test group was M = 134.24 (SD = 19.55). In stressful situations nurses most often used active strategies to cope with stress: Planning M = 2.10 (SD = 0.54), Seeking Emotional Social Support M = 1.95 (SD = 0.68) and Seeking Instrumental Social Support M = 1.95 (SD = 0.69), and the least frequently: Alcohol/Drug Use M = 0.28 (SD = 0.48). The level of the sense of coherence and its components differentiated the strategies of coping with stress used in the examined group of nurses. CONCLUSIONS: The research confirmed that the sense of coherence serves as a health potential in a stressful working environment - a high sense of coherence translate into better mental health, correct functioning in the working environment, and using adaptive strategies of coping with stress. Nurses with a stronger sense of coherence used more adaptive strategies to deal with stress than those with average or low levels.

[Coping humor for the relationship between a sense of stress at work and job satisfaction]. / Radzenie sobie przez humor dla relacji miedzy stresem w pracy a satysfakcja zawodowa.

BACKGROUND: Humor is considered as a personal resource that allows individuals to effectively deal with stressful situations at work by reducing tension and perceiving the situation as less threatening. By reducing stress, humor contributes to increased job satisfaction. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 201 professionally active participants (113 women and 88 men) aged 19-60 years old were qualified for the study - the average age in the study group was 37.76 years (SD = 12.04). The study was conducted for 1 month (at the turn of February and March 2017). The following methods were used in the research: Coping Humor Scale (CHS), Satisfaction with Job Scale (SSP), Sense of Stress at Work Scale (PSS-10-P) and own survey. RESULTS: Humor coping with stress partially mediates the relationship between a sense of stress at work and job satisfaction. It is associated with less tension at work and greater job satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: Coping humor with stress increases the individual adaptation capacity in the face of stress at work, by shifting the perspective, distancing from problems at work and changing stressors appraisal as less threatening. Med Pr 2018;69(6):621-631.

Social support in groups of mothers with different family status and its significance for satisfaction with work.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of the study was to determine to what degree social support is differentiated by family situation, with consideration of single motherhood as a difficult circumstance, and to establish if social support is significant for satisfaction with work in the studied group of mothers. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The sample consisted of 421 mothers: 206 (49%) of them were in a formal or casual relationship, and the remaining 215 (51%) were single mothers. The sample was studied by means of the Berlin Social Support Scales (BSSS), and the Scale of Satisfaction with Work. RESULTS: The results showed that single mothers perceived and obtained significantly less social support than mothers in relationships, and they offered to their relatives much more protective support (p = 0.006). Satisfaction with work among mothers - regardless of the family status - grows if the mother receives more social support. The information support received by mothers in relationships is not significantly related to satisfaction with work; seeking that type of support by single mothers does not have a meaningful relationship with satisfaction with work, either. Moreover, regardless of the mothers' family status, satisfaction with work is significantly differentiated by each type of social support, except for protective support. CONCLUSIONS: Social support is differentiated by the mothers' situation in the family and at work, and it has a different impact on single mothers from the impact on mothers in relationships. Med Pr 2018;69(5):497-507.

[Temperament vs. chronic fatigue in police officers]. / Temperament a zmeczenie przewlekle u funkcjonariuszy policji.

BACKGROUND: Chronic fatigue is a problem affecting a still growing number of people. Among them there are representatives of different professions who are forced to cope not only with occupational stress, but also with the problem of fatigue. The police is one of such occupational groups, in which exposure to stressful and often traumatic situations, contact with those who violate the law, shift work and contact with superiors can play a key role in the development of chronic fatigue. However, chronic fatigue, induced by the above mentioned factors, does not affect all police officers since its occurrence also depends on many personal traits, including temperament. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We studied a group of 61 police officers of the Kuyavian-Pomeranian garrison. The study was conducted using the Buss and Plomin EAS (emotionality, activity, sociability) Temperament Questionnaire, CIS-20R (community, innovation, survey) Questionnaire, developed by Vercoulen et al. and a questionnaire on socio-demographic data. RESULTS: The results indicated the relationship between chronic fatigue and emotionality. Statistical analyses showed a negative correlation between the nature of emotional components, distress, fear, anger, and the general rate of chronic fatigue. There was no statistically significant correlation between age, and service experience and the level of chronic fatigue. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that the officers of the study group show dramatically high levels of chronic fatigue. The results also revealed that temperament characteristics, such as sociability and activity, reported in the literature as factors reducing fatigue and stress, did not show relevance to chronic fatigue in the study group.

[Chronic fatigue and strategies of coping with occupational stress in police officers]. / Zmeczenie przewlekle a strategie radzenia sobie ze stresem w pracy u funkcjonariuszy policji.

BACKGROUND: Work as one of the most important activities in human life is related to stressful and difficult situations. Police officers make one of the many occupational groups that are particularly threatened by contact with a number of stressors. Therefore, their strategies of coping with stress are particularly important, because they play an important role in their functioning at work. The nature of the service as well as shift work and psychological costs incurred by police officers contribute to the emergence of chronic fatigue. The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of chronic fatigue in police officers and its relationship with the strategies of coping with occupational stress. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A group of 61 police officers was examined. The following research methods were used: 1) Latack Coping Scale examining stress coping strategies at work (positive thinking, direct action, avoidance/resignation, seeking help, alcohol or stimulants use); 2) Mood Assessment Questionnaire CIS-20R examining the level of chronic fatigue and its components (subjective feeling of fatigue, impaired attention and concentration, reduced motivation, reduced activity); 3) Personal questionnaire providing socio-demographic data. RESULTS: It was found that the level of chronic fatigue in the group of the examined police officers was high (sten 8th). The most often used strategies of coping with stress were direct action and positive thinking, and the least often used strategy was the use of alcohol and stimulants. A significant negative correlation between the general level of chronic fatigue and the avoidance/resignation strategy was found. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that chronic fatigue is a problem affecting police officers and it is related to the stress coping strategies used.

[Psychological factors affecting medical conditions--a method of measurement]. / Psychologiczne czynniki oddzialujace na stan somatyczny--metoda pomiaru.

Improving the way of diagnosing diseases is reflected in changes which are being introduced into the existing systems of classifications. Researchers aim to create such a system that will be free of assumptions that are controversial and difficult to approve on the medical basis. Currently completed works associated with the preparation and introduced the DSM-5, in which they prepared criteria for the assessment psychological factors affecting medical conditions and their method of measurement. An interview which is presented in this article has been created for the evaluation of those groups of syndromes and has been translated into the Polish language.

Burden in family caregivers: The psychometric properties of Polish version of the Zarit Burden Interview. / Poczucie obciazenia opieka wsród opiekunów rodzinnych: psychometryczne wlasciwosci polskiej wersji Zarit Burden Interview.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to estimate the reliability, validity and internal structure of the Polish version of the Zarit Burden Interview scale (ZBI). METHODS: The participants in the study were 504 Polish family caregivers (spouses, parents, children and other family members) of chronically ill patients. The Burnout Scale version for caregivers (SWS) and the Resilience Assessment Questionnaire (KOP-26) were used. RESULTS: The Polish version of the Zarit Burden Interview demonstrated good psychometric properties. Confirmative factor analysis confirmed the presence of a three-factor second-order structure, the model proved to be quite well suited to the data (CFI = 0.941; TLI = 0.931; SRMR = 0.045; RMSEA = 0.061). Also, the results of the theoretical validity analysis proved to be satisfactory. Cronbach's α coefficient for the general result was 0.91; for individual subscales: "Negative image of the patient" - 0.85, "Frustration" - 0.82 and "Losses" - 0.85. CONCLUSIONS: The Polish version of the ZBI scale can be used as a reliable and accurate diagnostic tool to measure the burden among carers of chronically ill people. Qualitative analysis of the response content also allows to identify areas requiring the implementation of activities in the field of psychological support for the surveyed caregivers.

Positive orientation and health behaviors in older patients with atherosclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Human health is determined by a number of physical, social and psychological factors, including the often considered health behaviors. They are an indispensable part of the health recovery process and are also the basis of prevention in the development of such disorders as atherosclerosis. Health behaviors are reinforced by an individual's resources such as positive orientation, which is composed of optimism, high self-esteem and satisfaction with life. The main objective of the study was to determine whether there is a relationship between positive orientation and health behavior, in a group of people with atherosclerosis. PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE: Sixty-one patients, both male and female, in late adulthood were surveyed (M = 69.41, SD = 5.44). A researcher-designed questionnaire, the Health Behavior Inventory (IZZ) and the Positive Orientation Scale (P-Scale) were used in the measurement. The study was conducted in accordance with the ethical principles of the 2013 Declaration of Helsinki. RESULTS: The results showed that patients with a more positive attitude toward life are more likely to use health-promoting behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: There is a positive relationship between positive orientation and health behaviors. Positive orientation can be enhanced through appropriate psychoeducation and psychological support to prevent ill health and improve treatment of patients with atherosclerosis.

Emotional intelligence as an indicator of satisfaction with life of patients with psoriasis.

INTRODUCTION: Research reports confirm the existence of a relation between emotional intelligence and various aspects of human functioning. It protects psychical and physical health of an individual, helps to adapt to new conditions and, consequently, contributes to the increase in life quality expressed in satisfaction with life. Psoriasis, a chronic skin disease, may negatively influence the psychical state of a patient and his or her social functioning, which leads to the decrease in satisfaction with life. AIM: This research aimed at determining the relation between emotional intelligence and satisfaction with life in a group of patients with psoriasis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The research group consisted of 81 people with psoriasis (40 men and 41 women) with the average age of 41.22 (SD = 14.18). The research tools used included the Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire INTE, Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS), personal questionnaire and PASI scale. RESULTS: There is a positive correlation between emotional intelligence and satisfaction with life in the group of patients with psoriasis. Especially factor I - using emotions in thinking and operating - positively correlates with satisfaction with life. CONCLUSIONS: Emotional intelligence together with the percentage of body area taken by pathological changes are the indicators of satisfaction with life in patients with psoriasis.

The relation between type D personality and the clinical condition of patients suffering from psoriasis.

INTRODUCTION: TYPE D PERSONALITY IS THE LAST DISTINGUISHED SPECIFIC TYPE OF PERSONALITY THAT IS CHARACTERISED BY TWO DIMENSIONS: a tendency for feeling negative emotions - depression, anxiety, anger or hostility, and a tendency for withdrawal from the society. The latest research shows the significant role played by type D personality in the aetiology and course of a variety of diseases. AIM: The article discusses the problem of the occurrence of type D personality in the group of patients suffering from psoriasis. Diversities in the clinical condition of psoriasis patients due to increasing type D personality traits are specified. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Ninety psoriasis patients and 86 healthy subjects participated in the research. In the research questionnaires, the scale for assessing increasing psoriasis complaints and the DS-14 scale to assess type D personality were applied. RESULTS: Research results made it possible to corroborate more frequent occurrence of type D personality among psoriasis patients. Moreover, it was found that with increasing negative affectivity - one of type D personality components - complaints increase as far as the clinical condition of psoriasis patients is concerned. CONCLUSIONS: Monitoring of psychological well-being of psoriasis patients, especially within type D personality, seems to be a vital element, irrespective of purely medical treatment.

[Psychological factors affecting medical conditions--contemporary conception of psychosomatic syndrome]. / Psychologiczne czynniki oddzialujace na stan somatyczny--wspólczesne ujecie zespolu psychosomatycznego.

While analyzing the character of relationship between soma and psyche throughout the centuries one can perceive its alternate changes triggered of many different reasons. XX century was a period in which researchers described psychosomatic dependences unambiguously however different explorers had understood it somewhat differently. These transformations throughout the centuries were the bases to create in XXI century a new system free from controversial and difficult to accept on the ground of medicine foundations. Prepared to introduce together with from DSM-V, the study of Psychological Factors Affecting Medical Conditions seems to be free from mistakes and helpful in treatment of ills.

Profiles of Occupational Burnout in the Group of Representatives of High-Risk Professions in Poland.

(1) Background: Working in a high-risk profession is associated with taking on a large responsibility and risking loss of health or life. These professions include, among others, air traffic controllers, firefighters, and ECDs. People working in these professions are particularly vulnerable to experiencing high levels of stress and developing professional burnout syndrome. The aim of the conducted research was to assess the external and internal differences in the intensity of occupational burnout dimensions among representatives of high-risk occupations and to distinguish burnout profiles among them. (2) Methods: The total number of participants working in high-risk occupations who took part in the study was N = 1239, including the following job positions: air traffic controllers (n = 107), firefighters (n = 580), and ECDs (n = 558). The respondents completed the following self-report questionnaires: a structured survey and the Link Burnout Questionnaire. The following statistical tests were performed: cluster analysis, analysis of variance, and chi-square test of independence. (3) Results: The highest intensity of burnout dimensions was presented by representatives of ECDs. Profiles reflecting the types of occupational burnout were distinguished. The representatives of air traffic controllers demonstrated the following profiles: 1-low risk of burnout with a component of psychophysical exhaustion; 2-exhausted with a moderate tendency to disappointment; 3-burned out, ineffective, and uninvolved. The profiles of the ECDs were: 4-engaged, with a reduced sense of effectiveness; 5-with a reduced sense of effectiveness; 6-burned out with a low sense of effectiveness. However, the profiles of the firefighters were: 7-not burned out; 8-at risk of burnout; 9-exhausted with a tendency towards disappointment. Individuals representing the various burnout profiles differed in terms of the severity of the dimensions of occupational burnout as well as sociodemographic and work-related characteristics. (4) Conclusions: The process of occupational burnout varies among people in various high-risk occupations and due to sociodemographic characteristics. The internal differentiation of people representing high-risk professions requires different psychological interventions and preventive measures.

Positive Orientation and Fatigue Experienced by Polish Nursing Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Mediatory Role of Emotional Control.

This study aimed to investigate the mediatory role of emotional control with respect to the control of anger, depression, and anxiety in the relationship between positive orientation and tiredness/fatigue occurring in a group of Polish nursing students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study included 894 nursing students from six universities in Poland. A diagnostic survey was applied as the research method, and the data were collected using the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), the Courtauld Emotional Control Scale (CECS) and the Positive Orientation Scale (SOP). The mean participant age was 20.73 years (SD = 1.81). More than half of the students in the study showed a low level of positive orientation. Correlational analyses revealed a significant negative correlation between positive orientation and tiredness/fatigue experienced by the students participating in the study (r = −0.336; p < 0.001), and correlation between positive orientation and the overall emotional control index (r = −0.317; p < 0.001), and the indices of control of anger (r = −0.154; p < 0.01), depression (r = −0.376; p < 0.001), and anxiety (r = −0.236; p < 0.01). Analysis of the results also revealed the occurrence of significant, positive links between the controlled emotions and their components and the tiredness/fatigue experienced by nursing students. It is important to take action associated with the prevention of tiredness/fatigue among students and to reinforce a positive orientation and the capacity to control emotions to effectively minimize the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on nursing students.

Nurses' sense of coherence and stress management strategies against the types of health status.

AIM: The main objective of this paper was to establish types of health status in the group of practicing nurses. DESIGN: Positive psychology defines human health as the underlying resource for all life activities, including professional work. Practicing nurses are exposed to a variety of professional pressures, most notably high-stress burden. Long-term functioning in conditions of work-related overburden and stress may compromise the health status of nurses and make them vulnerable to somatic or psychosomatic conditions. METHODS: In this study, we used original worksheets for collecting socio-economic data and health-related data, Orientation to Life Questionnaire (SOC-29), General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28), Brief COPE Inventory (Mini-COPE) and the somatic symptom scale. K-means clustering analysis for cases was used to identify types of health status among the surveyed nurses. RESULTS: This survey discovered that specific types of health status can be distinguished among practicing nurses. The nurses represented various types of health status, levels of the sense of coherence and the use of stress management strategies.

Flexibility in Coping with Stress Questionnaire: structure and psychometric properties.

BACKGROUND: Flexibility in coping relies on applying a coping strategy that is appropriate to the circumstances. Individuals who are flexible in coping exhibit sensitivity to subtle signals sent by the environment. Therefore, they are able to adjust their behaviour accordingly and function in a more adaptive manner. PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE: The study included N = 1535 participants. The following methods were used: the Flexibility in Coping with Stress Questionnaire (FCSQ-14) and the Cognitive Flexibility Inventory (CFI). RESULTS: The Flexibility in Coping with Stress Questionnaire measures flexibility as a feature of the process of coping with which an individual applies coping strategies. The Flexibility in Coping with Stress Questionnaire is an accurate and reliable method of measuring coping flexibility and three of its subscales: the Repertoire of coping strategies, the Changeability of their use, and Reflexivity. CONCLUSIONS: The Flexibility in Coping with Stress Questionnaire examines three subscales of flexibility, namely, Repertoire of coping strategies, Changeability, and Reflexivity. This measurement is accurate and reliable. The questionnaire is applied to the study of persons exposed to severe or chronic stress at work, when we want to assess the individual's ability to change their functioning in a stressful situation. It can be used to examine healthy and somatically ill people, in the area of research and clinical diagnosis.

[Two types of flexibility: in coping and cognitive, and their relationship with stress among firefighters]. / Dwa typy elastycznosci ­ w radzeniu sobie i poznawcza ­ oraz ich relacja z odczuwanym stresem wsród funkcjonariuszy strazy pozarnej.

BACKGROUND: Flexibility in coping with stress and cognitive flexibility are new constructs both in Polish and European psychological sciences. A person displaying flexibility in coping has a wide repertoire of remedial strategies, which he or she is able to change if the situation so requires, and which reflect on the strategies used, while a person displaying cognitive flexibility is ready to look for new ways to cope. The profession of a firefighter involves exposure to various stressors, and occupational stress can affect not only mental health, but also the quality of work performed. That is why flexibility in coping with stress and cognitive flexibility seem so important. The aim of the study was to perform empirical verification of the relationship between flexibility in coping and cognitive flexibility, as well as to determine their relationship with the stress perceived by the respondents. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Overall, 104 firefighters (males only) were qualified for the examination. The average age of the respondents was 34 years (SD = 7.81). The Flexibility in Coping with Stress Questionnaire (FCSQ-14), the Cognitive Flexibility Inventory (CFI) and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) were used. RESULTS: There is a statistically significant relationship between flexibility in coping with stress and its dimensions, and cognitive flexibility and its dimensions, in the examined group of firefighters. The strongest positive relationship was observed between cognitive flexibility and repertoire (r = 0.639, p < 0.001), and the weakest between cognitive control and reflectivity (r = 0.257, p = 0.009). A statistically significant negative relationship was found between flexibility in coping with stress (r = -0.339, p = 0.001) and cognitive flexibility (r = -0.359, p < 0.001), and stress experienced by the respondents. There was no statistically significant relationship between reflectivity, which is a dimension of flexibility in coping with stress, and perceived stress. CONCLUSIONS: There is a need to consider the possibility of including in the prevention programs addressed to firefighters the need to support subjective resources, which include flexibility in coping with stress and cognitive flexibility. The results also indicate the need to deepen research in order to better understand the constructs of flexibility in coping with stress and cognitive flexibility. Med Pr. 2020;71(4):441-50.

Cognitive flexibility and flexibility in coping in nurses - the moderating role of age, seniority and the sense of stress.

OBJECTIVES: The nursing profession entails many stressful situations and challenges, such as heavy workload, shift work, emotional demands and professional conflicts. In the light of the results of the research conducted so far, flexible coping has occurred to be highly adaptive, as its association with adaptive struggle with the disease, fewer depressive symptoms and both greater mental well-being and better health have been proven. In connection with the above, the aim of this study was to determine the nature of the relationship between cognitive flexibility and flexibility in coping in nurses, taking into account the moderating role of age of the respondents, seniority and the sense of stress. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study sample consisted of 280 persons working as nurses (age range: 21-66). The number of women and men reflected their percentage distribution in this profession, as it is highly feminized. The following methods were used in the study: the Cognitive Flexibility Inventory (CFI) by Dennis and Vander Wal, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) by Cohen et al., the Flexibility in Coping with Stress Questionnaire (FCSQ-14) by Basinska et al., and a self-developed survey. RESULTS: As the obtained research results show, cognitive flexibility in both the Control and Alternatives subscales was a predictor of flexible coping and their subscales. The analysis revealed that the model of the relationship between cognitive flexibility and flexibility in coping was moderated by age, seniority and the sense of stress. CONCLUSIONS: Coping skills and flexibility are positively correlated with the psychological adjustment of nurses. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2020;33(4):507-21.

[Selected personality traits of nurses and flexibility in coping with stress - a moderating role of age and seniority]. / Wybrane cechy osobowosci pielegniarek a elastycznosc w radzeniu sobie ze stresem ­ moderacyjna rola wieku i stazu pracy.

BACKGROUND: The results of numerous studies indicate that the nurse profession is burdened with an increased risk of feeling stressed and experiencing professional burnout. Effective coping with stress can protect against professional burnout as well as impact on patient care. These effects may be influenced, e.g., by personality traits. By the study, the authors decided to check whether personality traits such as empathy, impulsiveness and venturesomeness would play a predictive role for flexibility in coping with stress. MATERIAL AND METHODS: By the study, the authors analyzed the results obtained from 137 nurses. The following research tools were used: the Impulsiveness-Venturesomeness-Empathy Questionnaire by Eysenck and Eysenck, in the Polish adaptation by Aleksandra Jaworowska, and the Flexibility in Coping with Stress Questionnaire (FCSQ-14) by Malgorzata Basinska et al. Both tools were characterized by satisfactory statistical properties. By addition, the respondents completed a personal survey which allowed collecting basic personal data. RESULTS: Venturesomeness positively correlated with flexibility in coping with stress and all its dimensions (strategy repertoire, strategy variability and reflexivity) at the low level. Similar dependencies for empathy and impulsiveness were not shown. Similarly, in assessing the predictive role of selected personality traits for flexibility in coping with stress, only venturesomeness turned out to be an important predictor. Although the model turned out to be statistically significant, it allowed explaining the variability of flexibility only in 7%. CONCLUSIONS: There was a low statistically significant relationship between the nurses' venturesomeness and their flexibility in coping with stress. Empathy and impulsiveness did not play a predictive role for flexibility in coping with stress. Med Pr. 2020;71(4):451-9.

[Health behaviors of nicotine addicts]. / Zachowania zdrowotne osób uzaleznionych od nikotyny.

Nicotine addiction is a huge social problem and at the same time it is one of the most popular and well-known risk factor in many diseases which can be eliminated. The aim of the study was to asses differences in the health behaviours from regard on type the dependence of from nicotine. In the study participated 221 (males and females) persons dependent on nicotine. In this study applied: Inventory of Health Behaviour--IZZ by Juczynski and Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence. Received results show that health behaviours are practiced more often by women and it is not dependent on the level of their addiction. Among men the type of nicotine addiction differentiates the frequency of applying the healthy behaviours. Pharmacological addicts have fewer tendencies to behave in healthy way.