Online vs. face-to-face interactive communication education using video materials among healthcare college students: a pilot non-randomized controlled study.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to examine whether online interactive communication education using video materials was as effective as face-to-face education among healthcare college students. METHODS: The participants were healthcare college students who were enrolled in study programs to obtain national medical licenses. They participated in lectures and exercises on healthcare communication, both online (n = 139) and face-to-face (n = 132). Listening skills, understanding, and confidence in healthcare communication were assessed using a self-assessed tool. RESULTS: From the two-way ANOVA result, the interaction effects between group (online, face-to-face) and time (Time 1, Time 2, Time 3) were not statistically significant. The main effect of time increased significantly from Time1 to Time 3 on understanding of communication with patients (Hedges'g = 0.51, 95%CI 0.27-0.75), confidence in communication with patients (g = 0.40, 95%CI 0.16-0.64), and confidence in clinical practice (g = 0.49, 95%CI 0.25, 0.73), while the score of listening skills had no significant change (Hedges'g = 0.09, 95%CI - 0.03 to 0.45). CONCLUSIONS: The results show that online communication education with video materials and active exercises is as effective in improving students' confidence as face-to-face. It will be necessary to modify the content of this educational program to improve skills as well as confidence in communication. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Not Applicable.

Reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the Survey of Perceived Organizational Support.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to examine the reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the Survey of Perceived Organizational Support (SPOS-J) for the Japanese workforce. METHODS: The translation of the SPOS into Japanese followed the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) Task Force guidelines. An online baseline survey with 6220 Japanese workers assessed the SPOS-J and related scales, followed by a follow-up survey with 452 respondents 2 weeks later. We developed the SPOS-J and evaluated its factorial, convergent, and known-group validities, as well as its internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and interpretability. RESULTS: Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis (EFA and CFA) indicated that the SPOS-J, diverging from the original version's 1-factor structure, adopted a 2-factor structure comprising 2 subscales: the SPOS-J (Sufficiency of Positive Aspects [SPA]) and the SPOS-J (Minimality of Negative Aspects [MNA]). The final version of the SPOS-J, consisting of 8 items selected by the item response theory analysis, demonstrated acceptable model fit in the CFA. Cronbach a values for SPOS-J (SPA) and SPOS-J (MNA) were .92 and .84; intraclass coefficients were 0.72 and 0.55, respectively. The correlations between SPOS-J (SPA) and related variables, as well as the score distributions by demographic characteristics, supported the convergent and known-group validity of SPOS-J (SPA). In contrast, SPOS-J (MNA) showed lower correlation coefficients with all related variables and supported known-group validity. CONCLUSIONS: The SPOS-J (SPA), a subscale of the 8-item SPOS-J, is a reliable and valid measure for assessing perceived organizational support among Japanese workers.

Effects of participatory organizational interventions on mental health and work performance: a protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Participatory organizational interventions to improve psychosocial working conditions are important for a safe and healthy work environment. However, there are few systematic reviews or meta-analyses investigating the effects of these interventions on workers' mental health and work-related outcomes. We intend to apply the protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis to examine the effect of participatory organizational intervention on mental health and work performance. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The participants, interventions, comparisons, and outcomes (PICO) of the studies in this systematic review and meta-analysis are defined as follows: (P) inclusion of all workers, (I) participatory organizational intervention, (C) treatment as usual or no intervention (including waitlist control), and (O) mental health and work performance. Published studies will be searched using the following electronic databases: PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, PsycArticles, and Japan Medical Abstracts Society. Studies that (1) include participatory organizational intervention, (2) include participants who were working as of the baseline survey period, (3) assess mental health or work performance outcomes, (4) use a cluster randomized controlled trials design, (5) are published in English or Japanese, and (6) are published in peer-reviewed journals (including advanced online publication) will be included. Study selection and the risk-of-bias assessment will be performed independently by 2 reviewers. A meta-analysis will be performed to statistically synthesize the included studies. Publication bias will be assessed for meta-bias using Egger's test as well as visually on a funnel plot. We will assess heterogeneity by using the Q statistic.

Multifaceted ORganizational InterventiONs (M-ORION) project for prevention of depression and anxiety among workers: study protocol for a five-arm cluster randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Depression and anxiety are the most common mental health issues experienced by workers. Although organizational intervention has been extensively evaluated as a primary prevention of depression and anxiety, the corresponding scientific evidence remains limited because of the lack of cluster randomized controlled trials (cRCT) and failure to detect organizational-level effects. Therefore, the present study aims to assess the preventive effects of four types of interventions on depression and anxiety among workers in an open, five-arm, parallel-group cRCT. METHODS: Overall, 140 worksites and 18,200 nested employees will be recruited from September 2023. The eligible worksites will be randomly assigned to each of the five arms, and programs will be offered for 6-12 months. The five arms are 1) psychoeducation for workers, 2) psychoeducation for supervisors, 3) work environment improvement, 4) physical activity promotion, and 5) active control. The primary outcomes of interest are depression and anxiety. We will also assess psychosocial factors at work, work engagement, health-related quality of life, well-being, economic outcomes, physiological outcomes of health checkups, cortisol levels extracted from fingernails, and indices representing the process and implementation outcomes, including program completion rates. Follow-up surveys will be conducted at 6, 12, and 18 months from baseline, and the primary endpoint is set at the 6-month follow-up. Repeated-measures multi-level mixed modeling will be used to evaluate the effect of each intervention compared with the control. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study protocol was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Kitasato University Medical Ethics Organization (C22-082). The results and findings of this study will be published in a scientific journal and disseminated to companies that participate in the study. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: UMIN000050949.

Effects of the Need for Support From the Workplace and Resilience on Psychological Distress in Japanese Employees: A 1-Year Prospective Study.

PURPOSE: This study examines workplace support and resilience's influence on psychological distress in Japanese employees. METHOD: A 1-year prospective online cohort study was conducted. Logistic regression analyzed prevalence odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for psychological distress. Participants were grouped based on their support and resilience levels. RESULTS: Prevalence odds ratios for psychological distress followed this pattern for low and high resilience groups: "necessary but not received" (prevalence odds ratio and 95% confidence interval for low/high resilience: 9.71, 6.88-13.69 and 4.72, 2.97-7.52, respectively), "received" (6.65, 4.29-10.29 and 2.27, 1.21-4.25), and "not necessary" (4.43, 3.30-5.95 and reference). Workplace support had a stronger impact on psychological distress in low-resilience employees. CONCLUSIONS: We provided evidence that the combination of the need for support from the workplace and resilience affects psychological distress in employees.

[Development and validation of the University of Tokyo Occupational Mental Health leadership checklist among occupational health specialists].

OBJECTIVES: Recently, occupational health specialists (OHS) are expected to exert leadership to develop high-quality occupational health activities. This study aimed to develop and investigate the reliability and validity of a scale to measure leadership preparation among OHS (The University of Tokyo Occupational Mental Health [TOMH] Leadership Checklist; TLC). METHODS: Based on literature reviews and interviews among OHS, we created potential items consisting of 54 items with six factors (10 items for self-awareness, 10 items for situational awareness, 9 items for vision, 12 items for mindset, 3 items for performance of one's duties, and 10 items for relationship-building). An online survey was conducted with 300 OHS in Japan to verify the scale's reliability and validity. RESULTS: Consequent to the exploratory factor analysis, using the principal factor method and promax rotation, 51 items across the following five factors were identified; "self-awareness", "situational awareness", "vision", "mindset", and "performance of one's duties". The confirmatory factor analysis showed good fit indices; CFI = 0.877, SRMR = 0.050, and RMSEA = 0.072. Cronbach's α ranged from 0.93-0.96. Additionally, the scores of the TLC were significantly positively correlated with work engagement, job satisfaction, and self-efficacy; contrastingly, they were significantly negatively correlated with psychological distress (p < .05). Furthermore, the participants who had experience leadership without authority indicated significantly higher scores of the TLC and its subscales than those who did not (p < .001). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The newly developed TLC appeared to have acceptable levels of reliability and validity. It would be beneficial for OHS to show good leadership.

The Japanese version of the occupational future time perspective scale: A validation study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to develop and validate a Japanese version of the Occupational Future Time Perspective scale (OFTP-J) and assess its structural validity, construct validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability among Japanese workers. METHODS: The online survey was conducted with 2046 participants who met the eligibility criteria. The Japanese version of the OFTP scale was developed through translation and back-translation processes. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed to evaluate the structural validity. Pearson's correlations were computed to assess construct validity, and Cronbach's alpha coefficients were calculated to determine internal consistency. Test-retest reliability was examined using Cohen's weighted kappa coefficients and intraclass correlation coefficients. RESULTS: The confirmatory factor analysis supported an 8-item model with three factors (i.e., focus on opportunities, perceived remaining time, and focus on limitations) for the Japanese version of the OFTP scale. The scale demonstrated high internal consistency, with Cronbach's alpha coefficients ranging from 0.81 to 0.92. Construct validity was supported by significant correlations between the OFTP scale and its subscales, possible antecedents (age, self-rated health, and job control), and possible outcomes (learning goal orientation, job crafting, and work engagement). Test-retest reliability was confirmed with moderate agreement. CONCLUSIONS: The OFTP-J was found to be reliable and valid. It can be used to measure OFTP among Japanese workers and facilitate comparative research with the original English version. The OFTP-J provides valuable insights into the learning motivation and work engagement of the aging workforce.

Corrigendum: What kind of intervention is effective for improving subjective well-being among workers? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.528656.].

Perceived psychosocial safety climate, psychological distress, and work engagement in Japanese employees: A cross-sectional mediation analysis of job demands and job resources.

OBJECTIVES: We examined the associations of perceived psychosocial safety climate (PSC) with psychological distress and work engagement in Japanese employees. We also examined the mediation effects of job demands (i.e., psychological demands) and job resources (i.e., job control, worksite support, and extrinsic reward) in these associations. METHODS: A total of 2200 employees (1100 men and 1100 women) registered with a Japanese online survey company were surveyed using a self-administered web-based questionnaire containing the scales on PSC (12-item PSC scale), job demands and job resources (Job Content Questionnaire and Effort-Reward Imbalance Questionnaire), psychological distress (K6 scale), and work engagement (9-item Utrecht Work Engagement Scale), and items on demographic and occupational characteristics (i.e., age, sex, education, occupation, work form, and working hours per week). A multiple mediation analysis with a bootstrap method was conducted. RESULTS: After adjusting for demographic and occupational characteristics, significant negative and positive total effects of perceived PSC were observed on psychological distress and work engagement, respectively (c = -0.258 [95% confidence interval (CI): -0.298 to -0.219] and 0.383 [95% CI: 0.344-0.421], respectively). When we included job demands and job resources as mediators in the model, significant total mediation effects in these associations were observed (c - c' = -0.181 [95% CI: -0.221 to -0.143] and 0.269 [95% CI: 0.234-0.304], respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that perceived PSC is negatively associated with psychological distress and positively associated with work engagement, and that these associations are partially mediated (or explained) by job demands and job resources.

Work-related psychosocial factors and inflammatory markers: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the prospective effect of adverse work-related psychosocial factors on increases in inflammatory markers. METHODS: A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, and the Japan Medical Abstracts Society database. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they examined associations between work-related psychosocial factors and inflammatory markers (interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and C-reactive protein), used longitudinal or prospective cohort designs, were conducted among workers, were original articles written in English or Japanese, and were published up to 2017 for the first search, October 2020 for the second, and November 2022 for the third. A meta-analysis was conducted using a random-effects model to assess the pooled effect size for the associations. A meta-regression analysis was used to estimate the association between length of follow-up and effect size. The ROBINS-I tool was used to assess risk of bias. RESULTS: Of the 11,121 studies identified in the first search, 29,135 studies from the second, and 9448 studies from the third, eleven were eligible for this review and meta-analysis. The pooled coefficient between adverse work-related psychosocial factors and inflammatory markers was significant and positive (ß = 0.014, 95% confidence interval: 0.005-0.023). However, a clear association was only observed for interleukin-6, and all the studies included had serious risks of bias. Meta-regression showed the effect size decreased depending on the follow-up period. CONCLUSION: This study revealed a weak positive association between adverse work-related psychosocial factors and increases in inflammatory markers. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42018081553 (https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=81553).

A proposed definition of participatory organizational interventions.

Participatory organizational interventions offer an effective way to promote occupational safety and health. Despite an increasing number of studies, a common definition of participatory organizational interventions has yet to be established. Therefore, we aimed to form a definition using the following process. First, we developed a tentative draft definition of organizational interventions and participatory elements, based on the relevant literature. The tentative definition was revised in several rounds of an extensive discussion by the authors. This resulted in the draft definition. We asked 15 selected international experts in occupational safety and health to review and comment on the draft definition. We carefully reviewed their comments, and formulated our final proposed definition. To summarize the key points of the final version of the definition, organizational interventions are planned actions that primarily directly target working conditions with the aim of promoting and maintaining of the highest degree of physical, mental, and social well-being of workers in all occupations. In addition, as participatory elements of organizational interventions in the final definition, ideally, all workers participate in every step of the intervention, while participating in part of the steps of the intervention in some cases. Furthermore, in principle, all workers participate in each step of intervention, while it is also acceptable that only elected representatives among workers participate in the intervention.

Usage of the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire: A Systematic Review of a Comprehensive Job Stress Questionnaire in Japan from 2003 to 2021.

The Brief Job Stress Questionnaire (BJSQ) is used widely in occupational health studies and practice. Summarizing scientific production based on measurement is crucial. This study aimed to systematically review observational studies that used the BJSQ and the New BJSQ to show their usability. A systematic search was conducted for studies investigating relationships between the BJSQ or the New BJSQ subscales and other validated measurements on 13 September 2021, in various literature databases. The BJSQ subscales, scoring methods, and other validated measurements in the studies were qualitatively summarized. In total, 145 published reports between 2003 and 2021 were included. Among the BJSQ subscales, job stressors (n = 95) such as quantitative job overload (n = 65) and job control (n = 64) were most often used. The subscales were utilized to investigate the relationships with several other measurements. Five reports used subscales from the New BJSQ. In the last two decades, the BJSQ and the New BJSQ help measure psychosocial factors (PF) at work and contribute to the publication of scientific papers in the occupational health field. This study would encourage the utilization of the questionnaires for future research and practice.

The effects of pregnancy discrimination on postpartum depressive symptoms: a follow-up study.

BACKGROUND: Pregnancy discrimination in the workplace is prevalent worldwide. However, few studies have examined the effects of pregnancy discrimination on mothers' perinatal mental health. We aimed to investigate the association between pregnancy discrimination and postpartum depressive symptoms, and the mediation effects of prenatal depressive symptoms on this association. METHODS: Our sample consisted of 285 Japanese women employed during pregnancy who completed a baseline online survey in May 2020 and a follow-up mail survey two months postpartum. Pregnancy discrimination was defined as exposure to any of 16 forms of disadvantageous treatment or harassment related to pregnancy, prohibited by national guidelines. Prenatal (assessed at baseline) and postpartum (assessed at follow-up) depressive symptoms were measured using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Multiple linear regression and mediation analyses were performed overall and stratified by regular (permanent) and non-regular (precarious) employees. RESULTS: Overall, 23.9% of participants experienced pregnancy discrimination during pregnancy. After adjusting for potential confounders, pregnancy discrimination was significantly associated with postpartum depressive symptoms (coefficient 1.76, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.65-2.88). When stratified by employment type, these effects were observable among non-regular employees (coefficient 2.51, 95% CI 0.45-4.57) but not regular employees. Mediation analysis showed that prenatal depressive symptoms mediated 57.1% (95% CI 20.1-94.1%) of the association between pregnancy discrimination and postpartum depressive symptoms among all participants, with a greater effect among non-regular employees (64.1% [95% CI 18.5-109.8%]). CONCLUSIONS: Pregnancy discrimination has adverse effects on postpartum depressive symptoms, partially through prenatal depressive symptoms, especially among non-regular employees. To prevent perinatal depression in female workers, employers should comply with legislation and take preventive measures against pregnancy discrimination, while considering vulnerable employees.

Victimization and witnessing of workplace bullying and physician-diagnosed physical and mental health and organizational outcomes: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Compared to the numerous reports on mental health outcomes of workplace bullying victims, research on organizational outcomes of witnesses and physical health outcomes of victims and witnesses is scarce. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between bullying victimization and witnessing and various physical and mental health outcomes and organizational outcomes such as sickness absence, work performance, and job satisfaction. METHODS: This study used cross-sectional data from a nationally representative, community-based sample of 5,000 Japanese residents aged 20-60. We analyzed data from 1,496 respondents after excluding those not working at the time of the survey and those with missing values. Workplace bullying, psychological distress, physical complaints, and job satisfaction were assessed with the New Brief Job Stress Questionnaire and work performance with the World Health Organization's Health and Work Performance Questionnaire. In addition, subjective health status, physician-diagnosed mental or physical illness, and sickness absence were asked as one item. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis or Poisson regression analysis was conducted to assess the association between victimization/witnessing workplace bullying and health and organizational outcomes. RESULTS: Both victimization and witnessing workplace bullying were significantly associated with psychological distress, physical complaints, subjective poor health, physician-diagnosed mental disorders, and job dissatisfaction. Victimization of workplace bullying was further associated with physician-diagnosed respiratory diseases, sickness absence (≥7 days), and poor work performance. Victims were absent from work for 4.5 more sick days and had 11.2% lower work performance than non-victims. CONCLUSIONS: The results showed that both victimization and witnessing workplace bullying were significantly associated with physical and mental outcomes and various organizational outcomes. Organizations should implement further measures to prevent personal and organizational losses due to workplace bullying.

The impact of workplace psychosocial factors on menstrual disorders and infertility: a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Workplace environment, especially psychosocial factors at work such as job strain, workplace social support, and shift work, may affect the menstrual abnormalities and fertility of female workers. However, the association between psychosocial factors at work and menstrual abnormalities or fertility is not well understood. To address this relationship, we will conduct a systematic review and a meta-analysis of the literature that has utilized a longitudinal or prospective cohort design. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The inclusion criteria for this systematic review and meta-analysis are defined as follows: (P) adult female workers (over 18 years old), (E) the presence of adverse psychosocial factors at work, (C) the absence of adverse psychosocial factors at work, and (O) any menstrual cycle disorders, menstrual-related symptoms, or fertility. The MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, PsycArticles, and Japan Medical Abstracts Society electronic databases will be used to search for published studies. The statistical synthesis of the studies included in the meta-analysis will be conducted to estimate pooled coefficients and 95% CIs. For the main analysis, we will synthesize measures of association between psychosocial factors at work and menstrual-related disorders/symptoms. At least three eligible studies will have to be gathered to conduct a meta-analysis; otherwise (i.e., if only one or two studies will be eligible and included), the results will be presented in a narrative table. We will use the Risk of Bias in Non-randomized Studies of Interventions (ROBINS-I) to determine the quality of selected studies. To assess meta-bias, Egger's test, along with a funnel plot, will be used to check for publication bias. Lastly, we will examine heterogeneity using the χ2 test with Cochran's Q statistic and I2. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The results and findings will be submitted and published in a scientific peer-reviewed journal and will be disseminated broadly to researchers and policymakers interested in the translatability of scientific evidence into good practices. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: The study protocol was registered at the UMIN registry (registration number: UMIN000039488). The registration date is on 14 Feb 2020. URL: https://upload.umin.ac.jp/cgi-bin/ctr/ctr_view_reg.cgi?recptno=R000044704.

STRENGTH AND LIMITATIONS OF THIS STUDY: • This systematic review and a meta-analysis will investigate the associations between psychosocial factors at work and menstrual abnormalities or fertility. • This review will include only the literature that has utilized a longitudinal design. • Various outcomes related to reproductive health in female workers will be examined (e.g., fertility, premenstrual symptoms, cycle disorders, menopausal symptoms).

Low Adaptation to Management Philosophy and Refraining From Seeking Medical Care in Japanese Employees: A 1-Year Prospective Study.

OBJECTIVE: We examined the prospective association of low adaptation to management philosophy with refraining from seeking medical care (RSMC) among Japanese employees in a company with a management philosophy of "pursuing employees' well-being." METHODS: We surveyed 2791 employees (2059 men and 732 women) from 2 factories of a Japanese manufacturing company following the management philosophy of "pursuing employees' well-being." Using a self-administered questionnaire, we measured adaptation to management philosophy at baseline and RSMC at a 1-year follow-up. We conducted robust Poisson regression analysis. RESULTS: Low adaptation to management philosophy was significantly associated with RSMC (incidence rate ratio, 1.17; 95% confidence interval, 1.03-1.35). CONCLUSIONS: Adaptation to management philosophy may be an important factor associated with the decision of employees working at a company following the "pursuing employees' well-being" management philosophy to seek medical care for their perceived health issues.

Workplace Social Support and Reduced Psychological Distress: A 1-Year Occupational Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: There is little evidence that workplace social support can relieve workers' mental health problems. Therefore, we examined whether social support from coworkers and supervisors was associated with reduced serious psychological distress among employees. METHODS: We used two-wave panel data from 13 Japanese companies. The baseline survey was conducted in 2011, and the follow-up survey 1 year later. From 9889 respondents, we selected 759 who had psychological distress at baseline, defined as ≥13 on the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6). RESULTS: Increased coworker support was significantly associated with employees' reduced psychological distress (odds ratio, 3.51; 95% confidence interval, 2.17 to 5.68). The association between increased supervisor support and reduced psychological distress was nonsignificant (odds ratio, 1.32, 95% confidence interval, 0.85 to 2.04). CONCLUSION: Encouraging coworker support may contribute to the secondary prevention of mental health problems among employees.

The Survey Measure of Psychological Safety and Its Association with Mental Health and Job Performance: A Validation Study and Cross-Sectional Analysis.

OBJECTIVES: This study validated the Japanese version of O'Donovan et al.'s (2020) composite measure of the psychological safety scale and examined the associations of psychological safety with mental health and job-related outcomes. METHODS: Online surveys were administered twice to Japanese employees in teams of more than three members. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were tested using Cronbach's α and intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC), respectively. Structural validity was examined using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Convergent validity was tested using Pearson's correlation coefficients. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationship between psychological safety and psychological distress, work engagement, job performance, and job satisfaction. RESULTS: Two hundred healthcare workers and 200 non-healthcare workers were analyzed. Internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and convergent validity were acceptable. CFA demonstrated poor fit, and EFA yielded a two-factor structure, with team leader as one factor and peers and team forming the second factor. The total score showed significant and expected associations with all outcomes in the adjusted model for all workers. CONCLUSIONS: The Japanese version of the measure of the psychological safety scale presented good reliability and validity. Psychological safety is important for employees' mental health and performance.

Effect of Working from Home on the Association between Job Demands and Psychological Distress.

Limited information is available regarding the association between workplace psychosocial factors and general mental health status among workers during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. This study examined how working from home affected the association between job demands and psychological distress (PD). A cross-sectional online survey was conducted in December 2020 (N = 27,036). The dependent variable (PD) was assessed using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale. Job demands were assessed using the Job Content Questionnaire. Working from home was determined by participants' responses to the question, "Do you currently work from home?" We used a two-level regression analysis adjusted for prefecture. Each individual-level variable at Level 1 was nested into each prefecture at Level 2, stratified by working from home or not. Overall, 21.3% of participants worked from home. The interaction between working from home and job demands was significant. Job demands were positively associated with PD. The stratified analysis indicated that the associations were weaker among employees who worked from home compared with those among employees who did not. The association between job demands and PD may be weakened by working from home.

Suggestions for new organizational-level item pools for the national Stress Check Program from management philosophy and mission statement: A qualitative study using unsupervised learning.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to obtain suggestions for new organizational-level item pools that companies could utilize to accomplish management philosophy and mission statements in the context of survey and work environment improvements for the national Stress Check Program. METHODS: A qualitative study was conducted using unsupervised learning. A large amount of text data related to management philosophy and mission statements were collected, that is, management messages described on the websites of all companies listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. For the main analysis, topic modeling was performed on the nouns from the management messages using Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) to build a model consisting of 10 latent topics, each represented by a group of the 10 most frequently reoccurring nouns. Each group of nouns was qualitatively summarized based on the topic model. RESULTS: In total, 22 524 nouns were extracted from the management messages of 3575 companies. A topic model consisting of 10 latent topics was constructed using the LDA. The suggestion for new item pools included new technologies, business plans/strategies, company shareholders, health/happiness/wealth, profits/sales, development of society, a sustainable society, safety and security, customer/consumer satisfaction, corporate social responsibility, fairness, transparency, and human rights. CONCLUSION: The suggestions for potential item pools were derived from management philosophy and mission statement that are not covered in the existing survey. The suggestions could be useful for motivating employers to implement work environment improvement. Future studies need to make definite items and investigate whether they correlate to job stressors and mental health among workers.