Exploring Burnout, Work Addiction, and Stress-Related Growth among Prehospital Emergency Personnel.

Burnout and stress-related issues are significant concerns among medical personnel involved in emergency situations due to the high demands of their work. A cross-sectional descriptive and comparative study was conducted on 266 prehospital emergency personnel across five Romanian counties, comprising 41 physicians, 74 nurses, and 151 paramedics. Data were collected through an online form, including demographic and professional characteristics, and five validated scales. This study revealed moderate (49.3%) to high (25.9%) burnout rates, with 35% showing signs of work addiction. Despite these challenges, the personnel demonstrated high levels of stress-related growth (61.2%), strong self-discipline (74.1%), and low to moderate responsive distress (100%). Physicians exhibited higher work addiction and job satisfaction, whereas paramedics faced higher burnout, self-discipline, and distress levels. Nurses showed lower burnout and self-discipline levels. These findings highlight the prevalence of burnout and work addiction among emergency medical personnel, while also underscoring the presence of protective factors like higher self-discipline, good level of stress-related growth, and low to moderate responsive distress. The distinct differences in experiences among physicians, nurses, and paramedics emphasize the need for tailored strategies to address these issues within each group.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder and its association with work addiction and job stress.

BACKGROUND: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) which has come to the fore, especially with the COVID-19 pandemic is arguably neglected within the scope of working life. For this reason, there is a need for research in organizational psychology to examine OCB in working life. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the present study was to examine the associations of OCD tendencies of employees with work addiction and job stress. METHODS: Quantitative research was designed to achieve the research purpose. A total of 771 white-collar employees completed a survey that included psychometric assessment tools for the three aforementioned variables. RESULTS: Correlation analysis indicated that OCD was positively associated with both work addiction (p < 0.001) and job stress (p < 0.001). Multiple regression analysis showed that the rumination (a subscale on the OCD scale) was significantly associated with work addiction (ß= 0.39 p < 0.001) and job stress (ß= 0.40 p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The obtained findings are interpreted theoretically, empirically, and practically, and possible research suggestions regarding the examination of OCD in working life are discussed.

Studyholism as a New Potential OCD-Related Disorder: What Evidence Have We Gathered until Now? A Narrative Review.

In 2017, Loscalzo and Giannini introduced the new potential clinical condition of studyholism (or obsession toward study) and a comprehensive model including its possible antecedents and outcomes. Then, emphasizing the value of avoiding an aprioristic (addiction) framework in analyzing problematic overstudying, they suggested conducting research on this new construct to unveil its internalizing and/or externalizing nature while also avoiding the over-pathologizing of a common behavior such as studying. Seven years after the first publication about studyholism, growing evidence concerning its antecedents suggested that studyholism might be defined as an OCD-related disorder (or, more generally, as an internalizing disorder). Moreover, the research about its outcomes highlighted that it is a problem behavior deserving attention as it is associated with academic, psychological, physical, and social downsides. Therefore, this paper aims to review the scientific literature published concerning studyholism to illuminate if it might be conceptualized as an OCD-related disorder based on its symptomatology, antecedents, and impact on individuals' academic, physical, and psychological functioning. Given that it is a new construct, it is of critical value to systematize the findings gathered until now as it can help scholars interested in students' well-being to have a clear understanding concerning the importance of screening studyholism since childhood, as this will help favor academic success and well-being and reduce the risk for school dropout. Finally, this paper presents an agenda for future research on studyholism, and it highlights the importance of further analyzing problematic overstudying using different theoretical perspectives (such as the behavioral addiction conceptualization) to unveil its real nature.

Work addiction risk, stress and well-being at work: testing the mediating role of sleep quality.

Introduction: Attention to work addiction risk is growing; however, more studies are needed to explore the possible impact of work addiction risk on various aspects of employees' work and life domains. Although several studies have considered the antecedents or consequences of work addiction risk, this study particularly focuses on sleep quality as a potential explanatory underlying mechanism in the relation between work addition risk and three outcome variables including stress at home, stress at work and well-being. Method: The data was collected using an online platform and participants consisted of 188 French employees who were selected using simple random sampling method. Participants responded to the survey including the Work Addiction Risk Test (WART), stress at work, well-being, and sleep quality. The data was analyzed using JASP and SPSS-26 programs. Results: The results revealed that there are significant positive relationships between work addiction risk and both stress at home and at work and negative relationships between work addiction risk and both sleep quality and well-being. In addition, the analyses of the mediation paths suggest the significant mediation role of sleep quality for the link between work addition risk and stress at work as well as the link between work addiction risk and well-being. Discussion: Given the verified mediating role of sleep quality in the relationship between work addiction, stress and wellbeing, it is recommended that organizations and companies pay particular attention to their employees' sleep quality.

Work addiction and personality organization: Results from a representative, three-wave longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have explored the relationship between personality and work addiction, suggesting that individuals with certain mental disorders, including personality disorders such as obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD), may be more prone to work addiction. However, the characterization of personality organization (PO) among workaholics and its contribution to the persistence of work addiction remains unclear. METHODS: In this longitudinal study of a representative sample of young adults (N = 1748), we applied the Bergen Work Addiction Scale and the Inventory of Personality Organization. RESULTS: We found significant correlations between work addiction and identity diffusion, primitive psychological defenses, reality testing, and overall personality disorganization across three waves. A latent class growth analysis revealed three profiles: no work addiction, increasing work addiction, and constant moderate work addiction. Multinomial logistic regression analysis indicated that higher levels of personality disorganization in wave 1 and increases in personality disorganization between waves 1 and 3 were associated with higher odds of belonging to the increasing work addiction group. Similarly, higher overall personality disorganization in wave 1 was associated with higher odds of belonging to the constant moderate work addiction group. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that individuals with chronic work addiction have lower levels of PO, and PO declines as work addiction persists. Screenings for work addiction are recommended to prevent potential mental health issues. Future research should explore the influence of workplace characteristics and work motivations on the association between work addiction and personality disorders.

The cost of protecting resources: a cross-sectional study on the interaction between LMX and role ambiguity on work addiction and burnout among Canadian first-level healthcare managers.

Introduction: Using the conservation of resources (COR) theory, our study explores the interaction between role ambiguity and leader-member exchange (LMX) quality on burnout using work addiction as a mediator among Canadian first-level healthcare managers. Methods: Cross-sectional data was collected among 165 first-level managers working in healthcare with the support of interprofessional associations in Canada. Linear regression was used to test the presented hypotheses. Results: Work addiction fully mediated the positive relationship between role ambiguity and burnout among first-level managers. In addition, high LMX exacerbated both the direct and indirect effects of role ambiguity. Conclusion: Our study contributes by identifying role ambiguity as a context under which LMX can have adverse effects for first-level managers in healthcare. Moreover, work addiction acted as a mediator, theorized as a risky resource investment which depletes managers' resources. Having a good relationship with their team further entices managers to develop a pathological relationship with their work to protect its members, which in turn is related to higher levels of burnout.

Driving and mobile phone use: Work addiction predicts hazardous but not excessive mobile phone use in a longitudinal study of young adults.

Background and objectives: Work addiction (WA), characterized by dimensions such as overcommitment, difficulties in detachment from work, and work-life imbalance, is presumed to be associated with increased smartphone usage, even during risky activities like driving. The study investigated the connection between WA and future problematic and hazardous smartphone use, considering personality factors: anxiety, rumination, and worry. Methods: A three-wave longitudinal study (N = 1,866) was conducted from March to July 2019, June to September 2020, and June to November 2021, involving a representative sample of 18-34-year-old residents in Hungary's capital. The study employed Hungarian versions of the Bergen Work Addiction Scale, Problematic Mobile Phone Use Questionnaire, Ruminative Response Scale, Anxiety subscale of the Brief Symptom Inventory 18, and Penn-State Worry Questionnaire. Additionally, author-developed questions on mobile phone use while driving were included. Results: At baseline, those at risk for WA showed more frequent mobile phone use while driving at both time points 2 and 3 compared to the non-risk group. Path analyses revealed rumination, anxiety at time 1, and worry at time 2 as significant mediators between baseline WA and mobile phone use while driving at time 3. However, when analyzing all three mediators together, only anxiety at time 1 and worry at time 2 remained significant. Discussion and conclusion: This study demonstrates that WA predicts future mobile phone use while driving through mediation by anxiety and worry. Our findings add to the growing evidence highlighting the detrimental aspects of WA, emphasizing the need for improved prevention and treatment strategies.

Explaining work addiction through perceived behaviors of significant others in a family and organization: Gender differences.

The objective of the study was to investigate the association between employees' work addiction and perceived work addiction of their immediate managers and parents, separate in samples of men and women. A total of 964 Lithuanian employees took part in the study. The levels of work addiction were assessed using the Bergen Work Addiction Scale (Andreassen, Griffiths, Hetland & Pallesen, 2012). We used the same scale to measure work addiction of the employees and perceived work addiction of their parents and immediate managers. The results showed that perceived work addiction of both parents and managers was related to higher levels of work addiction in women. We further found that the positive relationship between perceived work addiction of mothers and men's work addiction was as strong as the association between perceived work addiction of managers and men's work addiction. The positive relationship between perceived work addiction of fathers and men's work addiction was weaker as compared to that between perceived work addiction of managers and men's work addiction. All independent variables accounted for a greater part of the variance in work addiction of men than that of women.

Psychometric properties of the Bergen Work Addiction Scale in a Greek sample of health professionals.

BACKGROUND: Work addiction it is an emerging topic in organizational research because it has a great impact on human resources, especially in the health sector, and has led to the development of a number of valid assessment tools. Among work addiction scales, the Bergen Work Addiction Scale (BWAS) has good psychometric properties and a small number of items, and comes with a recommended cut-off for categorization of work addiction. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the BWAS in a Greek sample of health professionals (HPs) and to measure their work addiction. PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE: A cross sectional study using an online questionnaire related to work addiction was completed by 542 HPs through the official websites of 8 secondary hospitals in Greece. RESULTS: The level of HPs' work addiction was moderate. The internal structure of the scale was satisfactory (α = .78). All seven items of the BWAS were significant and had standardized values above 0.48. Work addiction was significantly associated with older age and the profession of physician. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the findings of the present study, the Greek BWAS has good psychometric properties, such as good reliability, internal consistency and construct validity and is recommended as a suitable tool to assess work addiction in clinical settings and future research.

The prevalence of workaholism: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The present study represents the first meta-analysis and systematic review on the prevalence of workaholism. It also investigated if sample size, representativeness, and instrument moderated the prevalence estimates. The analysis was pre-registered at PROSPERO (CRD42023395794). We searched Web of Science, PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, PsychInfo. BASE, MedNar, NYAM, OPENGREY, OpenMD and included the first 200 searches on Google scholar as gray literature [search string: "(workaholi* OR "work addict*") AND (prevalence* OR incident* OR frequen* OR cut-off OR epidem*)]. The search yielded 42 studies to be included, in addition to 11 studies identified using other methods. Two independent raters went through the searches, extracted information and evaluated risk of bias, resulting in agreement ratings of 92.4%, 84.9%, and 87.0%, respectively. The inclusion criteria were studies reporting original data on the prevalence of workaholism written in any European language. Criteria which led to exclusion were conference abstracts, usage of secondary data, purposive sampling of workaholics, qualitative research and pre-determined cut-off based on distribution. Risk of bias of the included articles was evaluated through a checklist. Most of the included studies had a moderate risk of bias. Of the 663 records identified, a total of 53 studies were included, 10 of these being nationally representative with all studies in total amounting to 71,625 participants from 23 countries. The pooled workaholism prevalence was 15.2% (95% CI = 12.4-18.5), which was adjusted to 14.1% (95% CI = 11.2-17.6) following a trim-and-fill adjustment for publication bias. The meta-regression revealed that studies with representative samples reported lower prevalences than those based on non-representative samples, and that studies based on the Dutch Work Addiction Scale yielded higher prevalences than studies employing the Bergen Work Addiction Scale. The regression model explained 29% of the variance implying that a vast amount was still unexplained, and that future research would benefit from the inclusion of other moderators.

On the trail of Sisyphus - addiction as an existential neurosis?

In Greek mythology, Sisyphus, king of the Corinthians, dared to deceive the gods and was condemned to roll a boulder to the top of a mountain for all eternity. Shortly before reaching the summit, however, the boulder rolled back down into the valley, and the arduous task had to begin anew. Many of the contents of this classic myth are reminiscent of the therapeutic approach to addictive disorders. In addiction therapy, too, it is often a long and rocky road that ends with a relapse. The therapeutic effort was not entirely in vain, but one often begins to doubt its usefulness. In terms of Sisyphus and a Bio-Psycho-Social Model (BPSM) of health and disease, addiction can be located at the end of a downward spiral. By extension of the BPSM, can addictive disease be considered an expression of existential neurosis? The results of our own research speak in favor of this and show a clearly reduced experience of sense and meaning, but also diminished feelings of hope and forgiveness in addiction patients. However, positive correlations between various parameters of existential well-being and mental health or more appropriate stress coping are also found for the addiction group. These results are supported by neuronal correlates and are mirrored in the general population. Based on this, the consideration of existential issues in addiction therapy can be discussed. Finally, the use of art therapy and work training are proposed as examples of a meaning based therapeutic intervention in dealing with people with addictive diseases.

Workaholism Scales: Some Challenges Ahead.

Although extensively used in the academic literature, workaholism as a concept has been explained in different ways, which has influenced the development and use of some measurement tools. As such, this article aims to address the subject through a systematic study review focusing on articles where the main objective was to develop, adapt, or analyze the psychometric properties of a workaholism scale. The main purpose is to describe the state of the art concerning workaholism measurement tools, highlighting trends and research perspectives for further research. In essence, this study may serve as a summary and starting point for scholars interested in measuring workaholism. It was observed that the discrepancy concerning the definition of workaholism has resulted in scales that attempt to evaluate diverging conceptualizations. Moreover, each scale has been readapted when tested in different countries. For further investigations, it is important to converge the concept of workaholism and validate the scales across differing contexts, regarding the industry, culture, and country of the sample.

Work addiction in Chinese white-collar workers: the psychometric properties of its measure and its comorbidity with general anxiety in network analysis.

BACKGROUND: Work addiction (WA) threatens occupation-related health in many countries including China. This research aims to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of Bergen Work Addiction Scale (BWAS), the most common measure of WA, to facilitate relevant studies in Chinese workers. A network analysis was further conducted to identify central and bridge symptoms within the WA-anxiety network to improve intervention practices. METHODS: A total of 694 Chinese white-collar workers completed an online questionnaire survey in March of 2022, and the responses to BWAS from a subsample of 50 participants one month after this survey were also collected. RESULTS: The unidimensionality of BWAS was supported by results of exploratory factor analysis, exploratory graph analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis and we found satisfactory internal consistency and acceptable test-retest reliability. Multiple-group factor analyses confirmed the measurement invariance of BWAS across genders, districts (i.e., central China, eastern China, western China, and northeastern China), and age groups (i.e., young and middle-aged adults) while the convergent validity of BWAS was demonstrated by its significant correlations with Dutch Work Addiction Scale (r = 0.62, p < 0.001) and its criterion validity was indicated by its significant correlations with general anxiety, weekly work hours, and health status (r = -0.16 to 0.31, p < 0.001-0.01). Network analysis further revealed two central symptoms (WA-tolerance and WA-problems) and three bridge symptoms (WA-problems, WA-mood modification, and mouth dryness of general anxiety) maintaining the WA-anxiety comorbidity. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that BWAS is a valid measure of WA in Chinese workers and interventions should put special attention to the identified central and bridge symptoms underlying the WA-anxiety network.

The social construction of workaholism as a representational naturalization.

Workaholism, a term borrowed from the language around alcoholism, first appeared in academic writing in the late 1960s. This article addresses the following questions: How has the concept of workaholism evolved in scientific literature and in society? How do people who identify as workaholics represent and communicate work addiction, and how do they identify it as their lived reality? Drawing on the concept of naturalization as a process of social representation, we argue that workaholism has been constituted as a naturalized object, and we consider the ways in which it is reproduced in everyday life through communication and experience. We situated the definition of workaholism within the scholarly literature. We then conducted semi-structured interviews with eleven individuals who self-identify or have been diagnosed as work addicts. Our research shows that representational naturalization began when workaholism first became a recognizable reality as a result of changes in the world of work. Naturalization was then achieved by eliminating contradictions through the process of decoupling the positive features of workaholism from the overall concept. Our results demonstrate how this naturalized representation of workaholism is reproduced through the communication and lived experience of "workaholics."

Validity and reliability of a Chinese version of the Bergen Work Addiction Scale.

Background: Work addiction (WA), which can impair personal relationships, engagement in recreational activities, and/or health, is a behavioral addiction. A tool for the early detection of WA in China is needed. Objective: The aim of this study was to develop and determine the validity and reliability of a Chinese version of the Bergen Work Addiction Scale (C-BWAS). Methods: Two hundred social workers who provided post-discharge services for adolescents with non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) were enrolled in this study. The construct validity of the C-BWAS was assessed by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Criterion validity was assessed by conducting Pearson correlation analyses of C-CWAS scores with Hamilton Depression Scale (HAM-D) and Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A) scores. Cronbach's α and the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) were used to evaluate the reliability of the C-BWAS. Results: CFA confirmed a one-dimensional structure of the C-BWAS with good construct validity indices [comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.964, Tucker-Lewis index (TLI) = 0.951, root-mean-square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.079, and minimum discrepancy C/degrees of freedom (Cmin/DF) = 0.362]. The standardized regression weights ranged from 0.523 to 0.753. All C-BWAS items loaded on one major factor (loading weights, 0.646-0.943). Coefficients of correlation between C-BWAS scores and HAM-D and HAM-A scores were 0.889 and 0.933, respectively. The Cronbach's α coefficient and ICC for the instrument was 0.837 and 0.905, respectively. Conclusion: The presently developed C-BWAS showed very good reliability and acceptably validity. It can be employed as a useful tool for assessing WA severity in social workers who provide post-discharge services for adolescents with NSSI.

Work addiction, work engagement, job burnout, and perceived stress: A network analysis.

Introduction: Recently, the network theory of mental disorders has been used to conceptualize work addiction as a dynamic system of symptoms in direct relationships. This study aimed to extend previous work by investigating the direct relationships of work addiction symptoms with dimensions of work engagement, job burnout, and perceived stress. Methods: These phenomena were measured with the Bergen Work Addiction Scale, the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey, and the Perceived Stress Scale. The sample comprised 676 working Poles with a mean age of 36.12 years (SD = 11.23). The network analysis followed the guidelines for estimating psychological networks from cross-sectional data. Results: Work engagement and job burnout were more closely associated with each other than with work addiction which supports the notion that engagement and burnout represent polar opposites of the same construct and that work addiction is a separate phenomenon, related to both work engagement and job burnout via specific pathways. The symptoms of work addiction were connected with other phenomena through four direct relationships: (1) mood modification-absorption, (2) mood modification-stress, (3) withdrawal-absorption, and (4) problems-exhaustion. Discussion: These findings narrow down and specify hypotheses regarding potential mechanisms leading from engagement to addiction and from addiction to burnout. The possible mechanisms focus on the absorption component and mood modification related to efforts focused on alleviating chronic stress and negative emotional states. In turn, problems arising from work addiction may lead to exhaustion. Future studies investigating these mechanisms in detail may enable proper prevention programs and therapeutic interventions.

The Role of an Individual and a Situation in Explaining Work Addiction: Disclosing Complex Relations.

The current study aimed to test the relationships between perfectionism, type A personality, and work addiction via mediator of extrinsic work motivation and moderators of both parent work addiction and demanding organization profiles. A cross-sectional study was carried out using an online self-report questionnaire. A sample consisted of 621 employees working in different Lithuanian organizations that were selected on the basis of the convenience principle. Prior to testing the hypotheses, latent profile analysis (LPA) was conducted in order to identify the subgroups of participants based on situational variables. Two profiles (i.e., 'less addicted parents' and 'more addicted parents') for parent work addiction and tree profiles (i.e., 'slightly demanding organization', 'moderately demanding organization', 'highly demanding organization') for a demanding organization emerged from LPA. The hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling. Main results revealed that direct relationships between perfectionism, type A personality, and work addiction were positive and stronger for those working in highly demanding organizations. Indirect relationships between perfectionism, type A personality, and work addiction (via extrinsic motivation) were positive and stronger for employees who have parents with higher levels of work addiction. Future researchers and those who implement preventive practices should be aware that personal factors can be the first impetus for work addiction, and the second one (comprised of situational factors in a family and organization) can enhance the expression of these personal factors and stimulate the development of work addiction.

Severity of behavioral addiction symptoms among young adults using non-prescribed sedatives/hypnotics.

Introduction: Young adulthood is considered a critical period in terms of non-medical use of sedatives/hypnotics (NMUSH) as well as different types of behavioral addictions (BAs). However, the relationship between these behaviors has received scarce attention among young adult samples. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the association between NMUSH and symptoms of distinct BAs among young adults. Materials and methods: Analyses were conducted based on the data of two large sample studies (including a representative sample) carried out with young adult samples. The following BAs were assessed: problematic internet use, problematic video gaming, problematic social media use, problem gambling, exercise addiction, eating disorders, compulsive buying behavior, problematic mobile phone use, work addiction, and hair pulling. Symptoms of distinct BAs were analyzed in three groups formed based on the NMUSH: non-users, lifetime users, and current users. Results: The symptoms of problematic internet use, problematic social media use, problem gambling, exercise addiction, eating disorders, compulsive buying behavior and work addiction were significantly more severe among lifetime and/or current non-medical sedative and hypnotic users, compared to the non-user participants. The symptoms of problematic mobile phone use were the most severe in the non-user group. Conclusions: The results suggest co-occurrence between NMUSH and distinct BAs among young adults. These findings draw attention to the need for preventive interventions for this high-risk population.

Effect of role overload on missed nursing care in China: The role of work addiction and leader-member exchange.

AIM: The aim was to examine the effect of role overload, work addiction and leader-member exchange on missed nursing care. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. METHODS: Chinese registered nurses from five Sichuan province public hospitals were studied from March 2022-May 2022. The measurements were derived from a questionnaire on role overload, work addiction, missed nursing care, leader-member exchange and a sociodemographic datasheet. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were conducted (N = 403). RESULTS: Role overload was associated with missed nursing care, and work addiction played a mediation role. Leader-member exchange negatively predicted work addiction and played a moderating role between role overload and work addiction. The effect of role overload on work addiction was attenuated when the level of leader-member exchange was higher. Promoting leader-member exchange could mitigate how role overload undermines missed nursing care.

Work Addiction Among Employees and Self-Employed Workers: An Investigation Based on the Italian Version of the Bergen Work Addiction Scale.

The increasing interest in work addiction is connected to recent changes in the work culture and work habits. Despite this interest, knowledge pertaining to this phenomenon and measures to assess it are still limited. This study aims to contribute by examining the psychometric features of the Italian version of the Bergen Work Addiction Scale, a unidimensional scale based on the perspective of addiction. The research method consisted in two steps: in the first cross-sectional study, a convenience sample of 1,035 workers filled in a self-report questionnaire; the second step was a two-wave longitudinal study that involved a convenience sample of 292 workers. Results confirmed the psychometric properties of the scale across employees and self-employed groups. Moreover, results showed a significantly higher level of work addiction among self-employed workers than employees. This study provides support for the evaluation of workaholism in the Italian context among different kind of professions.