Frequency of laughter and work engagement among Japanese employees: a cross-sectional study during COVID-19.

Laughter is associated with better health and occurs most frequently during casual conversations. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has impaired social interactions, which may have reduced the frequency of laughter and led to poor well-being among workers. This study investigated the relationship between laughter frequency and work engagement among Japanese employees during the pandemic. We conducted a web-based survey among Japanese employees (20-59 yr) via an internet survey company in December 2021; 1,058 valid data were analysed. Of the respondents, 65.1% laughed at least once a week, but the frequency was much lower than that reported in previous studies conducted before the pandemic. Additionally, those who laughed at least once a week had significantly higher work engagement scores than those who laughed less than once a month. Although employees reduced their frequency of laughter during the pandemic, a certain frequency of laughter may be important for maintaining their work engagement.

Job demands and temporomandibular disorders: mediating and moderating effects of psychological distress and recovery experiences.

OBJECTIVES: This study examined the relationship between recovery experience, job demands, psychological distress, and temporomandibular disorders (TMD) in Japanese workers. METHODS: It used cross-sectional data from the fourth survey of a multi-wave longitudinal project, conducted using the registered monitors of an internet research company. Finally, 1278 respondents' data were analyzed (655 males, 623 females; mean [SD] age = 41.63 [10.31] years). We utilized Sugiaski's TMD screening question to assess TMD prevalence, Brief Job Stress Questionnaire to assess job demands, Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6) to assess psychological distress, and the Japanese version of the Recovery Experience Questionnaire to assess recovery experiences. The moderated mediation analysis was conducted using the Process macro program for SPSS developed by Preacher and Hayes, examining the effect of job demands on TMD through psychological distress, moderated by the recovery experience. RESULTS: The results showed that 13.1% (n = 168) of the respondents had TMD. Mediation analysis indicated high job demands were associated with an increased TMD prevalence through psychological distress. The moderated mediation analysis revealed that relaxation and control moderated the relationship between job demands and psychological distress. CONCLUSIONS: This cross-sectional study established the relationship between job demands, psychological distress, and TMD among Japanese workers. The findings suggest that increased job demands contribute to high TMD prevalence through the mediation of psychological distress, moderated by relaxation and control.

Validation of the Indonesian version of the Recovery Experience Questionnaire.

This study aimed to validate the Indonesian version of the Recovery Experience Questionnaire (REQ-I) to assess how individuals unwind and recuperate from work during their off-job times, specifically in terms of psychological detachment, relaxation, mastery, and control. The translated and back-translated REQ, which has gone through semantic and face validation processes, was administered through an internet survey using 740 Indonesian workers from various backgrounds. Furthermore, confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was conducted to evaluate factorial validity. Construct validity was evaluated based on the correlation coefficients between recovery experience and potential consequences variables, while internal consistency and test-retest reliability were investigated to evaluate the reliability. The result of CFA showed that the hypothesized four-factor model was the most suitable for the data. Meanwhile, construct validity was supported by expected correlations of recovery experiences with possible consequences. Cronbach's α coefficient for each of the four subscales was sufficient at 0.85-0.92. Test-retest reliability of each of the four subscales with three months intervals was confirmed with sufficient intraclass correlation coefficients at 0.60-0.66. This current study confirmed that REQ-I was an adequate measure of recovery experiences used in the Indonesian context.

Boredom and engagement at work: do they have different antecedents and consequences?

This study aimed to demonstrate the empirical distinctiveness of boredom at work and work engagement in relation to their potential antecedents (job demands and job resources) and consequences (psychological distress and turnover intention) based on the Job Demands-Resources model. A three-wave longitudinal survey was conducted among registered monitors of an Internet survey company in Japan. The questionnaire included scales for boredom at work, work engagement, psychological distress, and turnover intention as well as participants' job characteristics and demographic variables. The hypothesized model was evaluated via structural equation modeling with 1,019 participants who were employed full-time. As expected, boredom at work was negatively associated with quantitative job demands and job resources and positively associated with psychological distress and turnover intention. In contrast, work engagement was positively associated with job resources and negatively associated with turnover intention. Thus, boredom at work and work engagement had different potential antecedents and were inversely related to employee well-being and organizational outcomes. However, contrary to expectations, qualitative job demands were not significantly associated with boredom at work. Further investigation is needed to understand the relationship between boredom and qualitative job demands, which require sustained cognitive load and the use of higher skills.

Association of Work-Related Sedentary Behavior With Mental Health and Work Engagement Among Japanese White- and Blue-Collar Workers.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the association of work-related sedentary behavior with mental health and work engagement among white- and blue-collar workers. METHODS: An Internet survey was conducted among 1600 workers aged 20 to 59 years. A total of 1213 valid responses were analyzed to examine the association of work-related sedentary behavior with mental health and work engagement. RESULTS: Higher level of occupational sedentary behavior significantly associated with poorer mental health and lower work engagement among white-collar workers. Considering the effect of occupation, association of sedentary behavior with mental health disappeared, whereas association with work engagement remained for white-collar workers. CONCLUSIONS: Our result suggested the importance of decreasing work-related sedentary behavior for enhancing work engagement regardless of the occupation for white-collar workers. Further study is needed to confirm the association between these variables for blue-collar workers.

Validation of the Japanese version of the Dutch Boredom Scale.

OBJECTIVES: The current study aimed to validate the Japanese version of the Dutch Boredom Scale (DUBS-J), a new boredom scale that comprehensively assesses employees' emotional, cognitive, and behavioral responses to low-stimulus work situations. METHODS: The translated and back-translated DUBS was administered via an internet survey to 1358 Japanese employees from various occupations. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to evaluate factorial validity. In order to evaluate discriminant validity with other work-related, well-being constructs, CFA was conducted, and the square root of average variance extracted (AVE) for the DUBS-J and the square of the inter-construct correlations were compared. Construct validity was evaluated based on the correlation coefficients between boredom at work on the one hand and potential antecedents and consequences on the other hand. RESULTS: Confirmatory factor analysis supported the expected one-factor model. CFA and AVE supported the discriminant validity of DUBS-J with work engagement, workaholism, and job satisfaction. Construct validity was generally supported by expected correlations of boredom at work with possible antecedents and consequences. Internal consistency was confirmed with Cronbach's alpha coefficient = .88, and the results of principal component analysis (PCA). Test-retest reliability was confirmed with intraclass correlation coefficients = .62. CONCLUSION: The current study confirmed that DUBS-J is an adequate measure of boredom at work that can be used in the Japanese context.