Positive Relational Management for Healthy Organizations: Psychometric Properties of a New Scale for Prevention for Workers

This contribution aims at evaluating the psychometric properties of the Positive Relational Management Scale (PRMS) in a sample of two hundred and fifty-one Italian workers. The dimensionality, reliability, and concurrent validity of the scale were investigated. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a correlated three-dimensional version of the scale, comprising Respect, Caring, and Connectedness. Latent correlations among the dimensions were moderate-to-strong (.44 - .57), but suggestive of the multidimensionality of the scores. In addition, good internal consistency was confirmed. The concurrent validity is good as the Pearson’s correlations between PRMS and measure for social support, life satisfaction, life meaningfulness, and flourishing range from .39 to .52. The results indicate that the PRMS is a valid instrument for measuring positive relational management at work in the Italian context within a positive preventive perspective

Beyond fluid intelligence and personality traits in social support: The role of ability based emotional intelligence

Social support represents an important individual resource that has been associated with multiple indices of adaptive functioning and resiliency. Existing research has also identified an association between emotional intelligence (EI) and social support. The present study builds on prior research by investigating the contributions of ability based emotional intelligence to social support, beyond the effects of fluid intelligence and personality traits. The Advanced Progressive Matrices (APM), the Big Five Questionnaire (BFQ), the Mayer Salovey Caruso Emotional Intelligence test (MSCEIT), and the Multidimensional scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) were administered to 149 Italian high school students. The results showed that ability based EI added significant incremental variance in explaining perceived social support, beyond the variance due to fluid intelligence and personality traits. The results underline the role of ability based emotional intelligence in relation to perceived social support. Since ability based emotional intelligence can be increased through specific training, the results of the present study highlight new possibilities for research and intervention in a preventive framework

Three-dimensional advanced numerical approaches to the seismic soil and structural response analyses

A 3D non-linear finite element approach is developed to study the free-field seismic ground response and the soil-structure interaction (SSI) phenomena at the Lotung site (Taiwan) during the earthquake event occurred on May 20 1986. The site was extensively instrumented with down-hole and surface ac- celerometers, these latter located also on a 1/4–scale nuclear power plant containment structure. An advanced constitutive model is adopt- ed for simulating the soil behaviour, while a linear visco-elastic be- haviour is assumed for the structural model. The free-field and SSI analyses are carried out applying both the NS and EW horizontal components of the acceleration time history as recorded at the depth of 47 m b.g.l. The predicted ground response re- sults are in fair agreement with the recorded motion at depth and at the surface. The dynamic response of structure is well captured for this specific seismic event, thus confirming the validity of the numerical approach

Satisfaction with Life Scale among Italian workers: reliability, factor structure and validity through a big sample study

The study aims to assess the psychometric characteristics of the Satisfaction with Life Scale among 1074 participants from the working context. Analyzing Reliability, Factor Structure and concurrent validity, results indicated good values; besides results revealed a robust structure with one factor. On the basis of these results, the SWLS is a valid instrument in relation to evaluate some cognitive aspects of life satisfaction also in the Italian work context

Developing a new instrument for assessing Acceptance of Change

This article focuses on the usefulness of going beyond the concept of resistance to change and capitalizing on the use of a model that includes positivity and acceptance of change. We first discuss the theoretical background of this new construct in the work and organizational fields and then evaluate the psychometric properties of a new measure for assessing acceptance of change. The results of exploratory factor analysis indicated a factor structure with five principal dimensions; besides confirmatory factor analysis goodness of fit indices indicated a good fit of the model to the data. All the dimensions showed good values of internal consistency. The results of the present study indicate that the Acceptance of Change Scale is a brief and easily administered instrument with good psychometric properties that can promote the development of clients’ strengths and the growth of a sense of Self, thereby helping them choose their own way without losing any opportunities in their lives and their work