Validating the Italian Public Service Motivation Questionnaire

2013/2014Public Service Motivation (PSM) is a theorized attribute of public employees that provides them with the desire to serve the public interest. Although PSM definition varies among studies, its fundamental principle is that individuals are oriented to act in the public sector for the purpose of doing good for others and society. The PSM theory, thus, provides a useful basis for understanding the public employees motivation. However, the various studies have not always used the same PSM measurement instrument due to the construct complexity and differences among cultures. The purpose of the present study was to arrange a PSM questionnaire for the Italian public context. Eighty-one PSM items were collected from various questionnaire appeared in literature and submitted to a translation-back translation procedure. A pilot study grounded in a sample composed by 216 public employees verified the discriminating power of items and assessed their understandability. As a consequence, the number of items was reduced to 62. After randomization, the items were administered to a sample of 780 public employees and, through a series of factor analyses, a four-dimensions PSM model was obtained. The final outcome of this study is the Italian PSM Questionnaire, which is the first PSM questionnaire based on an Italian normative sample. The questionnaire includes a method to check the reliability of the answers of respondents as well. Factor score analyses of normative sample are illustrated. The questionnaire can be used for open recruitment procedures, as well as management, and development of public employees.La Public Service Motivation (PSM) è un costrutto relativo ai dipendenti pubblici che riconosce il loro desiderio di servire l'interesse pubblico. Sebbene la definizione di PSM vari tra i vari studi presenti in letteratura, il suo principio fondamentale è che gli individui sarebbero orientati ad agire nel settore pubblico al fine di fare del bene per gli altri e per la società. La teoria PSM, quindi, fornisce una base utile per comprendere la motivazione dei dipendenti pubblici. Tuttavia, a causa della complessità del costrutto e delle differenze tra le culture, i vari studi non sempre hanno usato lo stesso strumento per misurare la PSM. Lo scopo di questo lavoro è pertanto quello di organizzare un questionario di misura della PSM per il contesto pubblico italiano. Ottantuno item relativi alla PSM sono stati raccolti da vari questionari apparsi in letteratura e sono stati sottoposti ad una procedura di Translation-Back translation. Uno studio pilota basato su un campione composto da 216 dipendenti pubblici ha verificato il potere discriminante degli item e valutato la loro comprensibilità. Di conseguenza, il numero degli item è stato ridotto a 62. Dopo essere stati sottoposti a randomizzazione, gli item sono stati somministrati ad un campione di 780 dipendenti pubblici e, attraverso una serie di analisi fattoriali, è stato ottenuto un modello a quattro dimensioni. Il risultato finale di questo studio è l’ Italian PSM Questionnaire, che è il primo questionario per la misura della PSM basato su un campione normativo italiano. L’Italian PSM Questionnaire prevede anche un metodo per verificare l'affidabilità delle risposte degli intervistati. La presente ricerca include l’analisi dei punteggi fattoriali del campione normativo. In conclusione, il questionario potrebbe essere utilizzato per le procedure di selezione, di gestione e di sviluppo dei dipendenti pubblici.XXVII Ciclo197

Athletic Performance and Recovery-Stress Factors in Cycling: An Ever Changing Balance

We sought to examine whether the relationship between recovery-stress factors and performance would differ at the beginning (Stage 1) and the end (Final Stage) of a multi-stage cycling competition. Sixty-seven cyclists with a mean age of 21.90 years (SD = 1.60) and extensive international experience participated in the study. The cyclists responded to the Recovery-Stress Questionnaire for Athletes (RESTQ-Sport) and rated their performance (1 = extremely poor to 10 = excellent) in respect to the first and last stage. Two step-down multiple regression models were used to estimate the relationship among recovery (nine factors; e.g., Physical Recovery, Sleep Quality) and stress factors (10 factors; e.g., Lack of Energy, Physical Complaints), as assessed by the RESTQ and in relation to performance. Model-1 pertained to Stage 1, whereas Model-2 used data from the Final Stage. The final Model-1 revealed that Physical Recovery (β = .46, p = .01), Injury (β = -.31, p = .01) and General Well-being (β = -.26, p = .04) predicted performance in Stage 1 (R2 = .21). The final Model-2 revealed a different relationship between recovery-stress factors and performance. Specifically, being a climber (β = .28, p = .01), Conflicts/Pressure (β = .33, p = .01), and Lack of Energy (β = -.37, p = .01) were associated with performance at the Final Stage (R2 = .19). Collectively, these results suggest that the relationship among recovery and stress factors changes greatly over a relatively short period of time, and dynamically influences performance in multi-stage competitions

How do mood states change in a multi-stage cycling competition? Comparing high and low performers

Aim. Our purposes were to investigate: (a) differences in mood states between high and low performers at the beginning and end of the Girobio 2012 cycling race, and in respect to both actual and perceived performance; and (b) whether the participants’ mood states predicted actual and perceived performance. Methods. Profile of Mood States (POMS) of 72 elite cyclists were assessed the day prior to the first (T0) and last stage (T1). At the end of the race, we created two rankings, one based on the total time spent to complete the race (actual ranking) and one based on the average of self-evaluations provided at the end of each stage (perceived ranking). We compared high and low performers, considering both rankings, using a general measure of mood; i.e. the Total Mood Disturbance. Results. Total Mood Disturbance differed among high and low performers. In particular, high performers’ mood disturbance did not differ between T0 and T1, whereas low performing cyclists showed higher levels of mood disturbance at the end of the race. Furthermore, we found that mood disturbance at T0 did not predict either actual or perceived performance. Conclusions. The cyclists’ mood states at the beginning of the race are not reliable predictors of performance throughout the race. High performing cyclists maintained a more positive mood profile than their low performing counterparts at the beginning and end of a multi-stage race

L'arte dell'equilibrista. La pratica sportiva come allenamento del corpo e formazione del carattere

Il volume esplora i principali ingredienti della pratica sportiva: fatica, impegno, coraggio, agonismo, amicizia, lealt\ue0, sfida personale; ma anche imbroglio, doping, egoismo, narcisismo. Come un equilibrista, sempre esposto al rischio della caduta, l\u2019atleta deve infatti dimostrarsi capace di contemperare i molti valori che rendono gustosa la pratica sportiva, senza lasciarsi tentare dall\u2019apparente semplicit\ue0 di ricette troppo semplici. Gli autori che si alternano la parola all\u2019interno di questa riflessione corale condividono la persuasione che lo sport possa rappresentare, ad un tempo, una buona pratica di vita e una metafora efficace per l\u2019educazione alla vita buona. Una possibilit\ue0 niente affatto scontata, che per realizzarsi richiede consapevolezza, volont\ue0 e dedizione