Why fit in when you were born to stand out? The role of peer support in preventing and mitigating research-related stress among doctoral researchers

This paper probes the two fundamental questions: 1) how do research stressors, related to PhD research in general and to fieldwork in particular, transform into stress for doctoral researchers; and 2) how can peers assist in stress prevention and stress mitigation? The paper dissects the existing literature at conceptual, theoretical and practical levels. To provide a theoretical framework by which research stressors can be identified in doctoral researchers, we first combine the Demand-Resource (D-R) model with Conservation of Resource (COR) theory. We argue that this catalysed theoretical framework provides more effective primary mechanisms to identify stress in doctoral researchers. Secondly, drawing on Social Support Theory, we develop a peer support model of stress prevention and stress mitigation through four types of peer support: 1) informational; 2) emotional; 3) instrumental; and 4) social companionship. Thirdly, the socio-psychological mechanisms underlying Social Support Theory through which peer support can assist in pre- and post-stress situations are analysed to strengthen the explanatory power and practical usefulness of the proposed peer support model. The paper argues that researchers that actively develop a wider spread of peer support in accordance with our peer support model are more likely to cope with the research-related stress effectively during and after their projects and challenging fieldwork

Burnout in Organizational Life

Burnout is a psychological response to work stress that is characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced feelings of personal accomplishment. In this paper, we review the burnout literature from 1993 to present, identifying important trends that have characterized the literature. We focus our attention on theoretical models that explain the process of burnout, the measurement of burnout, means of reducing burnout, and directions for the future of burnout research.Yeshttps://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/manuscript-submission-guideline

Conservation of resources theory and research use in health systems

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Health systems face challenges in using research evidence to improve policy and practice. These challenges are particularly evident in small and poorly resourced health systems, which are often in locations (in Canada and globally) with poorer health status. Although organizational resources have been acknowledged as important in understanding research use resource theories have not been a focus of knowledge translation (KT) research. What resources, broadly defined, are required for KT and how does their presence or absence influence research use?</p> <p>In this paper, we consider conservation of resources (COR) theory as a theoretical basis for understanding the capacity to use research evidence in health systems. Three components of COR theory are examined in the context of KT. First, resources are required for research uptake. Second, threat of resource loss fosters resistance to research use. Third, resources can be optimized, even in resource-challenged environments, to build capacity for KT.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A scan of the KT literature examined organizational resources needed for research use. A multiple case study approach examined the three components of COR theory outlined above. The multiple case study consisted of a document review and key informant interviews with research team members, including government decision-makers and health practitioners through a retrospective analysis of four previously conducted applied health research studies in a resource-challenged region.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The literature scan identified organizational resources that influence research use. The multiple case study supported these findings, contributed to the development of a taxonomy of organizational resources, and revealed how fears concerning resource loss can affect research use. Some resources were found to compensate for other resource deficits. Resource needs differed at various stages in the research use process.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>COR theory contributes to understanding the role of resources in research use, resistance to research use, and potential strategies to enhance research use. Resources (and a lack of them) may account for the observed disparities in research uptake across health systems. This paper offers a theoretical foundation to guide further examination of the COR-KT ideas and necessary supports for research use in resource-challenged environments.</p

Modification of the Association Between Serotonin Transporter Genotype and Risk of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Adults by County-Level Social Environment

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/61911/1/koenen_modification of serotonin transporter genotype_2009.pd

A Mixed Initiative Human-Robots Team Performance Assessment System For Use in Operational and Training Environments ABSTRACT

Military forces of the future will use mixed manned and unmanned forces for a broad variety of functions. Measurement of overall effectiveness in these mixed initiative systems will be essential in order to achieve optimal system performance levels. Behavioral measures of both human and unmanned performance obtained in system simulations or in live exercises will be used to continuously diagnose performance and identify required areas of training requirements. Likewise, specialized training will be necessary in order to leverage the complementary cognitive functions of human and machine to forge fighting entities and units with capabilities superior to those of humans or machines in isolation. Our team is currently developing a Mixed Initiative Team Performance Assessment System (MITPAS) consisting of a methodology, tools and procedures to measure the performance of mixed manned and unmanned teams in both training and real world operational environments. The work is being performed under SBIR Phase I and II contracts administered by RDECOM/STTC, Orlando, FL. Our objective is to provide a scalable turnkey MITPAS software system integrated with simulation and training environments, utilizing COTS HLA data logging tools and containing protocols for evaluation of various manned/unmanned team configurations in selected event-based scenarios. This paper describes our in-progress development of a underlying Multi-Dimensional Performance Model, our preliminary MITPAS architecture and our Use Case Scenario based experimental and evaluation plan, as well as our ideas for future applications of the completed MITPAS

The Impact of Support Received and Support Provision on Changes in Perceived Social Support among Older Adults

The current study uses longitudinal data from the 1993 U.S. Midwest floods to examine the influence of support received and support provision on changes in perceived social support among older adults exposed to an acute stressor. Results indicated that flood exposure and higher levels of social support at Time 1 were positively associated with both receiving social support and providing social support specific to the food. Individuals with higher levels of support provision and received support in turn reported higher levels of perceived support post disaster. Women were more likely to have received flood specific support and to have perceived higher social support post flood. This study provides support and elaboration of earlier findings that link disaster exposure to post-disaster changes in perceived social support