Psychometric characteristics of the Teacher Stress Questionnaire by Travers and Cooper. Preliminary study

SUMMARY. Introduction: This study analyses the psychometric charac- teristics of the Teacher Stress Ques- tionnaire (TSQ; Travers & Cooper, 1996). The TSQ is composed of a general information section and of five scales: the Crown-Crisp Experi- ential Index (Crown & Crisp, 1979); the Type A Behavioural Style Inven- tory (Bortner, 1969); the Job Satis- faction Scale (Warr, Cook & Wall, 1979); the Sources of Pressure in Teaching Scale (Travers & Cooper, 1996); the Coping Style Inventory (Cooper, Sloan & Williams, 1988). Methods: The Italian version of TSQ was submitted to 320 teachers ran- domly drawn from a cross-section of school types. We verified the con- struct validity of the questionnaire in the Italian setting by means of the factor analysis and by measuring the internal consistency of the single scales. All the dimensions measured by the TSQ were compared for sub- groups of sample of all levels of teachers. Some features of the teacher’s personality and job which best predict those at “high risk” were highlighted. Results: From the factor analysis of each of the scales of the TSQ, several meaningful and reliable factors emerged. The inter- nal consistency of each scale meas- ured by the Cronbach’s revealed that satisfactory values were found. Teachers’ age and type of school were found to be determining factors with regard to all the dimensions of stress explored by the TSQ. Conclu- sions: The preliminary analysis of the reliability and validity of the Ital- ian version of the TSQ reveals that it constitutes a useful and reliable measure to analyse stress in the Ital- ian school setting according to the modern theories of occupational stress (Travers & Cooper, 1996). Nevertheless further studies are nec- essary which consider a more exten- sive and widespread sample in order to fully adjust the TSQ battery to the Italian school setting

Ethnicity and work-related stress in Eastern European care workers for the elderly: an application of a proposed multi-dimensional model

The present study aims to test the application of a multi-dimensional model of stress that takes as a framework of reference the DRIVE (Demands, Resources, and Individual Effects) model and previous studies on occupational health and cultural aspects in a sample of Eastern European eldercare workers. This model integrated ethnicity and work-related stress dimensions in a transactional perspective combining individual differences, ethnicity aspects, work characteristics in the prediction of psychophysical health giving closer attention to specificassociations between cultural dimensions such as cultural identity, acculturation strategies and health outcomes. Therefore the study hypothesized significant profiles of associations between individual differences, work characteristics, ethnicity dimensions, perceived job satisfaction/stress and health outcomes among these workers. A questionnaire measuring the following dimensions was submitted to 250 Eastern European eldercare workers in Southern Italy: coping strategies, personality behaviours, acculturation strategies, perceived work demands, resources/rewards, perceived job stress/satisfaction, psychological disorders and general health. Around one third (38.6%) lived in Italy from more than 5 years, all were women (Age Mean=43.18; SD=4.25) and most of them were married (94.8 %), with a high level of education (94.4 %), worked full-time (93.2 %) and had fixed contracts (97.2 %)Data were analysed using LR logistic regression to evaluate the effects of all the dimensions reported on the risk of suffering health problems. Results showed that work demands, type A and negative affectivity behavioural patterns significantlyassociated with high levels of anxious-depressive disorders, relational disorders and general health. Moreover positive coping strategies, specificacculturation strategies and perceived job satisfaction significantlyassociated with low levels of psychophysical disorders. Findings supported different aspects of the proposed stress model and will be helpful in definingpsychological interventions to support this particular type of migrant workers

Ethnicity and stress at work: a Literature review and suggestions for future research

Aims: Ethnicity and culture represent a novel topic in the literature on stress and wellbeing at work because there has not been enough consideration of them in studies of work stress. This paper aims to present a critical review and evaluate recent articles investigating ethnicity in the literature on stress and wellbeing at work to identify limitations of previous research concerning all the aspects related to the cultural dimensions in this research area. Methodology: Pubmed, PsycInfo and Scopus databases were searched for articles dealing with ethnicity and occupational health for the years 1985 to 2014. The studies were divided into three categories as follows: ethnicity and occupational mental health, ethnicity and occupational physical health, ethnicity and work stress. Results: Sixty articles were selected, 26 on occupational mental health, 13 on physical health and 21 on work stress. None of the studies used a transactional perspective or took as a framework of reference general models of stress that integrate all the aspects related to ethnicity with work-related dimensions. Most of the reviewed studies measured ethnicity as a descriptive category of the working population studied (i.e. country of birth, nationality, language, skin colour, origin, racial group) or focused on the differences between ethnic groups and it has failed to consider the salient cultural aspects such as acculturation strategy, cultural identity and perceived racial discrimination. Conclusions: The gap in the work stress literature on different aspects of ethnicity suggests further consideration of the potential role of cultural dimensions as individual differences or as potential sources of stress in work stress models and shows the need to develop and test a general model that integrates ethnicity and work-related stress in a transactional perspective

Paths towards parenthood after repeated treatment failures: a comparative study on predictors of psychological health outcomes in infertile couples persisting in treatments or opting for adoption

IntroductionInfertility literature suggests widespread recourse to long-term medical treatments despite evidence of high stress, costs, and adverse effects of repeated treatment failures. However, there is a lack of research comparing predictors of stress and psychological health outcomes between members of infertile couples who – after repeated failures – persist in pursuing medical treatments (PT) with those who opted for quitting treatments and adopting (QTA). Basing on a transactional and multidimensional approach to infertility-related stress and health, the present study aims at exploring individual (socio-demographics; coping strategies) and situational (infertility-related parameters; infertility-related stressors; couple’s dyadic adjustment dimensions) predictors of state-anxiety and depression in male and female partners of PT-infertile couples and of QTA-infertile couples.MethodsParticipants were both members of 176 couples with duration of infertility and a history of medical treatments for at least 3 years (76 PT-infertile couples, 100 QTA-infertile couples). The study variables were compared by study group across genders. Structural equation models (SEM) were used to test main and moderating effects of study variables on state-anxiety and depression by study group and across genders.ResultsMembers of infertile couples quitting treatments and adopting (QTA) reported significantly lower levels of state-anxiety and depression, higher stress related to need for parenthood and rejection of childfree-lifestyle and lower stress related to social and couple’s relationship concerns than those who persist in pursuing medical treatments (PT). Members of infertile couples quitting treatments and adopting (QTA) recurred to a greater extent to active coping strategies (problem-solving/social-support) and to a lower extent to passive coping strategies (avoiding/turning-to-religion), and they reported higher levels of dyadic adjustment. Specificities in main and moderating factors related to state-anxiety and depression by study group and across genders were found.ConclusionFindings should be addressed to provide a comprehensive assessment of both members of infertile couples facing repeated treatment failures to identify risks and resources and develop tailored evidence-based interventions

Predictors of psychological health in couples diagnosed with Male infertility: A dyadic approach.

Background: Research underlined that infertile men may experience sense of guilt and failure, loss of self-esteem, high psychosocial and marital stress, and psychological suffering, but little attention was given to individual and dyadic dynamics featuring both partners diagnosed with male infertility. Objective: The study aimed to apply the Actor-Partner-Interdependence Model (APIM) to investigate actor and partner effects of infertility-related stressors (Social Concern, Need for Parenthood, Rejection of Childfree Lifestyle, Couple’s Relationship Concern), coping strategies (Social Support, Avoiding, Positive Attitude, Problem-Solving, Turning to Religion) and dyadic adjustment dimensions (Consensus, Satisfaction, Cohesion, Affectional Expression) on perceived levels of state-anxiety and depression among both members of couples diagnosed with male infertility. Method: Both members of 80 couples with male infertility diagnosis completed self-administered questionnaires. Results: Perception of Social and Couple’s Relationship Concerns and adoption of Avoiding and Turning to Religion coping emerged as risk factors for both partners. Adoption of Social Support and Problem-Solving coping and partners’ perception of Rejection of Childfree Lifestyle emerged as risk factors, while the perception of dyadic adjustment and partners’ adoption of Social Support coping, emerged as protective factors for men's psychological health. Perception of Need for Parenthood and partners’ perception of Rejection of Childfree Lifestyle emerged as risk factors, while the perception of Cohesion, and partners’ perception of Social and Couple’s Relationship Concerns and adoption of Positive Attitude coping, emerged as protective factors for women's psychological health. Conclusions: The study suggested specific individual and dyadic dynamics to be addressed for developing tailored interventions to promote psychological health in couples diagnosed with male infertility

Paths towards parenthood after repeated treatment failures: a comparative study on predictors of psychological health outcomes in infertile couples persisting in treatments or opting for adoption

Introduction: Infertility literature suggests widespread recourse to long-term medical treatments despite evidence of high stress, costs, and adverse effects of repeated treatment failures. However, there is a lack of research comparing predictors of stress and psychological health outcomes between members of infertile couples who – after repeated failures – persist in pursuing medical treatments (PT) with those who opted for quitting treatments and adopting (QTA). Basing on a transactional and multidimensional approach to infertility-related stress and health, the present study aims at exploring individual (socio-demographics; coping strategies) and situational (infertility-related parameters; infertility-related stressors; couple’s dyadic adjustment dimensions) predictors of state-anxiety and depression in male and female partners of PT-infertile couples and of QTA-infertile couples. Methods: Participants were both members of 176 couples with duration of infertility and a history of medical treatments for at least 3 years (76 PT-infertile couples, 100 QTA-infertile couples). The study variables were compared by study group across genders. Structural equation models (SEM) were used to test main and moderating effects of study variables on state-anxiety and depression by study group and across genders. Results: Members of infertile couples quitting treatments and adopting (QTA) reported significantly lower levels of state-anxiety and depression, higher stress related to need for parenthood and rejection of childfree-lifestyle and lower stress related to social and couple’s relationship concerns than those who persist in pursuing medical treatments (PT). Members of infertile couples quitting treatments and adopting (QTA) recurred to a greater extent to active coping strategies (problem-solving/social-support) and to a lower extent to passive coping strategies (avoiding/turning-to-religion), and they reported higher levels of dyadic adjustment. Specificities in main and moderating factors related to state-anxiety and depression by study group and across genders were found. Conclusion: Findings should be addressed to provide a comprehensive assessment of both members of infertile couples facing repeated treatment failures to identify risks and resources and develop tailored evidence-based interventions

Teachers' patterns of management of conflicts with students: A study in five European countries

The present study proposed an application of the Rahim' Model of Conflict Management, and aimed to explore the styles of handling interpersonal conflicts with students adopted by teachers from five European countries (Italy, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Austria), identifying specific patterns and evaluating potential differences according to teachers' Gender, Age, Working Seniority and Country of belonging. Overall, 589 secondary school teachers completed a questionnaire consisting of Socio-demographic characteristics and the Rahim Organizational Conflict Inventory-II (ROCI-II, Form B). Non-hierarchical k-means cluster analysis was employed to derive patterns of conflict management, identifying four patterns labelled as Multi-strategic and Engaged, Multi-strategic and Solution-Oriented, Control-Oriented and Avoidant, and Mediating. Significant differences between countries were found in the numbers of teachers grouped across the four patterns. Findings identified stable and meaningful patterns for evaluating teachers' styles of management of interpersonal conflicts with students and for promoting teachers' effectiveness in conflict management in the European school context

The COVID-19 Student Stress Questionnaire: Validation in Spanish university students from health sciences

This study aimed to validate the Spanish version of the COVID-19 Student Stress Questionnaire (CSSQ), a 7-item tool assessing COVID-19-related stressors among university students, namely, Relationships and Academic Life, Isolation, and Fear of Contagion. Participants were 331 Spanish university students. Factor analyses sustained the three factor solution of the original tool. Data also revealed satisfactory convergent and discriminant validity, suitable internal consistency, and significant associations with psychological symptoms, as measured by the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised. The Spanish version of the CSSQ represents a valid tool to be used in clinical settings to timely identify students at high psychological risk and to develop evidence-based interventions during/after the pandemic

Technostress and academic motivation: direct and indirect effects on university students' psychological health

Introduction: Research has well demonstrated that the pandemic entailed several implications among university students worldwide in terms of increased use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), technostress, disruptions in academic goals and motivation processes, and growing psychological suffering. Responding to the new research need to go in-depth into the processes linking technostress and motivation dimensions to inform current research/interventions, the present study aimed to explore the direct effects of perceived Technostress dimensions (Techno-Overload, Work-Home Conflict, Pace of Change, Techno-Ease, Techno-Reliability, and Techno-Sociality) and Academic Motivation dimensions (Amotivation, Intrinsic, and Extrinsic Motivation dimensions) on students' perceived levels of Anxiety/Depression and test the potential indirect effect (mediating role) of Academic Motivation dimensions in the associations between Technostress and psychological health conditions. Methods: Overall, 1,541 students from five European countries (Czech Republic, Greece, Italy, Serbia, United Kingdom) completed a survey comprising a Background Information Form, the Technostress Scale, the Academic Motivation Scale-College, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Hayes' PROCESS tool was used to test direct and indirect (mediating) effects. Results: Data revealed that Techno-Overload, Work-Home Conflict, Amotivation, and Extrinsic Motivation-Introjected had a direct negative effect, whereas Techno-Ease, Techno-Reliability, Techno-Sociality, all Intrinsic Motivation dimensions, and Extrinsic Motivation-Identified had a direct protective role for students' psychological health. The significant indirect role of motivation dimensions in the associations between Technostress dimensions and Anxiety/Depression was fully supported. Discussion: Findings allow gaining further insight into the pathways of relationships between technostress, motivation, and psychological health, to be used in the current phase, featured by the complete restoration of face-to-face contacts, to inform the development of tailored research and interventions, which address lights and shadows of the technology use, and which take into account the necessity to enhance its potentials yet without impairing students' motivation and psychological health

DI ALCUNI PRODROMI ED EFFETTI DEL PICTORIAL TURN

Il testo della relazione analizza alcuni aspetti della teoria di W.J.T. Mitchell in riferimento allo stato attuale dei Visual Studies