scholarly journals Process and Effects Evaluation of a Digital Mental Health Intervention Targeted at Improving Occupational Well-Being: Lessons From an Intervention Study With Failed Adoption

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. e13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salla Muuraiskangas ◽  
Marja Harjumaa ◽  
Kirsikka Kaipainen ◽  
Miikka Ermes
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Work Engagement ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Mental Health Intervention ◽  
Human Resource Managers ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Intervention Process ◽  
Digital Interventions ◽  
Resource Managers ◽  
The Individual

Background Digital interventions have the potential to serve as cost-effective ways to manage occupational stress and well-being. However, little is known about the adoption of individual-level digital interventions at organizations. Objectives The aim of this paper is to study the effects of an unguided digital mental health intervention in occupational well-being and the factors that influence the adoption of the intervention. Methods The intervention was based on acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and its aim was to teach skills for stress management and mental well-being. It was delivered via a mobile and a Web-based app that were offered to employees of two information and communication technology (ICT) companies. The primary outcome measures were perceived stress and work engagement, measured by a 1-item stress questionnaire (Stress) and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-9). The intervention process was evaluated regarding the change mechanisms and intervention stages using mixed methods. The initial interviews were conducted face-to-face with human resource managers (n=2) of both companies in August 2013. The participants were recruited via information sessions and email invitations. The intervention period took place between November 2013 and March 2014. The participants were asked to complete online questionnaires at baseline, two months, and four months after the baseline measurement. The final phone interviews for the volunteer participants (n=17) and the human resource managers (n=2) were conducted in April to May 2014, five months after the baseline. Results Of all the employees, only 27 (8.1%, 27/332) took the app into use, with a mean use of 4.8 (SD 4.7) different days. In the beginning, well-being was on good level in both companies and no significant changes in well-being were observed. The activities of the intervention process failed to integrate the intervention into everyday activities at the workplace. Those who took the app into use experienced many benefits such as relief in stressful situations. The app was perceived as a toolkit for personal well-being that gives concrete instructions on how mindfulness can be practiced. However, many barriers to participate in the intervention were identified at the individual level, such as lack of time, lack of perceived need, and lack of perceived benefits. Conclusions The findings suggest that neither the setting nor the approach used in this study were successful in adopting new digital interventions at the target organizations. Barriers were faced at both the organizational as well as the individual level. At the organizational level, top management needs to be involved in the intervention planning for fitting into the organization policies, the existing technology infrastructure, and also targeting the organizational goals. At the individual level, concretizing the benefits of the preventive intervention and arranging time for app use at the workplace are likely to increase adoption.

scholarly journals Expatriation, alcohol and drugs: antecedents and consequences of substance use in expatriation

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 316-334 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olivier Wurtz
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
Well Being ◽  
International Experience ◽  
Organizational Level ◽  
Human Resource Managers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Resource Managers ◽  
Antecedents And Consequences ◽  
High Level

PurposeExpatriation is known to be stressful. The purpose of this paper is to examine stress as an antecedent of substance use (SU) during expatriation and related effects on expatriates’ work adjustment. Moreover, the study sheds light on individual-level moderators (i.e. gender and prior international experience) and organizational-level moderators (i.e. organizational social support) that might condition the stress–SU link.Design/methodology/approachThis work adopts a quantitative survey approach. It is based on two studies, one of 205 expatriates and one of 96 expatriate–supervisor dyads. The data were collected through personal networks and with the help of multinational companies.FindingsThis research shows that stress at a medium- to high-level increases SU among male expatriates, but not among female expatriates. Expatriates with substantial prior international experience were identified as being more prone to react to stress by resorting to SU. It also provides evidence that SU to aid coping harms professional adjustment. Moreover, some implications relating to professional adjustment are discussed.Research limitations/implicationsSU was self-reported; this may have deterred users from accurately reporting their consumption levels. Moreover, convenience samples have been used. Preventive actions limiting SU, such as well-being programs, could be sponsored by local human resource managers in order to limit this phenomenon.Originality/valueThis work is one of the first to analyze SU among expatriates. It shows that some expatriates are more at risk than others of resorting to such use to cope with the hardships of expatriation.

Adjusting to working away and as an expatriate: learnings on what organisations can do to promote the mental health and well-being of workers and their families

2020 ◽  
Vol 60 (2) ◽  
pp. 440
Author(s):  
Melanie L. Freeman
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Work Performance ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Psychosocial Risks ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Building Capability ◽  
The Military ◽  
Health And Well Being

Adjusting to frequent separations and reunions can put pressure on the relationships and families of those who work away. Although the work context is different, there are similar effects and challenges for workers, families and organisations across the military, expatriate and fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) research domains. Mental health, work performance, job satisfaction, relationships and parenting are all negatively affected by the extended periods of deployment or posting and the regular and ongoing shorter periods of FIFO work. At the individual level, personality dimensions (emotional stability, sociability, openness to new experiences), locus of control, intelligence, self-sufficiency and cultural intelligence have been shown to significantly affect these impacts and provide organisations with starting points for both the screening of candidates for roles and coaching them to better adjust and cope cross-culturally. The recruitment and onboarding processes should be underpinned by the principles of managing expectations and building capability, and this means that realistic and relevant information should focus on the realities of the work, the work environment and host country. The onboarding process that seeks to socialise the worker into the organisation and the culture should assume the worker will take at least 6 months to settle into the role. Predeparture training should engage with the worker and their families to ensure the development of coping skills and practical strategies for managing communication, parenting and relationships. Effectively managing the psychosocial risks faced by workers across these domains will improve the mental health and well-being of workers and their families.

Testing the differential impact of an internet-based mental health intervention on outcomes of wellbeing and psychological distress during COVID-19 (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joep van Agteren ◽  
Kathina Ali ◽  
Daniel Fassnacht ◽  
Matthew Iasiello ◽  
Gareth Furber ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Health Intervention ◽  
Mental Wellbeing ◽  
Mental Health Intervention ◽  
Differential Impact ◽  
Reliable Change ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Impact

BACKGROUND During COVID-19, the mental health of the general population has been precarious, making it pivotal to determine the impact of complementary internet-based psychological interventions on psychological distress and mental wellbeing. Both types of outcomes represent distinct dimensions of our mental health and congruent changes in outcomes of distress and wellbeing do not necessarily co-occur within individuals. When testing intervention impact it therefore is important to assess change on both outcomes on the individual-level, rather than solely testing group differences in average scores on the group-level. OBJECTIVE The current study set out to investigate the differential impact of an internet-based group mental health intervention on outcomes of wellbeing (i.e., wellbeing, life satisfaction, resilience) and indicators of psychological distress (i.e., depression, anxiety and stress). METHODS A 5-week mental health intervention was delivered to 90 participants using the Zoom platform. Impact on outcomes of distress, wellbeing and resilience was assessed at the start and the end of the program, with MANOVA and Reliable Change Indices (RCI) being used to determine program impact on the group and the individual level respectively. RESULTS The intervention significantly improved all mental health outcomes measured, showing small to moderate effects sizes. Larger effect sizes could be noted for those with problematic mental health scores at baseline. A total of 92% of participants demonstrated reliable change in at least one mental health outcome. Differential response patterns using RCI revealed that more than half of the participants showed improvement in both mental wellbeing and psychological distress, almost one third in outcomes of wellbeing only, and almost a quarter in distress only. CONCLUSIONS Results provide evidence for the significant impact of an internet-based mental health intervention during COVID-19 and indicates the importance of assessing dimensions of wellbeing and distress when determining intervention effectiveness. CLINICALTRIAL Not applicable

THE EFFECT OF WOMEN'S STATUS AND COMMUNITY ON THE GENDER DIFFERENTIAL IN CHILDREN'S NUTRITION IN INDIA

2011 ◽  
Vol 43 (5) ◽  
pp. 513-533 ◽  
Author(s):  
SUNITA BOSE
Keyword(s):  
Adult Literacy ◽  
Family Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Women's Status ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Supplemental Food ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Women’S Status ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Gender Differential

SummaryThis study uses the third National Family Health Survey (2005–06) in India to investigate whether differences in women's status, both at the individual and community levels, can explain the persistent gender differential in nutritional allocation among children. The results show that girls are less likely than boys to receive supplemental food and more likely to be malnourished. In general it appears that higher women's status within a community, as well as higher maternal status, have beneficial effects on a daughter's nutritional status. Further, the moderating effects of community appear to be more consistent and stronger than the individual-level characteristics. A positive relationship between the percentage of literate women in a community and the gender differential in malnutrition appears to be an exception to the general findings regarding the beneficial nature of women's status on a daughter's well-being, showing the need for more than just basic adult literacy drives in communities to overcome the problem of daughter neglect.

The Evolution of the Role of U.S. School Nurses in Adolescent Mental Health at the Individual, Community, and Systems Level: An Integrative Review

2022 ◽  
pp. 105984052110681
Author(s):  
Ashwini R. Hoskote ◽  
Emily Croce ◽  
Karen E. Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Adolescent Mental Health ◽  
School Nurse ◽  
School Nurses ◽  
Integrative Review ◽  
School Nursing ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Impact

School nurses are crucial to addressing adolescent mental health, yet evidence concerning their evolving role has not been synthesized to understand interventions across levels of practice (i.e., individual, community, systems). We conducted an integrative review of school nurse roles in mental health in the U.S. related to depressive symptoms, anxiety, and stress. Only 18 articles were identified, published from 1970 to 2019, and primarily described school nurses practicing interventions at the individual level, yet it was unclear whether they were always evidence-based. Although mental health concerns have increased over the years, the dearth of rigorous studies made it difficult to determine the impact of school nurse interventions on student mental health outcomes and school nurses continue to feel unprepared and under supported in this area. More research is needed to establish best practices and systems to support school nursing practice in addressing mental health at all levels of practice.

scholarly journals Integration at the workplace studies within multinational pharmaceutical factories in Hungary

2012 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. 69-71
Author(s):  
Anita Kozák
Keyword(s):  
Human Resource ◽  
Primary Objective ◽  
Human Resource Managers ◽  
Social Changes ◽  
Doctoral Research ◽  
Resource Managers ◽  
Management Literature ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Work Socialization

The primary objective of this essay is to assign a gap in Human Recourse Management literature. Many studies and resources are known about hiring and maintaining people and their loyalty to organizations. Work socialization is the first step to keeping people; however, most of the literature on integration at the workplace focuses primarily on organizational commitment and not on the individuals. Various perspectives of work socialization have been discussed including socialization stages, guidance and carrier development. This essay focuses on the approach of Human Resource Management, but the scope is expanded to the individual as well. In this paper, the reasoning, the methods and the questions of my future doctoral research on integration at the workplace are analysed. First, the issue is discussed from the perspective of social changes in Hungary. The next part of this essay illustrates varying definitions from the literature, providing then my own view of how to explain the integration process in the workplace and through which what I would like to focus my research. This article also aims to show possible methods (in-depth interviews with Human Resource Managers and document analysis) for examining the topic at multinational pharmaceutical factories in Hungary, while highlighting the most important questions for which my research aims to find answers.

scholarly journals WHETHER INDIVIDUALISM MAKES PEOPLE FROM THE “WEST” HAPPIER AND COLLECTIVISM MAKES PEOPLE FROM THE “EAST” MORE SATISFIED IN LIFE: AN INDIVIDUAL-LEVEL ANALYSIS

2019 ◽  
Vol 128 (6B) ◽  
pp. 57
Author(s):  
Nguyễn Hữu An ◽  
Lê Duy Mai Phương
Keyword(s):  
Interpersonal Relationships ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Cultural Dimension ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
The West ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Collectivistic Cultures ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Level Of Analysis

Determinants of the variation of happiness have long been discussed in social sciences. Recent studies have focused on investigating cultural factors contributing to the level of individual happiness, in which the cultural dimension of individualism (IND) and collectivism (COL) has been drawing the attention of a large number of scholars. At the cultural level of analysis, happiness is associated with personal achievements as well as personal egoism in individualistic cultures, while it is related to interpersonal relationships in collectivistic cultures. Empirical research yields unconventional results at the individual level of analysis, that is, individuals in collectivistic cultures favor IND to be happy, in contrast, people in individualistic cultures emphasize COL be satisfied in life. Using data from the fifth wave of the World Values Survey (WVS), this study takes the cultural dimension of IND and COL at the individual level of analysis to detect its effects on happiness (conceptualized as subjective well-being – SWB) in the comparison between the two cultures. Multiple linear regression models reveal results that individuals from the “West” experience greater happiness when they expose themselves less individualist, while, individuals from the “East” feel more satisfied and happier in their life when they emphasize more on IND or being more autonomous.

scholarly journals Self-Reported Well-Being Indicators and Case Identification of Common Mental Health Disorders in Routinely Collected Health Data

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Thompson ◽  
Ann John ◽  
Richard Fry ◽  
Alan Watkins
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Satisfaction With Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Mental Health Disorders ◽  
Resource Utilisation ◽  
Individual Response ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Case Identification ◽  
Health Disorders ◽  
Mental Well Being

IntroductionCommon mental health disorders (CMD) are significant contributors to impaired health and well-being, and drive greater health resource utilisation. Electronic health records (EHR) are increasingly used for case identification of CMD when ascertaining social determinants of mental health. We seek to compare self-reported well-being indicators in groups identified using EHR-based CMD methods. Objectives and ApproachThe National Survey for Wales (NSW) contains self-reported well-being indicators (Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale, WEMWBS) recorded annually on ~7,000 individuals. We combined data from two NSWs and linked well-being indicators with Welsh Longitudinal General Practice (WLGP) data within the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage (SAIL) Databank, using individual response dates. We then used WGLP data to algorithmically derive identifiers of CMD cases within survey respondents. This individual-level linkage enables a comparison of NSW responses in CMD and non-CMD cases, and to assess sensitivity and specificity of the current CMD algorithm. ResultsSurvey participants comprised 18,450 adults aged 16+ and living in Wales during 16/17 or 18/19. WEMWBS responses indicate 2,338 (12.6%) participants could be considered possibly depressed, and 2,268 (12.3%) probably depressed with low mental well-being (LMW). For participants with LMW, a 42/58 percentage split is observed between male/female respondents, compared to a 45/55 respective split of those not identified with LMW. Participants with LMW recorded low measures for overall satisfaction with life, 998 (44%) reported a value of 5 or less (/10) compared to 1123 (7%) participants not identified with LMW. Similarly, 828 (37%) participants identified with LMW reported 5 or less (/10) on the life worthwhile index, compared to 800 (5%) of non-LMW participants. Conclusion / ImplicationsLinkage to the NSW provides a rich data source to compare objective well-being to algorithmically derived CMD cases from routinely collected primary care data. The individual-level linkage involved will allow for the wider determinants of mental health disorders to be examined.

scholarly journals Families Healing Together: Exploring a Family Recovery Online Course

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samantha Estrada
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Case Study Methodology ◽  
Loved One ◽  
Critical Gap ◽  
Care Services ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Family Mental Health ◽  
Recovery Program

Family members who are trying to support their loved one are often overburdened with stress, and health issues. Research has shown that families who receive family psychosocial education and support can have a dramatic impact on recovery outcomes and their family’s overall well-being. Family psychoeducation is not common. Families Healing Together (FHT) is an online family mental health recovery program that was developed to address this critical gap in family mental health care services. Using an exploratory case study methodology to understand how the program’s philosophy and practice impacts the program’s participants as well as how the participants perceive the benefits and limitations of the program. Findings suggest that the strengths of the program lie in the individual customization of the program to the consumer as well as the underlying message of hope of the program.

scholarly journals Digital Technology for Caregivers of People With Psychosis: Systematic Review

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. e55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliana Onwumere ◽  
Filipa Amaral ◽  
Lucia R Valmaggia
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychotic Disorders ◽  
Informal Caregivers ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Severe Form ◽  
Manual Search ◽  
Digital Interventions ◽  
Patient Groups ◽  
Meta Analyses

Background Psychotic disorders are severe mental health conditions that adversely affect the quality of life and life expectancy. Schizophrenia, the most common and severe form of psychosis affects 21 million people globally. Informal caregivers (families) are known to play an important role in facilitating patient recovery outcomes, although their own health and well-being could be adversely affected by the illness. The application of novel digital interventions in mental health care for patient groups is rapidly expanding; interestingly, however, far less is known about their role with family caregivers. Objective This study aimed to systematically identify the application of digital interventions that focus on informal caregivers of people with psychosis and describe their outcomes. Methods We completed a search for relevant papers in four electronic databases (EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Web of Science). The search also included the Cochrane database and manual search of reference lists of relevant papers. The search was undertaken in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses reporting guidelines. Results The search identified 9 studies derived from 8 unique datasets. Most studies were assessments of feasibility and were undertaken in the United States. Interventions were predominately Web-based, with a focus on improving the caregivers’ knowledge and understanding about psychosis. Conclusions This study offers preliminary support for the feasibility and acceptability of digital interventions for psychosis in informal caregiver populations. However, the findings underpin a clear need for greater development in the range of caregiver-focused digital approaches on offer and robust evaluation of their outcomes. The use of digital approaches with caregiver populations seemingly lags someway behind the significant developments observed in patient groups.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document