A selection from Stockholm University publication database

• Organizational change and commitment

  2021. Kristina Westerberg (et al.). Economic and Industrial Democracy 42 (4), 899-916

  Article

  Frequent organizational changes have been a rule rather than an exception in many European countries for decades. The present study investigates how affective organizational commitment relates to and moderates the effects of having been exposed to organizational restructuring on employee well-being, quality of care and turnover intentions among 530 eldercare employees in Sweden and Spain. The results show that there was a main effect of employees’ experiences of being affected by change on well-being and turnover intentions but not on quality of care. Restructuring changes were moderated by affective commitment on turnover intentions. However, the buffering effect of affective commitment in terms of protecting employees from turnover intentions was weak.

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• Coping Processes of South African First-Year University Students

  2020. Liesel Engelbrecht (et al.). Journal of Student Affairs in Africa 8 (2), 1-16

  Article

  South African higher education institutions (HEIs) face significant challenges with high first-year student drop‑out rates due to various stressors students are facing. The current study explores the coping of first-year students studying at a South African university. This qualitative study followed an exploratory, descriptive, interpretive strategy to gain a deeper understanding of students’ coping during their first academic year at university. Ten participants were recruited through a trusted gatekeeper using purposive voluntary and later snowball sampling methods. Data were collected using the Mmogo method ® and semi-structured individual follow-up interviews. Interactive qualitative and thematic analyses generated three themes: (1) the availability of and access to coping resources for first-year students; (2) coping strategies first-year students rely on to manage stressors at university; and (3) the effectiveness of selected coping strategies. Understanding the coping of first-year students could assist HEIs in intervening and supporting first-year students appropriately, to enhance theirfirst-year experience (FYE) and overall student well‑being. Though limited to a small qualitative study, the contribution to FYE literature is through exploring nuanced coping resources, strategies, and the effectiveness thereof for students, which challenges the ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach many universities may use. However, there are strategies and awareness of resources that could, in general, be helpful.

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• The moderating effect of social support on the relationship between burnout, intention to drop out, and satisfaction with studies of first-year university students

  2020. Karina Mostert, Jaco Pienaar. Journal of Psychology in Africa 30 (3), 197-202

  Article

  This study investigated the relationships between student burnout, intention to drop out, and satisfaction with studies, considering their self-reported social support from parents and significant others. First-year black African students from a peri-urban South African university campus (n= 452; females = 58.63%; mean age = 20.08 years, SD = 2.70 years) completed burnout, intention to drop out, satisfaction with studies, and social support measures. Regression analyses showed students with higher burnout symptoms (i.e. exhaustion, cynicism, and lack of professional efficacy) to have a higher intention to drop out from university and to be less satisfied with their studies. Social support from parents and significant others moderated certain relationships between burnout, intention to drop out, and satisfaction with studies. Understanding the role of social support on quality of student life could assist academic development and support services to provide better-targeted interventions with first-year university students.

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• Cambiamento organizzativo e sue conseguenze (e come mitigarle)

  2019. Magnus Sverke (et al.). Introduzione alla psicologia delle organizzazioni, 261-284

  Chapter

  Nella loro carriera lavorativa tutti, prima o poi, sperimentano cambiamenti organizzativi. Il modo in cui le persone fanno fronte e reagiscono ai cambiamenti che incontrano nelle loro carriere e nella vita in generale dipende da molti fattori e da molte circostanze. È stato mostrato che un fattore importante del modo in cui i dipendenti reagiscono a un cambiamento organizzativo è la percezione e la valutazione del cambiamento stesso – se come una minacciao come un’opportunità. Quando il cambiamento è percepito come qualcosa di stressante, le persone tendono ad assumere un atteggiamento difensivo e a mettere in atto vari meccanismi di difesa per affrontare la situazione. Se invece il cambiamento è interpretato positivamente, e c’è la speranza che certi desideri e certe aspettative troveranno realizzazione, le persone possonoaccogliere con favore il cambiamento e possono anche contribuire ad esso. Poiché la maggior parte delle persone sembra preferire la prevedibilità, la sicurezza e la stabilità quando si tratta del proprio impiego e della propria situazione lavorativa, i cambiamenti organizzativi tendono a essere vissuti,almeno in una certa misura, come una fonte di stress. Questo capitolo illustra i modelli correnti del cambiamento organizzativo e ne descrive diversi tipi, soffermandosi sugli elementi più importanti per comprendere e spiegare imodi in cui le persone li interpretano e reagiscono ad essi.

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• Health and well-being among early career psychologists and social workers – compensatory resources in profiles of psychological work environments

  2019. Esther Hauer (et al.). Abstract Book of the 19th European Association of Work and Organizational Psychology Congress, 1069-1069

  Conference

  Stress-related sick leave is more common among psychologists and social workers than the general working population in Sweden. The transition from higher education to work-life seems to interact with the work environment to influence long-term health.

  Purpose: To explore how different profiles of psychosocial work environment variables relate to health and well-being among newly graduated social workers and psychologists.

  Methods: Of the 5213 surveys distributed, 2091 responses are included in this study (1248 social workers and 843 psychologists; 1742women, 331 men and 14 unknown). The cluster variables were selected among the context related resources surveyed: Professional isolation, (social support and stress during) Transition to work-life and Influence at work.

  Results: Of the eight context-related clusters, the two “best” clusters differed significantly from the two “worst” on almost every variable tested, including General Health and Life Satisfaction. The four clusters “in the middle” did not differ significantly from each other, except on the three cluster variables. As no differences were found in health and well-being, yet each of the “middle” clusters lacked in one or two of the cluster variables, indicates that some lacking resources can compensate for by the other(s). This finding is in line with the JD-R theory.

  Limitations: These results are based on cross-sectional self-reported survey data.

  Practical implications and originality: This large scale study puts focus on the context and the role of compensatory resources, opening up for fruitful health interventions.

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• To what extent do work contexts affect personal resources – a one-year follow up on work-related psychological flexibility

  2019. Stefan Holmström (et al.). Abstract Book of the 19th European Association of Work and Organizational Psychology Congress, 1527-1527

  Conference

  Employees often need to adapt to situational demands as well as shift their mindset, preferably supported by a broad and adaptable work-related behavioral repertoire. Early in their careers psychologists and social workers are still developing said repertoire, which tests their work related psychological flexibility. Considered a personal resource, psychological flexibility moderates workrelated stress. However, prolonged lack of personal and organizational resources would impair the development of adequate behavioral repertoires, possibly to the extent of hampering work related psychological flexibility.

  Purpose: We hypothesize that improved work-environment supports the development of relevant professional behavioral repertoires and strengthens work related psychological flexibility.

  Approach: In 2018 (P2) we sent a survey to 5176 newly graduated psychologists and social workers in Sweden, of whom approximately 3800 previously received our 2017 (P1) survey. We will use the P1 and P2 ratings of psychosocial work environment to sort participants into No-, Positive- and Negative-change categories respectively. Thereafter we will measure intra-individual changes in work-related psychological flexibility per category, as well as inter-group differences in P1 to P2 change.

  Preliminary results: In a cluster analysis on P1 data, results indicated that individuals in well-balanced work-environments rated their psychological flexibility higher than those in high-demands-low-resources contexts. Suspecting a direct or indirect influence of demands-resources (im)balance, we expect psychological flexibility at Point 2 to reflect changes in work-environment from Point 1 to Point 2.

  Limitations: All results are based on self-reported survey data.

  Practical implications and originality: Significant results would indicate that early career work-environment influences work-related psychological flexibility.

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• Transitions between work contexts among early career psychologist and social workers – a one year follow-up

  2019. Ingrid Schéle (et al.). Abstract Book of the 19th European Association of Work and Organizational Psychology Congress, 606-607

  Conference

  Our previous research on social workers and psychologists indicated that men were underrepresented in work contexts characterised by high job demands and low resources, and that work-related self-efficacy correlated positively with intention to leave. Moreover, the JD-R theory stipulates that work-contexts with well-balanced demands and resources facilitate job-crafting.

  Purpose: We therefore aim to find out if those (women) who had a “bad” start in their profession, and low work-related self-efficacy, remain in “bad” work-contexts.

  Approach: In 2018 we sent a survey to 5176 newly graduated psychologists and social workers in Sweden, of whom approximately 3800 previously received our 2017 survey. We will again use SLEIPNER 2.0 to conduct a hierarchal cluster analysis based on transition to work-life, perceived influence at work, and professional isolation, and compare the two cluster solutions – including mapping how participants migrate between the 2017 and 2018 clusters.

  Preliminary results: In 2017 a satisfactory 8-cluster solution emerged where the two “best” and two “worst” clusters differed on most variables studied, however psychological demands hit the ceiling in all clusters. In the four middle clusters lack of one or two resources seemed to be compensated for by the other(s), as no further inter-cluster differences surfaced. In 2018 we expect most individuals to have transited between clusters of similar compositions.

  Limitations: All results are based on self-reported survey data.

  Practical implications and originality: This large scale longitudinal study will put focus on the context rather than the nature of the work of these professionals, opening up for fruitful interventions.

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Show all publications by Jacobus Pienaar at Stockholm University