Social Comparison and Stress Appraisal in Women with Chronic Illness.

(1) Background: The present study examined how social comparison orientation, stress appraisal and different social comparison strategies interact in women facing chronic illness. (2) Methods: Assessments were conducted by a trained professional in face-to face semistructured interviews (n = 179 women with chronic illness). Main outcome measures included social comparison scales and a stress appraisal questionnaire. The mediation model, by a bootstrapping procedure, was used to analyze the interaction among variables. (3) Results: Regarding the relationships among variables studied, they were related to each other except for a downward contrast, which allowed us to propose our hypothetical mediation model. Results showed that stress appraisal fully mediates between social comparison orientation and social comparison strategies except for the upward identification strategy. (4) Conclusions: Our results suggest that uncertainty, feelings of threat and low control over one's illness or, in general, stress appraisal, had an important mediating effects over social comparison processes in patients with chronic illnesses. Therefore, by understanding the stress appraisal process, and the variables that might modify it, we could improve the use of social comparison as a favorable coping strategy.

Profiles of Women With Fibromyalgia and Social Comparison Processes.

BACKGROUND: Due to uncertainty regarding chronic pain in Fibromyalgia (FM) patients, there has been a growing interest in social comparison and its influence on emotional responses. AIMS: to analyze profiles in FM patients according to pain perception, social comparison strategies and anxiety and depression. METHODS: The sample consisted of 131 FM outpatients (Mean age: 50.15, SD = 11.1). Two scales were used: the Social Comparison Illness Scale and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. RESULTS: Two profiles were found by cluster analysis (K-means method): one (66%) with a higher level of pain perception, anxiety and depression and greater use of upward contrast and downward identification social comparison; and another (34%) with lower levels of pain perception, anxiety and depression and greater use of upward identification and downward contrast. CONCLUSION: These profiles underline the interest in social comparison strategies and their role in FM.

Lactation and Work: Managers' Support for Breastfeeding Enhance Vertical Trust and Organizational Identification.

BACKGROUND: In working women, there are barriers when combining the mother and work role, especially during the breastfeeding period. Recent literature shows that improving organizational support increases trust performance via different domains (i.e., organizational identification) and that improving support for breastfeeding increases lactation rates and duration. Breastfeeding support in the workplace is one component that contributes to a mother's ability to continue to breastfeed once she has returned to work. This is a Human Resource Management practice that facilitates a work-life balance. Working mothers have, at least, two roles: mother and worker and, when mothers return to work, they have to manage both identities. Is lactation a way to keep both identities connected? Is organizational support of breastfeeding a way to improve organizational identification? The aim of this paper is to analyze a hierarchical model to explain how managers and co-worker support to breastfeeding predict trust and organizational identity in a sample of Spanish working mothers (N = 1,028). MATERIALS AND METHODS: To analyze the indirect effect, it was tested using a mediation model with PROCESS in two random samples and carried out structural equation modeling to confirm structural relationship in the proposed model. RESULTS: Outcomes reveal effects of managers' support to lactation and vertical trust in organizational identity but not in co-worker path. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest the manager's role in maintaining trust from working women and create and maintenance organizational identification.

Team Efficiency in Organizations: A Group Perspective on Initiative.

Organizational research has shown that personal initiative is related to both climate for initiative and work engagement. Yet little is known about what happens to this relationship once the focus shifts to the team level. When organizational and team goals are involved this renders the relationship more complex, and team identification and organizational identification are likely to be key to understanding it. In this paper we develop a model to deal with these complexities. This predicts (a) that team identification will impact on team initiative through team work engagement while (b) organizational identification will impact on team initiative through climate for initiative. It is also expected that team initiative will, in turn, impact on team productivity, and on radical innovation as evaluated by the team leader. This model was tested in a field study with 327 participants of 76 workteams belonging to 50 organizations. Results of SEM and regression analysis supported our main hypotheses. Findings showed that initiative is related to performance and also underline the importance of initiative at a team level. At the same time they suggest that to develop teams with high levels of initiative it is important to promote both organizational and team identification.

Social identity and engagement: an exploratory study at university / La identidad social y el compromiso: estudio exploratorio en la universidad

Within the framework of research on students' active performance in their study habits, the aim of this study is to analyze a model predicting the effect of social identity and personal initiative on engagement in university students. We conducted a cross-sectional study on 266 students from different Spanish universities. The resulting data were analyzed using SPSS Macro MEDIATE. Evidence was found for the proposed model. Only group-identity predicted personal initiative and engagement. Analysis revealed the mediating role of proactive behavior on engagement in university students. It is concluded that the university management may intervene, from an organizational-culture approach, promoting guidelines to reinforce students' sense of belonging by enhancing initiative and autonomous problem solving in learning behaviors (AU)

Dentro del marco de investigación sobre desempeño activo de estudiantes, el objetivo de este trabajo es analizar un modelo predictor del efecto de identidad social e iniciativa personal en el compromiso de estudiantes universitarios. Se llevó a cabo un estudio transversal con 266 alumnos de diversas universidades españolas. Los datos se analizaron con la Macro MEDIATE de SPSS. Se encontraron pruebas para el modelo propuesto. Sólo la identidad grupal predecía la iniciativa personal y el engagement. El análisis mostró el papel mediador de la iniciativa personal en el engagement de estudiantes universitarios. Entre las conclusiones se destaca la posibilidad de promover desde la Universidad el sentido de pertenencia para generar iniciativa personal y la solución autónoma de problemas en los comportamientos de aprendizaje (AU)

Resilience as a mediator in emotional social support's relationship with occupational psychology health in firefighters.

This study's objective is to examine the relationship between emotional demands and emotional social support at work, and the impact of resilience on health. A cross-sectional study of 156 firefighters was conducted. Descriptive analyses of the study's variables were performed, along with structural equation analysis and hierarchical regression analysis. The results suggest statistically significant relationships among the study's variables. Social support from one's boss and intense emotional demands were found to have an interaction effect on firefighters' resilience. The findings confirm the mediating role of resilience and the relationship with emotional social support from the boss on firefighters' occupational health.

Social identity, passion and well-being in university students, the mediating effect of passion

Research on positive emotions associated with the performance of an activity, such as work or study, has increased exponentially in recent years. Passion is understood as an attitude and intense emotion in the performance of an activity, and it has shown both positive and negative consequences for well-being. A link between social identity and positive emotions through social category membership has been described. The aim of this work is to study the relationship between social identity, the dimensions of passion and the positive impact on university responses. A quasiexperimental design was used on a sample of 266 university students from different Spanish universities (Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Universidad Miguel Hernández and Universidad de Alicante). Descriptive analyzes were performed on the study’s variables using SPSS 18. Structural equation modeling was carried out with AMOS 18 and the mediational analysis with MODMED macro developed by Preacher, Rucker, and Hayes (2007). The results show that the identity of the studies had an indirect effect on positive responses mediated by passion for the studies (RMSEA = .07; CFI = .97; NFI = .96; TLI = .92). It is observed that the harmonious and obsessive dimensions of passion differ in the mediating effect on happiness and satisfaction with studies. Practical and theoretical implications for well-being are discussed (AU)

No disponible

Social identity, passion and well-being in university students, the mediating effect of passion.

Research on positive emotions associated with the performance of an activity, such as work or study, has increased exponentially in recent years. Passion is understood as an attitude and intense emotion in the performance of an activity, and it has shown both positive and negative consequences for well-being. A link between social identity and positive emotions through social category membership has been described. The aim of this work is to study the relationship between social identity, the dimensions of passion and the positive impact on university responses. A quasi-experimental design was used on a sample of 266 university students from different Spanish universities (Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Universidad Miguel Hernández and Universidad de Alicante). Descriptive analyzes were performed on the study's variables using SPSS 18. Structural equation modeling was carried out with AMOS 18 and the mediational analysis with MODMED macro developed by Preacher, Rucker, and Hayes (2007). The results show that the identity of the studies had an indirect effect on positive responses mediated by passion for the studies (RMSEA = .07; CFI = .97; NFI = .96; TLI = .92). It is observed that the harmonious and obsessive dimensions of passion differ in the mediating effect on happiness and satisfaction with studies. Practical and theoretical implications for well-being are discussed.

Comparación social y variables psicosociales relacionadas: una revisión de cáncer y dolor crónico / Social Comparison and related psychosocial variables: a review of cancer and chronic pain

El concepto de comparación social ha despertado gran interés en a investigación que lo evalúan con el estado de salud. El presente trabajo tiene como objetivo revisar el constructo de comparación social en enfermos oncológicos y de dolor crónico y estudiar la relación de la comparación social con otras variables psicosociales y resultados adaptativos. Para ello se consultaron las bases de datos Medline y PsycInfo y se obtuvieron un total de 69 trabajos para enfermos oncológicos y 22 para pacientes con enfermedad crónica. Para la revisión del constructo, se seleccionaron un total de 20 estudios empíricos en enfermos oncológicos y 9 en enfermos crónicos. Entre los principales resultados de la revisión realizada, estos muestran que la mayoría de los trabajos han utilizado herramienta elaborado ad hoc, dificultando la replicación de los resultados. Además, no todos los trabajos consultados incluyen las dos dimensiones de la comparación social (orientación e interpretación) para analizar adecuadamente la influencia de la comparación social. Las implicaciones teóricas son discutidas en el trabajo (AU)

The concept of social comparison has aroused great interest in the research that evaluated the health state. The aims of this paper are to review the construct of social comparison in cancer patients and chronic pain and to study the relationship of social comparison with other psychosocial variables and adaptive outcomes. It was consulted databases Medline and PsycInfo and obtained a total of 69 report for cancer patients and 20 for patients with chronic disease. To the construct review, we selected a total of 22 empirical studies in cancer patients and 9 studies to chronic disease. The results of the review showed that most studies have used ad hoc developed tool. This is an obstacle to results replication. Moreover, not all the papers consulted include the two dimensions of social comparison (orientation and interpretation) to properly analyze the influence of social comparison. The theoretical implications are discussed at paper (AU)

Estudiar con pasión: relación con la iniciativa personal y el engagement / Studying with passion: personal initiative and engagement relationship

Los objetivos de este trabajo son, la adaptación al castellano de las escalas de pasión armoniosa y pasión obsesiva de Vallerand y otros y la propuesta de un modelo exploratorio que analice la relación ente ambos tipos de pasión y la iniciativa personal, el engagement y el aprendizaje percibido. En el estudio han participado una muestra de 266 estudiantes de titulaciones superiores de tres universidades (UNED, UMH y UA). Los resultados muestran relaciones estadísticamente significativas entre todas las variables del estudio, reproducen la estructura factorial del cuestionario original y confirman el modelo propuesto. Los resultados están en la línea de trabajos previos que identifican que experimentar pasión armoniosa en una actividad se relaciona con comportamientos positivos tales como persistencia, vigor y dedicación y un mejor rendimiento. Asimismo, se contrasta la independencia entre el engagement y el concepto de pasión. Las implicaciones teóricas y prácticas así como las limitaciones son discutidas en el trabajo.

This article studies the Spanish adaptation of the harmonious passion and obsessive passion scale (Vallerand et al. 2003) and the proposal of an exploratory model capable of analize the harmonious passion and obsessive passion; the personal initiative; the engagement; and perceibed learning. A sample of 266 students of higher degrees from three colleges (UNED, UMH and UA) participated in this study. The outcomes show significant statistic relationships among all the variables of this study, the factorial structure of the original questionaire is reproduced and the proposed model is confirmed. The outcomes match previous studies that show that experiencing harmonious passion in an activity is related with positive behaviours such as persistence, vigor, dedication, and better performance. From this perspective, the independence between engagement and the passion concept is compared. The theorical implications and practices along with limitations are discussed in this study.