Organizational Drivers of Burnout and Work Engagement: A Multilevel Study in Portuguese Firefighter Brigades.

In this study, we analyzed how organization-level demands and organizational-level social support relate to the core dimensions of burnout and work engagement, controlling for individual resources (i.e., proactive coping) and demands (i.e., acute demands) using the Job Demands-Resources Theory. In a sample of 1487 Portuguese firefighters nested within 70 fire brigades, hierarchical linear modeling indicated that: (1) proactive coping was related to lower burnout and higher work engagement, whereas acute demands were related to higher burnout and lower work engagement (for vigor only); (2) proactive coping moderated the relationship between acute demands and vigor; and (3) unexpectedly, social support from colleagues was not related to firefighters' well-being, whereas organization-level demands were related to higher burnout and lower work engagement. These results suggest the need to implement practices and policies to guarantee the relevant conditions for improving the well-being of firefighters, to develop coping strategies in a proactive way, and finally, to enhance support from colleagues.

Correction: Intensive longitudinal modelling predicts diurnal activity of salivary alpha-amylase.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0209475.].

Intensive longitudinal modelling predicts diurnal activity of salivary alpha-amylase.

Salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) activity has been widely used in psychological and medical research as a surrogate marker of sympathetic nervous system activation, though its utility remains controversial. The aim of this work was to compare alternative intensive longitudinal models of sAA data: (a) a traditional model, where sAA is a function of hour (hr) and hr squared (sAAj,t = f(hr, hr2), and (b) an autoregressive model, where values of sAA are a function of previous values (sAAj,t = f(sAA j,t-1, sAA j,t-2, …, sAA j,t-p). Nineteen normal subjects (9 males and 10 females) participated in the experiments and measurements were performed every hr between 9:00 and 21:00 hr. Thus, a total of 13 measurements were obtained per participant. The Napierian logarithm of the enzymatic activity of sAA was analysed. Data showed that a second-order autoregressive (AR(2)) model was more parsimonious and fitted better than the traditional multilevel quadratic model. Therefore, sAA follows a process whereby, to forecast its value at any given time, sAA values one and two hr prior to that time (sAA j,t = f(SAAj,t-1, SAAj,t-2) are most predictive, thus indicating that sAA has its own inertia, with a "memory" of the two previous hr. These novel findings highlight the relevance of intensive longitudinal models in physiological data analysis and have considerable implications for physiological and biobehavioural research involving sAA measurements and other stress-related biomarkers.

Los precipitadores situacionales del delito: otra mirada a la interacción persona-ambiente / Situation-related crime precipitators: another glance at the human interaction with the environment / Os precipitadores situacionais do crime: uma outra olhada à interação pessoa-ambiente

Los precipitadores situacionales del delito (Wortley, 2008) han recibido poca atención por la literatura criminológica en lengua española, y con frecuencia son subsumidos dentro de la perspectiva de la elección racional (Cornish & Clarke, 2003). Sin embargo, el estudio independiente de estos conceptos nos ofrece una oportunidad para profundizar en el proceso mediante el cual los delincuentes pasan al acto en sí. El objetivo de este estudio es sintetizar la evidencia en relación con los precipitadores situacionales del delito, los cuales ofrecen una nueva manera de examinar la interacción entre persona y ambiente en materia de delincuencia. La metodología empleada consiste en una revisión sistemática de la literatura de trabajos empíricos realizados a partir del 2007. Los resultados sugieren que es necesario profundizar en el proceso de toma de decisiones del delincuente desde una perspectiva integrada a nivel teórico, en lugar de hacerlo desde un punto de vista atomizado. Se concluye con una discusión de los resultados, después de considerar las características y limitaciones de los estudios observados.

Situational crime precipitators (Wortley, 2008) have received little attention from criminological literature in the Spanish language and, very often, they have been subsumed into the rational choice perspective (Cornish & Clarke, 2003). However, the autonomous study of these concepts offers us a good opportunity to delve into the process through which offenders move to commit the actual criminal act itself. The objective of this study is to synthetize the evidence with relation to the situational crime precipitators offering a new way to examine the human interaction with the environment in the field of crime. The methodology used envisages a systematic review of empirical literature works carried out since 2007. The results suggest that it is necessary to go further in-depth into the offender’s decision-making process from an integrated theoretical outlook instead of resorting to an atomized point of view. The article is concluded with a discussion on results after considering the major features and limitations of the studies examined.

Os precipitadores situacionais do crime (Wortley, 2008) receberam pouca atenção pela literatura criminológica na língua espanhola, e frequentemente são subsumidos dentro da perspectiva da eleição racional (Cornish & Clarke, 2003). Contudo, o estudo independente destes conceitos oferece-nos uma oportunidade de aprofundar-se no processo mediante o qual os delinquentes passam ao ato mesmo. O objetivo deste estudo é sintetizar a evidência com relação aos precipitadores situacionais do crime, que oferecem uma maneira nova de examinar a interação entre a pessoa e o ambiente na matéria da delinquência. A metodologia usada consiste em uma revisão sistemática da literatura de trabalhos empíricos feitos a partir de 2007. Os resultados sugerem que é necessário aprofundar no processo da tomada de decisão do delinquente de uma perspectiva integrada no nível teórico, em vez de fazê-lo de um ponto de vista atomizado. Conclui-se com uma discussão dos resultados, após ter considerado as características e as limitações dos estudos observados.

Compartiendo afectos positivos en el trabajo: el rol de la similitud en los equipos / Sharing Possitive Affects in the Workplace: The Role Played by Similarity in Teams / Compartindo afetos positivos no trabalho: o rol da similitude nas equipes

Objetivo. Analizar la relación entre la similitud de las características demográficas (género, tipo de contrato y años trabajando en la empresa) y la similitud en los afectos positivos en equipos de trabajo, a partir de la teoría del contagio emocional. Método. La muestra estuvo compuesta por 691 empleados, anidados en 110 equipos de trabajo, de 21 empresas españolas. Resultados. Los análisis de regresión revelan que la similitud en cuanto al tipo de contrato y años trabajando en la empresa fueron predictores significativos y positivos de la similitud en términos de afectos positivos en equipos de trabajo. Conclusión. Los afectos positivos se comparten en mayor medida en equipos de trabajo que están integrados por personas que comparten características sociodemográficas similares.

Objective. Based on emotional contagion theory, this paper analyzes the relationship between the similarity of demographic characteristics (gender, type of contract, and company tenure) and the similarity in positive effects within working teams. Method. The sample consisted of 691 employees nested within 110 teams in 21 Spanish companies. Results. Regression analyses showed that similarity in type of contract and number of years of employment in the company, were significantly and positively associated with similarity in terms of positive effect in work teams. Conclusion. Thus, team members sharing demographic characteristics are more similar in terms of positive affect.

Escopo. Analisar a relação entre a similitude das características demográficas (gênero, tipo de contrato e anos trabalhando na empresa) e a similitude nos afetos positivos em equipes de trabalho, a partir da teoria do contágio emocional. Metodologia. A amostra está composta por 691 empregados agrupados em 110 equipes de trabalho de 21 empresas espanholas. Resultados. Os análises de regressão revelam que a similitude em quanto ao tipo de contrato e anos trabalhando na empresa foram preditores significativos e positivos da similitude em termos de afetos positivos em equipes de trabalho. Conclusão. Os afetos positivos são compartilhados em maior medida em equipes de trabalho que estão integradas por pessoal que comparte características sócio-demográficas similares.

Spreading engagement: On the role of similarity in the positive contagion of team work engagement / Generando engagement: el papel de la similitud en el contagio positivo del engagement con el trabajo en equipos

Emotional contagion theory applied to work and organizations posits that positive emotions are shared among team members, thus enabling them to converge in desirable shared states such as team work engagement. The aim of this study is to analyze how similarity among team members in terms of gender and company tenure is related to convergence in work engagement at the team level. Similarity in terms of gender and company tenure was expected to be positively related to convergence in team work engagement. Hierarchical regression modeling in 161 teams showed that similarity in terms of gender was positively related to convergence in team work engagement, whereas, unexpectedly, similarity in company tenure was negatively related to convergence in team work engagement (AU)

La teoría del contagio emocional aplicada al trabajo y a las organizaciones plantea que las emociones positivas se comparten con los miembros del equipo, a los que capacita para la convergencia en estados deseables compartidos como el engagement con el trabajo en equipos. El objetivo de este trabajo es analizar en qué sentido la similitud entre los miembros del equipo en cuanto a sexo y antigüedad en la empresa se relaciona con la convergencia en el engagement con el trabajo en equipos. Se esperaba que la similitud en cuanto a género y antigüedad en la empresa se relacionase positivamente con la convergencia en el engagement con el trabajo en equipos. Los modelos de regresión multinivel aplicados a 161 equipos de trabajo muestran que la similitud de los miembros en cuanto a género se relaciona positivamente con la convergencia en engagement con el trabajo en equipos mientras que, inesperadamente, la similitud en antigüedad en la empresa se relaciona negativamente con la convergencia en engagement con el trabajo en equipos (AU)

Intervenciones Positivas en Organizaciones Positivas / Positive Interventions in Positive Organizations

We describe how (positive) organizations can be enhanced from the framework of Positive Psychology, being healthy from a psychological point of view, as well as resilient in times of crisis and turmoil. Thus, Healthy & Resilient Organizations (HEROs) make systematic, planned, and proactive efforts to improve employees' and organizational processes and outcomes (Salanova, Llorens, Cifre, & Martínez, 2012). These efforts involve fostering healthy organizational resources and practices aimed at improving the work environment, especially during changing times. Despite its relevance in modern societies, research on how to develop HEROs is scarce. Therefore, in this article first we focus on its concept and the measurement, and then, we review the main research conducted on interventions to promote HEROs based on Positive Psychology from a collective (teams and organizations) and an individual (employee) point of view. Lastly, we develop a set of best practices on positive interventions in the organizational context.

Describimos cómo las organizaciones (positivas) pueden mejorar desde la Psicología Positiva, siendo saludables desde un punto de vista psicológico, y resilientes en tiempos de crisis y confusión. Las organizaciones saludables y resilientes (Healthy & Resilient Organizations - HEROs) hacen esfuerzos sistemáticos, planificados, y proactivos para mejorar la salud de sus empleados, y los procesos y resultados de la organización (Salanova, Llorens, Cifre, y Martínez, 2012). Estos esfuerzos incluyen fomentar recursos y prácticas organizacionales saludables para mejorar el trabajo, especialmente durante tiempos de cambios. A pesar de su importancia en las sociedades modernas, la investigación sobre cómo desarrollar HEROs es escasa. En este artículo revisamos su concepto y medida, así como las principales investigaciones sobre intervenciones para promover HEROs basadas en la psicología positiva, tanto a nivel colectivo (equipos y organizaciones) como individual (empleado). Por último, se describen cuáles son las "mejores prácticas" en materia de intervenciones positivas en el contexto organizacional.

Teams make it work: How team work engagement mediates between social resources and performance in teams / Cómo el engagement en el trabajo del equipo media entre los recursos sociales y el desempeño

In this study we analyze the mediating role of team work engagement between team social resources (i.e., supportive team climate, coordination, teamwork), and team performance (i.e., in-role and extra-role performance) as predicted by the Job Demands-Resources Model. Aggregated data of 533 employees nested within 62 teams and 13 organizations were used, whereas team performance was assessed by supervisor ratings. Structural equation modeling revealed that, as expected, team work engagement plays a mediating role between social resources perceived at the team level and team performance as assessed by the supervisor (AU)

En este estudio analizamos el rol mediador del engagement en el trabajo en equipo entre los recursos sociales (i.e., clima de apoyo, coordinación, trabajo en equipo) y el desempeño del equipo (i.e., desempeño inrol y extra-rol) tal como predice el Modelo de Demandas-Recursos Laborales. Se utilizó una muestra de 533 empleados anidados en 62 equipos y 13 organizaciones. El desempeño del equipo fue evaluado por los supervisores. Los Modelos de Ecuaciones Estructurales revelaron que, tal como se esperaba, el engagement en el trabajo del equipo juega un rol mediador entre los recursos sociales percibidos por el equipo y su desempeño evaluado por el supervisor (AU)

Teams make it work: how team work engagement mediates between social resources and performance in teams.

In this study we analyze the mediating role of team work engagement between team social resources (i.e., supportive team climate, coordination, teamwork), and team performance (i.e., in-role and extra-role performance) as predicted by the Job Demands-Resources Model. Aggregated data of 533 employees nested within 62 teams and 13 organizations were used, whereas team performance was assessed by supervisor ratings. Structural equation modeling revealed that, as expected, team work engagement plays a mediating role between social resources perceived at the team level and team performance as assessed by the supervisor.