Despite positive and negative emotions being equally important predictors of adolescent wellbeing, research examining positive emotions is limited. In 4582 adolescents (69.4% females; age M ± SD = 14.55 ± 1.74 years), we used structural equation modelling to examine associations between self-reported sleep duration and quality with positive affect, negative affect, and happiness, controlling for age and sex. Overall, sleep quality displayed stronger associations with all measures of emotions compared to sleep duration. Shorter sleep was more specifically associated with lower positive emotions (happiness, followed by positive affect), whereas poorer sleep showed stronger associations with negative affect. Protecting sleep duration may promote positive emotions and enhancing sleep quality may reduce mood disturbances. Future research could incorporate both positive and negative emotions to better understand adolescents' wellbeing.
Objectives
The primary objective of this study was to establish whether clinical depression and increased suicide risk differed between Australian fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) workers and their residential counterparts in the resources sector. We also sought to identify whether bullying and social support were associated with depression and suicide risk in this cohort.
Methods
A cross-sectional survey design was used. Completed questionnaires were received from 751 respondents who were employed in the Australian resources sector. Primary outcomes were assessed with the Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Hopelessness Scale and Negative Acts Questionnaire – Revised. A general linear model was used to examine the association between depression, hopelessness and predictive factors.
Results
The results of a general linear model analysis demonstrated that depression (partial η2 = 0.02; P = 0.01) and hopelessness (partial η2 = 0.02; P = 0.02) were significantly higher in residential than FIFO workers. In addition, bullying was significantly associated with higher levels of depression (partial η2 = 0.11; P = 0.001) and hopelessness (partial η2 = 0.04; P = 0.001). Finally, increased social support was significantly associated with lower depression rates (partial η2 = 0.13; P = 0.001) and hopelessness (partial η2 = 0.14; P = 0.001).
Conclusions
Interventions should be delivered to reduce depression and hopelessness in Australian resource workers, particularly through addressing workplace bullying and enhancing social support.
What is known about the topic?
One-third of Australian resource workers experience psychosocial distress. Research examining factors that influence such distress is lacking.
What does this paper add?
The results of this study demonstrate that clinical depression and suicide risk were significantly higher in residential resource workers than in FIFO workers. Depression and suicide risk were directly associated with workplace bullying. In addition, social support was an important protective factor against depression and bullying in Australian FIFO and residential resource workers.
What are the implications for practitioners?
There is an urgent need to introduce interventions that reduce psychosocial distress in the resource sector, particularly through the mitigation of bullying
BackgroundWorkplace bullying has diverse consequences at both the organisational and individual level. Anecdotal reports indicate that workplace bullying is an issue of particular concern for Australian FIFO workers, which may impact on psychosocial distress. However, no prior studies have examined this issue empirically in a FIFO worker cohort.
Methods and materialsA cross-sectional survey study design was used to establish the prevalence of bullying in Australian FIFO, antecedents of bullying, and its association with psychosocial distress. Responses were received from 580 FIFO workers in the Australian resources sector. Primary outcome measures were Negative Acts Questionnaire-Revised, Beck Depression Inventory II, and Beck Hopelessness Scale. Logistic regression models were constructed to examine the association between bullying, suicide risk, and clinical depression.
ResultsOver half of the respondents experienced workplace bullying (55.7%), and about one-third reported moderate or more severe depression (32.3%). Being above the median age (OR = 0.51; 95% CI = 0.31-0.83) and having a supervisor who failed to promote collaboration (OR = 3.04; 95% CI = 1.84-5.04) were both significantly associated with experiencing bullying. Bullying was associated with an almost threefold increase in the likelihood of participants reporting increased suicide risk (OR = 2.70; 95% CI = 1. 53-4.76). Bullying was also associated with participants being almost two and a half times more likely to report clinical depression (OR = 2.38; 95% CI = 1.40-4.05).
ConclusionThe incidence of bullying in Australian FIFO workers has reached alarming proportions. Bullying was significantly associated with higher levels of clinical depression and suicide risk.
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