Identifying long-term patterns of work-related rumination: associations with job demands and well-being outcomes

Abstract

The aim of this 2-year longitudinal study was to identify long-term patterns of work-related rumination in terms of affective rumination, problem-solving pondering, and lack of psychological detachment from work during off-job time. We also examined how the patterns differed in job demands and wellbeing outcomes. The data were collected via questionnaires in three waves among employees (N = 664). Through latent profile analysis (LPA), five stable long-term patterns of rumination were identified: (1) no rumination (n = 81), (2) moderate detachment from work (n = 228), (3) moderate rumination combined with low detachment (n = 216), (4) affective rumination (n = 54), and (5) problemsolving pondering (n = 85), both combined with low detachment. The patterns differed in the job demands and well-being outcomes examined. Job demands (time pressure, cognitive and emotional demands) were at the highest level across time in patterns 3-5 and lowest in pattern 1. Patterns 3 and 4 were associated with poorer well-being outcomes (higher job exhaustion and more sleeping problems, and lower work engagement) across time. By contrast, pattern 5 showed positive outcomes, especially high level of work engagement. Thus, the different patterns of work-related ruminative thoughts suggest diverse relationships with job demands and well-being.

Testing cross‐lagged relationships between work‐related rumination and well‐being at work in a three‐wave longitudinal study across 1 and 2 years

“…The questionnaire data were collected in three waves using electronic questionnaires (see Kinnunen et al, 2017). First, in spring 2013 (Time 1), of the employees contacted (N = 3,593), 1,347 returned the completed questionnaire after two reminders, yielding a response rate of 36%.…”

“…In addition, in a cross‐sectional study by Querstret and Cropley () affective rumination was significantly associated with increased work‐related fatigue. It has also been shown that those scoring high in affective rumination showed least work engagement, of which vigour is a part, over a 2‐year period (Kinnunen et al ., ). Based on this evidence, we hypothesize the following:…”

“…In addition, 1‐year time lags appear to be most common and useful in longitudinal studies investigating the long‐term job stressors–strain relationship (see Ford et al ., , for a review). Job stressors are closely related to work‐related rumination (Kinnunen et al ., ; Syrek et al ., ). However, as not all studies using a 1‐year time lag have revealed lagged effects (e.g., Firoozabadi et al ., ; Kinnunen & Feldt, ), we expanded the time lag to 2 years.…”

“…In the cross‐sectional study by Querstret and Cropley (), problem‐solving pondering was associated with reduced fatigue. In two other studies, employees high in pondering exhibited the highest level of work engagement (Bennett et al ., ; Kinnunen et al ., ), of which vigour is a part (Schaufeli et al ., ). In the latter study, high engagement among pondering employees was observed across 2 years.…”

Challenge and hindrance demands in relation to self‐reported job performance and the role of restoration, sleep quality, and affective rumination

“…There is some evidence showing that perseverative cognitions are key mediators in the unfavourable relations between job demands and sleep (De Witte, Pienaar, & De Cuyper, ; Van Laethem et al ., ). Moreover, challenge (e.g., workload, cognitive demands) and hindrance (e.g., job insecurity) demands have previously been related to high affective rumination, lower psychological detachment from work during off‐job time, and greater need for recovery (Höge, Sora, Weber, Peiró, & Caballer, ; Kinnunen, Mauno, & Siltaloppi, ; Kinnunen et al ., ). A recent meta‐analysis has shown that especially challenge demands relate to poor detachment from work during off‐job time (Bennett, Bakker, & Field, ), which may refer to affective rumination.…”