Preference awareness education as stress management training for academic staff

Abstract

This paper describes a response directed stress management intervention (SMI) in the form of a Jungian based preference awareness education (PAE). It uses the Insights System of personality types to increase awareness of behaviour and communication preferences of self and different others. Eighteen self‐recruited academic employees participated for 7 weeks and received feedback about work preferences and personality type. The aim was to reduce perceptions of stress and interpersonal stress and to increase feelings of job satisfaction and interpersonal satisfaction. The data were analysed using two‐tailed t‐tests. No significant findings were observed for the total sample after training, however, interesting results were found for certain sub‐sample groups. Extravert‐thinking types, reported decreased stress levels (p > 0.018), and participants suffering high stress/interpersonal stress pre‐PAE, reported decreased stress levels (p > 0.010–0.018). Participants suffering low job/interpersonal satisfaction pre‐PAE, reported increased job satisfaction (p > 0.015–0.016). These results suggest that individuals who report high levels of stress and dissatisfaction are most likely to benefit from this type of intervention. Future PAE research might: (a) use pilot studies to meet the intervention preferences of employees that are reluctant to participate in SMIs; (b) include a wait‐list control group; use: (c) a follow up education/measures; (d) and organizational level (stressor directed) SMIs at the same time as response directed initiatives. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

What is in Applicants' Minds When They Fill Out a Personality Test? Insights from a qualitative study

“…We asked the four interviewees who had already had some experience with a personality test chosen by an organization whether they remembered the name of the test. One of our interviewees (interviewee A. S.) reported having filled out the Occupational Personality Questionnaire in its forced‐choice form (Bartram, Brown, Fleck, Inceoglu, & Ward, ); another (interviewee C. S.) mentioned the Insights Discovery Personal Profile (Insights, ), a forced‐choice test based on C. G. Jung's theory (see also Stefansdottir & Sutherland, ), and the other two could not remember the name of the test or describe it in a way that made it possible to identify it.…”

Using personality feedback for work-related development and performance improvement: A rapid evidence assessment.

“…Nine of the 12 REA-included studies used type-based PFI tools. Sutton et al (2015) used an Enneagram model (nine types), but most (six) studies employed the MBTI or conceptually similar instruments (i.e., Rekar Munro & Laiken, 2003; Stefansdottir & Sutherland, 2005). Studies evaluating effects of trait-based PFIs were uncommon and not necessarily designed with PFI evaluation as the primary focus (i.e., Church et al, 2016; Ellingson et al, 2007).…”

“…Four studies were rated at the C-level—two studies with possible medium effects (Rekar Munro & Laiken, 2003; Varvel et al, 2004) and two studies with small effects or a combination of favorable and unfavorable effects (Stefansdottir & Sutherland, 2005; Sutton et al, 2015). Two studies (Sedlock, 2005; Waite & McKinney, 2018) provided D-level evidence and little information about the nature of (possible) changes resulting from PFIs.…”

“…Confusing reporting of some results complicates study interpretation, but the idea of comparing a PFI to generic, conceptually similar self-awareness training is laudable. Stefansdottir and Sutherland (2005) investigated an Insights Discovery System program (similar to the MBTI) as part of stress management training for college instructors and staff members (N = 18). The authors did not report effect sizes, but descriptive statistics suggest the effects on stress and satisfaction scales were generally small and not always favorable.…”

The Impact of Mindfulness Meditation on Academic Well-Being and Affective Teaching Practices

“…This prior exposure was varied and was described at different times by participants as prayer, meditation, relaxation and reflection. Therefore it should be noted meditation strategies may vary and individuality, cultural and religious diversity will influence the outcomes (Hassed, Sierpina, & Kreitzer, 2008;Holland, 2004;Palmer & Rodger, 2009;Stefansdottir & Sutherland, 2005).…”