Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Demands, control, supportive relationships and well-being amongst British mental health workers

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Staff well-being is considered to be a potential problem within mental health occupations, and its variability is in need of investigation. Our starting point is to assess the role of demands, control and supportive relationships that are at the core of Karasek’s model. The study aims to assess the relationship amongst mental health workers of job demands, control and support (from peers and superiors) with multiple measures of well-being.

Method

Data were obtained through a self-completion questionnaire from mental health staff in 100 inpatient wards, 18 crisis resolution/home treatment teams and 18 community mental health teams. The data was analysed using multilevel regression analysis.

Results

Job demands (negatively), control (positively) and supportive relationships (positively) are each uniquely associated with the five measures of well-being included in the study: namely intrinsic satisfaction, anxiety, depression, emotional exhaustion and personal accomplishment. Non-linear and interaction effects involving these demands, control and supportive relationships are found, but vary in type and strength across well-being measures.

Conclusions

The combination of low levels of demands and high levels of control and supportive relationships is good for the well-being of mental health staff. Our results suggest that management initiatives in mental health services should be targeted at creating this combination within the working environment, and particularly at increasing levels of job control.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Bowers L, Allan T, Simpson A, Jones J, Whittington R (2009) Morale is high in acute inpatient psychiatry. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 44(1):39–46

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Cahill J et al (2004) Systematic review of staff morale in inpatient units. http://www.sdo.nihr.ac.uk/files/project/56-final-report.pdf

  3. Conway JM, Huffcutt AI (2003) A review and evaluation of exploratory factor analysis practices in organizational research. Org Res Methods 6(2):147–168

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. de Lange AH, Taris TW, Kompier MAJ, Houtman ILD, Bongers PM (2003) “The very best of the millennium”: longitudinal research and the demand–control–(support) model. J Occup Health Psychol 8(4):282–305

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Department of Health (1999) National service framework for mental health: modern standards and service models. Department of Health, London

    Google Scholar 

  6. Department of Health (2000) The NHS plan: a plan for investment, a plan for reform. Department of Health, London

    Google Scholar 

  7. Department of Health (2002) Mental health policy implementation guide: adult acute inpatient care provision. Department of Health, London

    Google Scholar 

  8. Edwards JR (2008) Seven deadly myths of testing moderation in organizational research. In: Lance CE, Vandenberg RJ (eds) Statistical and methodological myths and urban legends: received doctrine, verity, and fable in the organizational and social sciences. Routledge, New York, pp 145–166

    Google Scholar 

  9. Edwards D et al (2002) Stress management for mental health professionals. Stress Health 18(5):203–215

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Feldman Barrett L, Russell JA (1999) Structure of current affect: controversies and emerging consensus. Curr Dir Psychol Sci 8(1):10–14

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Garcia I, Kennett C, Quraishi M, Durcan G (2005) Acute care 2004: a national survey of adult psychiatric wards in England. Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health, London

    Google Scholar 

  12. Haynes CE, Wall TD, Bolden RI, Stride C, Rick JE (1999) Measures of perceived work characteristics for health service research: test of a measurement model and normative data. Brit J Health Psychol 4(3):257–275

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Hu IT, Bentler PM (1999) Cutoff criteria for fit indices in covariance structure analysis: conventional criteria versus new alternatives. Struct Equ Model 6(1):1–55

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Johnson JV, Hall EM (1988) Job strain, workplace social support, and cardiovascular disease: a cross-sectional study of a random sample of the Swedish working population. Am J Public Health 78(10):1336–1342

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Karasek RA Jr (1979) Job demands, job decision latitude, and mental strain: implications for job redesign. Adm Sci Q 24(2):285–308

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Karasek R (1989) Control in the workplace and its health-related aspects. In: Sauter SL, Hurrell JJ Jr, Cooper CL (eds) Job control and worker health. Wiley, Chichester, pp 129–159

    Google Scholar 

  17. Karasek R, Theorell T (1990) Healthy work. Basic Books, New York

    Google Scholar 

  18. Landsbergis P, Schnall P, Deitz D, Friedman R, Pickering T (1992) The patterning of psychological attributes and distress by “job strain” and social support in a sample of working men. J Behav Med 15(4):379–405

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Maslach C (1998) A multidimensional theory of burnout. In: Cooper CL (ed) Theories of work stress. Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp 68–85

    Google Scholar 

  20. Michie S, William S (2003) Reducing work related psychological ill health and sickness absence: a systematic literature review. Occup Environ Med 60(1):3–9

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Muijen M (1999) Acute hospital care: ineffective, inefficient and poorly organised. Psychiatr Bull 23(5):257–259

    Google Scholar 

  22. Payne RL (1979) Demands, supports, constraints and psychological health. In: Mackay CJ, Cox T (eds) In response to stress: occupational aspects. IPC Business Press, London, pp 85–105

    Google Scholar 

  23. Prosser D, Johnson S, Kuipers E, Szmukler G, Bebbington P, Thornicroft G (1996) Mental health, “burnout” and job satisfaction among hospital and community-based mental health staff. Brit J Psychiatry 169(5):334–337

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Prosser D, Johnson S, Kuipers E, Szmukler G, Bebbington P, Thornicroft G (1997) Perceived sources of work stress and satisfaction amongst hospital and community mental health staff. J Psychosom Res 43(1):51–59

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Reid Y et al (1999) Explanations for stress and satisfaction in mental health professionals: a qualitative study. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 34(6):301–308

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Remington NA, Fabrigar LR, Vissar PS (2000) Re-examining the circumplex model of affect. J Personal Soc Psychol 79(2):286–300

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Russell JA (1980) A circumplex model of affect. J Personal Soc Psychol 39(6):1161–1178

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Tummers GER, Janssan PPM, Landerweered A, Houskes I (2001) A comparative study of work characteristics and reactions between general and mental health nurses: a multi-sample analysis. J Adv Nurs 36(1):151–162

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Van der Doef M, Maes S (1999) The job demand–control(–support) model and psychological well-being: a review of 20 years of empirical research. Work Stress 13(2):87–114

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Warr P (1990) The measurement of well-being and other aspects of mental health. J Occup Psychol 63(3):193–210

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Warr P (2007) Work, happiness, and unhappiness. Lawrence Erlbaum, Mahwah, NJ

    Google Scholar 

  32. Watson D, Tellegren A (1985) Toward a consensual structure of mood. Psychol Bull 98(2):219–235

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Wood S (2008) Job characteristics, employee voice and well-being in Britain. Ind Relat J 39(2):153–168

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research Service Delivery and Organisation Programme (project number/08/1604/142). The views and opinions expressed in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of Health. We wish to acknowledge the contribution of the other members of the Inpatient Staff Morale Study research team, and are also very grateful for extensive support received from the North and South London, South-West, East of England and Heart of England hubs of the Mental Health Research Network, and for the helpfulness of staff in the 136 participating services.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Management, University of Leicester, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK

    Stephen Wood

  2. Institute of Work Psychology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK

    Chris Stride

  3. Division of Rehabilitation and Ageing, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2UH, UK

    Kate Threapleton

  4. Research Department of Mental Health Sciences, University College London, London, W1W 7EJ, UK

    Elizabeth Wearn, David Osborn & Sonia Johnson

  5. Centre for Outcomes Research and Effectiveness, University College London, London, WC1E 7HB, UK

    Fiona Nolan

  6. Health Sciences Research Institute, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK

    Moli Paul

Authors
  1. Stephen Wood
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Chris Stride
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Kate Threapleton
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Elizabeth Wearn
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Fiona Nolan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. David Osborn
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Moli Paul
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Sonia Johnson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Stephen Wood.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Wood, S., Stride, C., Threapleton, K. et al. Demands, control, supportive relationships and well-being amongst British mental health workers. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 46, 1055–1068 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-010-0263-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-010-0263-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation