The objective of this study was to examine the association between perseverative cognition in the... more The objective of this study was to examine the association between perseverative cognition in the form of work-related rumination, and heart rate variability (HRV). We tested the hypothesis that high ruminators would show lower vagally mediated HRV relative to low ruminators during their leisure time. Individuals were classified as being low (n = 17) or high ruminators (n = 19), using the affective scale on the work-related rumination measure. HRV was assessed using a wrist sensor band (Microsoft Band 2). HRV was sampled between 8 pm and 10 pm over three workday evenings (Monday to Wednesday) while individuals carried out their normal evening routines. Compared to the low ruminators, high affective ruminators demonstrated lower HRV in the form of root mean square successive differences (RMSSDs), relative to the low ruminators, indicating lower parasympathetic activity. There was no significant difference in heart rate, or activity levels between the two groups during the recording periods. The current findings of this study may have implications for the design and delivery of interventions to help individuals unwind post work and to manage stress more effectively. Limitations and implications for future research are discussed.
Research on the feeling of embitterment at work is still in its infancy. The present study invest... more Research on the feeling of embitterment at work is still in its infancy. The present study investigated the predictors and consequences of the feeling of embitterment at work. It was hypothesised that organisational injustice as well as over-controlling supervision would predict embitterment at work and that embitterment would be associated with work-related rumination. Three hundred and thirty-seven employees completed an online survey. Regression analysis revealed that procedural injustice and over-controlling supervision were significant predictors of embitterment and that embitterment contributed significantly to the prediction of increased affective rumination and reduction in detachment. Mediation analysis indicated that embitterment at work was a significant mechanism through which organisational injustice and over-controlling supervision exerted their effect on affective rumination, which is indicative of insufficient recovery from work. Findings suggest that breaches in organisational justice can generate feelings of embitterment at work, which in turn can interfere with employees’ ability to adequately recover from work.
Work-related rumination, that is, perseverative thinking about work during leisure time, has been... more Work-related rumination, that is, perseverative thinking about work during leisure time, has been associated with a range of negative health and wellbeing issues. The present paper examined the association between work-related rumination and cognitive processes centerd around the theoretical construct of executive functioning. Executive functioning is an umbrella term for high level cognitive processes such as planning, working memory, inhibition, mental flexibility; and it underlies how people manage and regulate their goal directed behavior. Three studies are reported. Study I, reports the results of a cross-sectional study of 240 employees, and demonstrates significant correlations between work-related rumination and three proxy measures of executive functioning: cognitive failures (0.33), cognitive flexibility (−0.24), and situational awareness at work (−0.28). Study II (n = 939), expands on the findings from study 1 and demonstrates that workers reporting medium and high work-related rumination were 2.8 and 5 times, respectively, more likely to report cognitive failures relative to low ruminators. High ruminators also demonstrated greater difficulties with 'lapses of attention' (OR = 4.8), 'lack of focus of attention' (OR = 3.4), and 'absent mindedness' (OR = 4.3). The final study, examined the association between work-related rumination and executive functioning using interview data from 2460 full time workers. Workers were divided into tertiles low, medium, and high. The findings showed that high work-related rumination was associated with deficits in starting (OR = 2.3) and finishing projects (OR = 2.4), fidgeting (OR = 1.9), memory (OR = 2.2), pursuing tasks in order (OR = 1.8), and feeling compelled to do things (OR = 2.0). It was argued that work-related rumination may not be related to work demands per se, but appears to be an executive functioning/control issue. Such findings are important for the design and delivery of intervention programes aimed at helping people to switch off and unwind from work.
... Sarah Hampson is Professor of Psychology and Health at the University of Surrey. Her research... more ... Sarah Hampson is Professor of Psychology and Health at the University of Surrey. Her research interests encompass personality and health psychology. ... Brown, S., Salvie, M., Pahor, M. & Foley, D. (1995) Occult caffeine as a sleep problem in the older generation. ...
Inability to unwind about work during leisure time has been associated with a number of negative ... more Inability to unwind about work during leisure time has been associated with a number of negative health outcomes. This study was concerned with a possible behavioural pathway between unwinding and disease and examined the relationship between work-related rumination and food choice. Work-related rumination is arguably a core to understanding the 'unwinding process', and food choice is a well-established indicator of nutritional health. Two hundred and sixty-eight full-time workers from a range of white-collar occupations completed a self-report measure of ruminative thinking about work and an eating behaviour questionnaire. Three types of ruminative thinking were identified by factor analysis and labelled affective rumination, problem-solving pondering and detachment. In terms of food choice, high-relative to low-affective ruminators reported eating more unhealthy foods, and low detachers reported eating less cooked meals and more processed foods compared to high detachers. Problem-solving pondering was not associated with food choice, and none of the factors were associated with healthy food choice. It was concluded that failure to unwind from work is not necessarily related to unhealthy food choices. What appears to be the crucial factor is the type of perseverative thinking that people engage in post-work. Limitations and future directions are discussed.
It is now believed that up to 43% of children can experience a sleep problem at some stage during... more It is now believed that up to 43% of children can experience a sleep problem at some stage during their development. Reduced quality of sleep can have important implications for the developing child as it can impair growth, learning and emotional development. It is important for health professionals to understand the significance of sleep and the ways to alleviate problems so that these can be tackled at an early age. By educating people in how to get a good night's sleep we shall hopefully move towards a more happy, healthy and capable child population.
... Affiliations. Mark Cropley. Department of Psychology, University of Surrey, Surrey, GU2 7XH, ... more ... Affiliations. Mark Cropley. Department of Psychology, University of Surrey, Surrey, GU2 7XH, UK. mark.cropley@surrey.ac.uk. Alice Theadom. Department of Primary Care and Public Health,Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Brighton, BN1 9PH, UK. ...
Sleep quality affects all aspects of daily functioning, and it is vital for facilitating recovery... more Sleep quality affects all aspects of daily functioning, and it is vital for facilitating recovery from illness and injury. Sleep commonly becomes disrupted following moderate to severe brain injury, yet little is known about the prevalence of sleep disruption over time and how it impacts on recovery following mild injury. This was a longitudinal study of 346 adults who experienced a mild brain injury (aged ≥16 years) identified within a population-based incidence sample in New Zealand. The prevalence of sleep difficulties was assessed at baseline (within two weeks), one, six and 12 months, alongside other key outcomes. One year post injury, 41.4% of people were identified as having clinically significant sleep difficulties, with 21.0% at a level indicative of insomnia. Poor sleep quality at baseline was significantly predictive of poorer post-concussion symptoms, mood, community integration, and cognitive ability one year post injury. The prevalence of insomnia following mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) was more than three times the rate found in the general population. Of those completing a sleep assessment at six and 12 months, 44.9% of the sample showed improvements in sleep quality, 16.2% remained stable, and 38.9% worsened. Screening for sleep difficulties should occur routinely following a mild brain injury to identify adults potentially at risk of poor recovery. Interventions to improve sleep are needed to facilitate recovery from injury, and to prevent persistent sleep difficulties emerging.
The objectives of this proposed systematic review are to: first, investigate and synthesize avail... more The objectives of this proposed systematic review are to: first, investigate and synthesize available evidence of the psychological wellbeing of Emergency Dispatch Centre (EDC) operators; and second, identify the possible risk factors and key stressors experienced by EDC operators. Searches Electronic database searches will be performed in Medline, Embase, BioMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO and EBSCOhost. This search will be supplemented by searching Google, Google Scholar and Summon for grey literature. All databases will be searched from inception to present. Reference lists from the articles identified will also be scanned to ensure identification and inclusion of all relevant studies. Any missing, unpublished or in-progress studies will be obtained by contacting experts in the field.
Stress and health : journal of the International Society for the Investigation of Stress, Jan 25, 2013
The perseverative cognition hypothesis suggests that worry/ruminative thinking prolongs stress-re... more The perseverative cognition hypothesis suggests that worry/ruminative thinking prolongs stress-related physiological activation. This study explored the association of work-related rumination with salivary cortisol sampled at 10pm and the cortisol awakening response (CAR) the following morning. On a mid-week evening, 108 school teachers completed a small diary about their work-related thoughts and gave a saliva cortisol sample at 10pm. The following morning, they gave four additional saliva samples: at awakening and at 15, 30 and 45 min after awakening, along with a rating of their anticipatory thoughts about work. The CAR was calculated as the percentage increase in cortisol secretion from awakening to 30 min, and the sample was divided at their respective medians to classify participants into low and high rumination groups. Cortisol secretion was found to be significantly greater in the high compared with the low ruminators at 10pm, and this effect was not related to leisure activ...
Diagnosis and treatment of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) currently focuses on the experience of wid... more Diagnosis and treatment of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) currently focuses on the experience of widespread pain. However, the symptom experience described by patients with FMS in clinical practice is far more diverse. This study aims identify the most common and severe symptoms in female patients diagnosed with FMS. This study interviewed 56 patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia syndrome about their symptoms using the Clinical Interview Schedule--Revised. The most frequent and disabling symptoms reported by participants were fatigue, sleep disturbance and cognitive difficulties. These findings highlight the need for a range of symptoms to be considered in the assessment and treatment of FMS to help improve patient outcomes.
For most health professionals, stress goes with the job. It is also a factor for many clients and... more For most health professionals, stress goes with the job. It is also a factor for many clients and families. This article explains recent thinking on recovery from work-related stress and outlines some everyday strategies to help.
... Sarah Hampson is Professor of Psychology and Health at the University of Surrey. Her research... more ... Sarah Hampson is Professor of Psychology and Health at the University of Surrey. Her research interests encompass personality and health psychology. ... Brown, S., Salvie, M., Pahor, M. & Foley, D. (1995) Occult caffeine as a sleep problem in the older generation. ...
The objective of this study was to examine the association between perseverative cognition in the... more The objective of this study was to examine the association between perseverative cognition in the form of work-related rumination, and heart rate variability (HRV). We tested the hypothesis that high ruminators would show lower vagally mediated HRV relative to low ruminators during their leisure time. Individuals were classified as being low (n = 17) or high ruminators (n = 19), using the affective scale on the work-related rumination measure. HRV was assessed using a wrist sensor band (Microsoft Band 2). HRV was sampled between 8 pm and 10 pm over three workday evenings (Monday to Wednesday) while individuals carried out their normal evening routines. Compared to the low ruminators, high affective ruminators demonstrated lower HRV in the form of root mean square successive differences (RMSSDs), relative to the low ruminators, indicating lower parasympathetic activity. There was no significant difference in heart rate, or activity levels between the two groups during the recording periods. The current findings of this study may have implications for the design and delivery of interventions to help individuals unwind post work and to manage stress more effectively. Limitations and implications for future research are discussed.
Research on the feeling of embitterment at work is still in its infancy. The present study invest... more Research on the feeling of embitterment at work is still in its infancy. The present study investigated the predictors and consequences of the feeling of embitterment at work. It was hypothesised that organisational injustice as well as over-controlling supervision would predict embitterment at work and that embitterment would be associated with work-related rumination. Three hundred and thirty-seven employees completed an online survey. Regression analysis revealed that procedural injustice and over-controlling supervision were significant predictors of embitterment and that embitterment contributed significantly to the prediction of increased affective rumination and reduction in detachment. Mediation analysis indicated that embitterment at work was a significant mechanism through which organisational injustice and over-controlling supervision exerted their effect on affective rumination, which is indicative of insufficient recovery from work. Findings suggest that breaches in organisational justice can generate feelings of embitterment at work, which in turn can interfere with employees’ ability to adequately recover from work.
Work-related rumination, that is, perseverative thinking about work during leisure time, has been... more Work-related rumination, that is, perseverative thinking about work during leisure time, has been associated with a range of negative health and wellbeing issues. The present paper examined the association between work-related rumination and cognitive processes centerd around the theoretical construct of executive functioning. Executive functioning is an umbrella term for high level cognitive processes such as planning, working memory, inhibition, mental flexibility; and it underlies how people manage and regulate their goal directed behavior. Three studies are reported. Study I, reports the results of a cross-sectional study of 240 employees, and demonstrates significant correlations between work-related rumination and three proxy measures of executive functioning: cognitive failures (0.33), cognitive flexibility (−0.24), and situational awareness at work (−0.28). Study II (n = 939), expands on the findings from study 1 and demonstrates that workers reporting medium and high work-related rumination were 2.8 and 5 times, respectively, more likely to report cognitive failures relative to low ruminators. High ruminators also demonstrated greater difficulties with 'lapses of attention' (OR = 4.8), 'lack of focus of attention' (OR = 3.4), and 'absent mindedness' (OR = 4.3). The final study, examined the association between work-related rumination and executive functioning using interview data from 2460 full time workers. Workers were divided into tertiles low, medium, and high. The findings showed that high work-related rumination was associated with deficits in starting (OR = 2.3) and finishing projects (OR = 2.4), fidgeting (OR = 1.9), memory (OR = 2.2), pursuing tasks in order (OR = 1.8), and feeling compelled to do things (OR = 2.0). It was argued that work-related rumination may not be related to work demands per se, but appears to be an executive functioning/control issue. Such findings are important for the design and delivery of intervention programes aimed at helping people to switch off and unwind from work.
... Sarah Hampson is Professor of Psychology and Health at the University of Surrey. Her research... more ... Sarah Hampson is Professor of Psychology and Health at the University of Surrey. Her research interests encompass personality and health psychology. ... Brown, S., Salvie, M., Pahor, M. & Foley, D. (1995) Occult caffeine as a sleep problem in the older generation. ...
Inability to unwind about work during leisure time has been associated with a number of negative ... more Inability to unwind about work during leisure time has been associated with a number of negative health outcomes. This study was concerned with a possible behavioural pathway between unwinding and disease and examined the relationship between work-related rumination and food choice. Work-related rumination is arguably a core to understanding the 'unwinding process', and food choice is a well-established indicator of nutritional health. Two hundred and sixty-eight full-time workers from a range of white-collar occupations completed a self-report measure of ruminative thinking about work and an eating behaviour questionnaire. Three types of ruminative thinking were identified by factor analysis and labelled affective rumination, problem-solving pondering and detachment. In terms of food choice, high-relative to low-affective ruminators reported eating more unhealthy foods, and low detachers reported eating less cooked meals and more processed foods compared to high detachers. Problem-solving pondering was not associated with food choice, and none of the factors were associated with healthy food choice. It was concluded that failure to unwind from work is not necessarily related to unhealthy food choices. What appears to be the crucial factor is the type of perseverative thinking that people engage in post-work. Limitations and future directions are discussed.
It is now believed that up to 43% of children can experience a sleep problem at some stage during... more It is now believed that up to 43% of children can experience a sleep problem at some stage during their development. Reduced quality of sleep can have important implications for the developing child as it can impair growth, learning and emotional development. It is important for health professionals to understand the significance of sleep and the ways to alleviate problems so that these can be tackled at an early age. By educating people in how to get a good night's sleep we shall hopefully move towards a more happy, healthy and capable child population.
... Affiliations. Mark Cropley. Department of Psychology, University of Surrey, Surrey, GU2 7XH, ... more ... Affiliations. Mark Cropley. Department of Psychology, University of Surrey, Surrey, GU2 7XH, UK. mark.cropley@surrey.ac.uk. Alice Theadom. Department of Primary Care and Public Health,Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Brighton, BN1 9PH, UK. ...
Sleep quality affects all aspects of daily functioning, and it is vital for facilitating recovery... more Sleep quality affects all aspects of daily functioning, and it is vital for facilitating recovery from illness and injury. Sleep commonly becomes disrupted following moderate to severe brain injury, yet little is known about the prevalence of sleep disruption over time and how it impacts on recovery following mild injury. This was a longitudinal study of 346 adults who experienced a mild brain injury (aged ≥16 years) identified within a population-based incidence sample in New Zealand. The prevalence of sleep difficulties was assessed at baseline (within two weeks), one, six and 12 months, alongside other key outcomes. One year post injury, 41.4% of people were identified as having clinically significant sleep difficulties, with 21.0% at a level indicative of insomnia. Poor sleep quality at baseline was significantly predictive of poorer post-concussion symptoms, mood, community integration, and cognitive ability one year post injury. The prevalence of insomnia following mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) was more than three times the rate found in the general population. Of those completing a sleep assessment at six and 12 months, 44.9% of the sample showed improvements in sleep quality, 16.2% remained stable, and 38.9% worsened. Screening for sleep difficulties should occur routinely following a mild brain injury to identify adults potentially at risk of poor recovery. Interventions to improve sleep are needed to facilitate recovery from injury, and to prevent persistent sleep difficulties emerging.
The objectives of this proposed systematic review are to: first, investigate and synthesize avail... more The objectives of this proposed systematic review are to: first, investigate and synthesize available evidence of the psychological wellbeing of Emergency Dispatch Centre (EDC) operators; and second, identify the possible risk factors and key stressors experienced by EDC operators. Searches Electronic database searches will be performed in Medline, Embase, BioMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO and EBSCOhost. This search will be supplemented by searching Google, Google Scholar and Summon for grey literature. All databases will be searched from inception to present. Reference lists from the articles identified will also be scanned to ensure identification and inclusion of all relevant studies. Any missing, unpublished or in-progress studies will be obtained by contacting experts in the field.
Stress and health : journal of the International Society for the Investigation of Stress, Jan 25, 2013
The perseverative cognition hypothesis suggests that worry/ruminative thinking prolongs stress-re... more The perseverative cognition hypothesis suggests that worry/ruminative thinking prolongs stress-related physiological activation. This study explored the association of work-related rumination with salivary cortisol sampled at 10pm and the cortisol awakening response (CAR) the following morning. On a mid-week evening, 108 school teachers completed a small diary about their work-related thoughts and gave a saliva cortisol sample at 10pm. The following morning, they gave four additional saliva samples: at awakening and at 15, 30 and 45 min after awakening, along with a rating of their anticipatory thoughts about work. The CAR was calculated as the percentage increase in cortisol secretion from awakening to 30 min, and the sample was divided at their respective medians to classify participants into low and high rumination groups. Cortisol secretion was found to be significantly greater in the high compared with the low ruminators at 10pm, and this effect was not related to leisure activ...
Diagnosis and treatment of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) currently focuses on the experience of wid... more Diagnosis and treatment of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) currently focuses on the experience of widespread pain. However, the symptom experience described by patients with FMS in clinical practice is far more diverse. This study aims identify the most common and severe symptoms in female patients diagnosed with FMS. This study interviewed 56 patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia syndrome about their symptoms using the Clinical Interview Schedule--Revised. The most frequent and disabling symptoms reported by participants were fatigue, sleep disturbance and cognitive difficulties. These findings highlight the need for a range of symptoms to be considered in the assessment and treatment of FMS to help improve patient outcomes.
For most health professionals, stress goes with the job. It is also a factor for many clients and... more For most health professionals, stress goes with the job. It is also a factor for many clients and families. This article explains recent thinking on recovery from work-related stress and outlines some everyday strategies to help.
... Sarah Hampson is Professor of Psychology and Health at the University of Surrey. Her research... more ... Sarah Hampson is Professor of Psychology and Health at the University of Surrey. Her research interests encompass personality and health psychology. ... Brown, S., Salvie, M., Pahor, M. & Foley, D. (1995) Occult caffeine as a sleep problem in the older generation. ...
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rumination. Three hundred and thirty-seven employees completed an online survey. Regression analysis revealed that procedural injustice and over-controlling supervision were significant predictors of embitterment and that embitterment contributed significantly to the prediction of increased affective rumination and reduction in detachment. Mediation analysis
indicated that embitterment at work was a significant mechanism through which organisational injustice and over-controlling supervision exerted their effect on affective rumination, which is indicative of insufficient recovery from work. Findings suggest that breaches in organisational justice can generate feelings of embitterment at work, which in turn can interfere with employees’ ability to adequately recover from work.
rumination. Three hundred and thirty-seven employees completed an online survey. Regression analysis revealed that procedural injustice and over-controlling supervision were significant predictors of embitterment and that embitterment contributed significantly to the prediction of increased affective rumination and reduction in detachment. Mediation analysis
indicated that embitterment at work was a significant mechanism through which organisational injustice and over-controlling supervision exerted their effect on affective rumination, which is indicative of insufficient recovery from work. Findings suggest that breaches in organisational justice can generate feelings of embitterment at work, which in turn can interfere with employees’ ability to adequately recover from work.