A1482 Predictors of psychological detachment from work during off-job time

Monday, March 19, 2012: 17:40
Gran Cancun 5 (Cancun Center)
Akihito Shimazu, Department of Mental Health, The University Of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
Jan De Jonge, Department of Industrial Engineering and Innovation Sciences, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, Netherlands
Sabine Sonnentag, Department of Psychology, University of Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
Kazumi Kubota, Department of Mental Health, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
Norito Kawakami, Department of Mental Health, University Of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
Introduction
Psychological detachment from work, the off-job experience of “switching off” mentally, seems to be crucial for promoting employee's well-being. Previous studies on predictors of psychological detachment mainly focused on job-related factors and only a few studies focused on family-related and personal factors. This large cross-sectional study focuses not only on job-related but also on family-related and personal factors, and examines the relationship between these three factors on the one hand and psychological detachment on the other.

Methods
A web-based cross-sectional survey was conducted in October 2010 among registered monitors of a survey company in Japan. The questionnaire included psychological detachment, job-related factors (job demands, job control, workplace support), family-related factor (family/friend support), and personal factor (workaholism: working excessively and working compulsively), and demographic characteristics (such as gender and age). Data of 2,520 respondents were analyzed (1,257 men and 1,263 women: mean age=44.4, SD=12.9). Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted, whereby the predictor variables were entered into the equation in the following order: step 1) demographic variables, step 2) work-related factors, step 3) family-related factor, and step 4) personal factor. The outcome variable was psychological detachment.

Results
Increases in R-square from step 1 to step 2, from step 2 to step 3, and from Step 3 to Step 4 were all significant (p<.05). At the final step 4, family/friend support had a positive association with psychological detachment, whereas job demand and both scales of workaholism (i.e. working excessively and working compulsively) had negative associations with it. However, job control and workplace support did not have any significant associations with detachment.

Discussion
Results suggest that family/friend support would facilitate psychological detachment whereas job demands and workaholism would inhibit it. It seems important to consider not only job-related variables but also family-related and personal variables when promoting employee's well-being through psychological detachment.

See more of: Psychosocial Factors at Work and Worker Health
See more of: Free Paper - Oral
<< Previous Abstract | Next Abstract