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Occupational health experts’ and practitioners’ evaluated systematic reviews of primary prevention measures for occupational mental health. A consensus meeting was held with the intent of developing primary prevention guidelines for mental health at work. Three preventive strategies were developed—improving the psychosocial work environment, self-care training, and supervisor training. For improving the psychosocial work environment, eight recommendations and four proposed items were developed across four domains. These four domains are planning and organization development, basic rules of implementation, proposals for effective improvement measures, and continued implementation. The guidelines for self-care training consist of four steps that coincide with the process of formulating and implementing measures to help individuals cope with stress (self-care) in the workplace. These four steps are planning and preparing, deciding what self-care entails, and making subsequent efforts. Six recommendations and four proposed items are provided for these four steps. The evidence-based guidelines for supervisor mental health training include ten recommendations and four proposed items. These guidelines recommend providing training to all supervisors, with a particular focus on high-priority populations, and on the needs and situation in the workplace. The training content should be tailored to the different management levels of supervisor groups but also provide basic information, such as explaining the national guidelines and the major occupational stress models. The training should aim to change supervisors’ behaviors and not just issue warnings. The guidelines also recommend providing supervisor training periodically (annually), because there is no evidence that the training effect lasts more than 6 months. We expect these guidelines to help to promote the adoption of evidence-based preventive strategies for the management of occupational mental health.

This chapter will refer to key contributions and future research directions on the basis of each chapter as a conclusion. The Asia Pacific is the world’s most populous region and many workers experience very poor work conditions and insecure employment. Yet in terms of global effort little attention is given to psychosocial factors at work in the region. The 19 chapters of the current book focused on practical approaches toward healthy workplaces and workers in the Asia Pacific. Multidisciplinary efforts to address worker occupational health were made by presenting examples of practical approaches from global or national perspectives, and examples involving specific conditions such as telework, small-medium sized enterprises, work in disaster areas, and workplace clients’ violence. The book begins with an introduction to issues relating to psychosocial factors at work in the Asia Pacific, building on the body of work presented in the first book: Psychosocial factors at work in the Asia Pacific (Dollard et al. 2014). In turn four major themes are addressed in the book. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

Previous research has shown that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is effective in reducing work-related stress, preventing the onset of major depressive episodes, and increasing positive mental health among workers. An innovative way to deliver CBT-based treatment widely is by using computerized CBT (CCBT) and CCBT via the internet (iCBT). In this part, we will review and introduce the recent iCBT studies, and discuss the possibility of utilization of iCBT program in workplace.

The Asia Pacific is a rapidly growing region with a diverse range of countries, both developing and developed. Across the region there are significant cultural variations and different work practices, creating a range of challenges for those charged with the management of workplace health. This book addresses an important gap, by focusing on research in the Asia-Pacific region that explores psychosocial work environment issues that have a significant influence on worker health and productivity. Most research concerning psychosocial factors at work is from Europe or North America and the generalizability of the research and practical implications is not clear. Consequently, managers, occupational health and safety personnel, human resource professionals, occupational health psychology practitioners, and public health professionals in the Asia Pacific have relied on an evidence basis with largely untested validity. This book extends the work of the first edition, "Psychosocial Factors at Work in the Asia Pacific," applies and tests new and emerging theories, provides insights into different workplace issues pertinent to the Asia Pacific, and practical insights into the management of psychosocial factors in the workplace. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

The present study aimed to investigate the reliability and construct validity of a new version of the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire (New BJSQ), which measures an extended set of psychosocial factors at work by adding new scales/items to the current version of the BJSQ. Additional scales/items were extensively collected from theoretical models of job stress and similar questionnaires in several countries. Scales/items were field-tested and refined through a pilot Internet survey. Finally, an 84-item standard version questionnaire, a 63-item recommended set, and a 23-item short version (141, 120, and 80 items in total when combined with the current 57-item BJSQ) were developed. A nationally representative survey was administered to employees in Japan (n = 1633) in 2010/2011 to examine the reliability and construct validity. As a result, most scales showed acceptable levels of internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha) and test-retest reliability over one year. Principal component analyses showed that the first factor explained 50 % or greater proportion of the variance in most scales. A scale factor analysis and a correlation analysis showed that these scales fit the proposed theoretical framework. These findings provided a piece of evidence that the New BJSQ scales are reliable and valid. The New BJSQ can be a useful instrument to evaluate psychosocial work environment and positive mental health outcomes in the workplace.

Research on the prospective association of job demands and job resources with work engagement is still limited in Asian countries, such as Japan. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the prospective association of job demands (i.e., psychological demands and extrinsic effort) and job resources (i.e., decision latitude, supervisor support, co-worker support, and extrinsic reward), based on the job demands-control (JD-C) [or demand-control-support (DCS)] model and the effort-reward imbalance (ERI) model, with work engagement among Japanese employees.The participants included 423 males and 672 females from five branches of a manufacturing company in Japan. Self-administered questionnaires, including the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ), the Effort-Reward Imbalance Questionnaire (ERIQ), the nine-item Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-9), and demographic characteristics, were administered at baseline (August 2009). At one-year follow-up (August 2010), the UWES-9 was used again to assess work engagement. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted.After adjusting for demographic characteristics and work engagement at baseline, higher psychological demands and decision latitude were positively and significantly associated with greater work engagement at follow-up (β = 0.054, p = 0.020 for psychological demands and β = 0.061, p = 0.020 for decision latitude).Having higher psychological demands and decision latitude may enhance work engagement among Japanese employees.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to validate the Japanese version of the Recovery Experience Questionnaire (REQ-J), which assesses how individuals unwind and recuperate from work during leisure time (i.e., psychological detachment, relaxation, mastery and control). Methods: The translated and back-translated REQ was administered via the Internet to 2,520 Japanese employees from various occupations. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to evaluate factorial validity. The relationship with potential predictors and consequences of recovery experiences were investigated to evaluate construct validity. Internal consistency was examined to evaluate its reliability. Results: A series of confirmatory factor analyses revealed that the hypothesized four-factor model fit the data best. Construct validity was generally supported by expected correlations of recovery experiences with possible predictors and consequences. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for each of the four subscales was sufficient (0.85—0.89). Conclusions: This study confirmed that the REQ-J is an adequate measure of recovery experiences that can be used in the Japanese context.

This study among 426 Japanese couples working in different occupational sectors tested the hypothesis that perspective taking moderates the crossover of work engagement. More specifically, we predicted that husbands' work engagement would cross over to their wives, particularly when wives scored high on perspective taking (the spontaneous tendency to adopt the psychological perspective of other people). A similar effect was predicted from wives to husbands. In addition, we hypothesized that the crossover effect would be most pronounced when both partners were high in perspective taking (i.e., a 3-way interaction effect). The results of moderated structural equation modeling analyses confirmed the moderating role of perspective taking, but only for women; women who took the perspective of their partner scored higher on engagement with increasing partner engagement. Moreover, the results showed that engagement crossover was strongest when both men and women were high (vs. low) in perspective taking. This 3-way interaction effect was found from husbands to wives, and vice versa. These findings expand the crossover literature by shedding light on the crossover process.

BACKGROUND: Supportive studies of the demand-control (DC) model were more likely to measure specific demands combined with a corresponding aspect of control. PURPOSE: A longitudinal test of Karasek's (Adm Sci Q. 24:285-308, 1) job strain hypothesis including specific measures of job demands and job control, and both self-report and objectively recorded well-being. METHOD: Job strain hypothesis was tested among 267 health care employees from a two-wave Dutch panel survey with a 2-year time lag. RESULTS: Significant demand/control interactions were found for mental and emotional demands, but not for physical demands. The association between job demands and job satisfaction was positive in case of high job control, whereas this association was negative in case of low job control. In addition, the relation between job demands and psychosomatic health symptoms/sickness absence was negative in case of high job control and positive in case of low control. CONCLUSION: Longitudinal support was found for the core assumption of the DC model with specific measures of job demands and job control as well as self-report and objectively recorded well-being. ispartof: International Journal of Behavioral Medicine vol:17 issue:2 pages:125-133 ispartof: location:England status: published

This article gives an overview of the recently introduced concept of work engagement: a positive, fulfilling, affective motivational state of work-related well-being. I first define engagement as a state including vigor, dedication, and absorption, and then refer to how engagement differs from related concepts (i.e., burnout and workaholism). Work engagement is a unique concept that is best predicted by job resources (e.g., autonomy, supervisory coaching, performance feedback) and personal resources (e.g., optimism, self-efficacy, self-esteem) and is predictive of psychological/physical health, proactive organizational behavior, and job performance. The most often used instrument to measure engagement is the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, a self-report instrument that has been validated in many countries across the world. The paper closes with practical implications to improve work engagement in terms of job and personal resources.

The aim of the present study was to examine how job and home demands are related to psychological distress in a sample of Japanese working parents with preschool children (n=196). We expected that job and home demands are partially related to psychological distress through work-to-family conflict (WFC) and family-to-work conflict (FWC), respectively. Structural equation modeling showed that, as expected, home demands were partially related to psychological distress, both directly and indirectly through FWC. In contrast, job demands were only directly related to psychological distress. The differences between the roles of FWC and WFC are discussed using identity theory.

To investigate the cross-sectional association between organizational justice (i.e., procedural justice and interactional justice) and psychological distress or work engagement, as well as the mediating roles of other job stressors (i.e., job demands and job control, or their combination, effort-reward imbalance [ERI], and worksite support).A total of 243 workers (185 males and 58 females) from a manufacturing factory in Japan were surveyed using a self-administered questionnaire including the Organizational Justice Questionnaire, Job Content Questionnaire, Effort-Reward Imbalance Questionnaire, K6 scale, Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, and other covariates. Multiple mediation analyses with the bootstrap technique were conducted.In the bivariate analysis, procedural justice and interactional justice were significantly and negatively associated with psychological distress; they were significantly and positively associated with work engagement. In the mediation analysis, reward at work (or ERI) significantly mediated between procedural justice or interactional justice and psychological distress; worksite support significantly mediated between procedural justice or interactional justice and work engagement.The effects of organizational justice on psychological distress seem to be mediated by reward at work (or ERI) while those regarding work engagement may be mediated by worksite support to a large extent, at least in Japanese workers.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a multi-component worksite stress management training (SMT) program among employees belong to Japanese steel company. Methods: Five workplaces were assigned to an intervention group and two workplaces to a control group. SMT with monthly 30-min sessions were provided to the intervention group for 6 mo. Intention-to-treat analyses were conducted among respondents of the intervention (n=96) and control groups (n=53). Results: Significant favorable intervention effects were found on knowledge (p0.05). However, in per-protocol analyses of those who attended all sessions, significant favorable effects were observed on psychological distress and job performance, as well as knowledge and professional efficacy (p

Objectives: The present study examined how job demands affect an intimate partner's well-being. We hypothesized that job demands have a negative influence on partner well-being through the experience of work-family conflict (WFC) and an impaired quality of the relationship (reduced social support and increased social undermining towards the partner). Methods: The participants of this study were 99 couples of dual-earner parents in Japan. Results: Consistent with hypotheses, men's job demands (i.e. overload and emotional demands) were positively related to their own reports of WFC, and indirectly to women's ratings of men's WFC. Consequently, women's ratings of men's WFC were negatively related to the quality of the relationship (i.e. decreased social support from and increased social undermining by men), which, in turn, led to women's ill-health (i.e. depressive symptoms and physical complaints). We found similar findings for the model starting with women's job demands; gender did not affect the strength of the relationships in the model. Conclusions: These findings suggest that high job demands initiate a process of work-family conflict and poor relationship quality, which may eventually affect the intimate partner's well-being in an unfavorable way.

Objectives: Previous European studies reporting low procedural justice and low interactional justice were associated with increased health problems have used a modified version of the Moorman's Organizational Justice Questionnaire (OJQ, Elovainio et al., 2002) to assess organizational justice. We translated the modified OJQ into the Japanese language and examined the internal consistency reliability, and factor-based and construct validity of this measure. A back-translation procedure confirmed that the translation was appropriate, pending a minor revision. Methods: A total of 185 men and 58 women at a manufacturing factory in Japan were surveyed using a mailed questionnaire including the OJQ and other job stressors. Results: Cronbach alpha coefficients of the two OJQ subscales were high (0.85-0.94) for both sexes. The hypothesized two factors (i.e., procedural justice and interactional justice) were extracted by the factor analysis for men; for women, procedural justice was further split into two separate dimensions supporting a three- rather than two-factor structure. Convergent validity was supported by expected correlations of the OJQ with job control, supervisor support, effort-reward imbalance, and job future ambiguity in particular among the men. Conclusion: The present study shows that the Japanese version of the OJQ has acceptable levels of reliability and validity at least for male employees.

Based on a conceptual analysis, a two-dimensional self-report questionnaire for assessing workaholism (work addiction) is proposed, including (1) working excessively hard and (2) working compulsively. Using independent explorative and confirmative samples that include employees from The Netherlands (N = 7,594) and Japan (N = 3,311), a questionnaire is developed and psychometrically evaluated. Results show that both scales (five items each) are internally consistent and that the hypothesized two-factor structure fits to the data of both countries. Furthermore, convergent validity was shown with measures of excess working time and discriminant validity was shown with measures of burnout and work engagement. Workaholics who work excessively hard and compulsively have a high relative risk on burnout and a low relative risk on work engagement. It is concluded that the two-dimensional measure-dubbed the Dutch Workaholism Scale (DUWAS)-is useful tool in future (cross-cultural) research on workaholism. © 2009 SAGE Publications. ispartof: Cross-cultural Research: the Journal of Comparative Social Science vol:43 issue:4 pages:320-348 status: published

The purpose of this study was to validate the Japanese version of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-J). Employees from three independent samples completed the questionnaire (total N= 2,334). Confirmatory factor analyses using the multiple-group method revealed that, instead of the original three-factor model, a one-factor model that assumes that all engagement items load on one single factor fitted the data. Moreover, the one-factor structure was invariant across all three samples. Internal consistency of the scale was sufficiently high (α= .92) and the test–retest reliability with an interval of two months was .66. A series of second-order confirmatory factor analyses to examine construct validity confirmed the hypothesised model, indicating that work engagement was positively related to job satisfaction whereas it was negatively related to strain and burnout. However, as in previous studies, professional efficacy, a component of burnout, loaded on the engagement factor. These results, in general, suggest the reliability (internal consistency and stability), factorial invariance, and construct validity of the UWES-J in three independent samples. Cette etude avait pour objectif de valider la version japonaise de l’Echelle d’Implication au Travail d’Utrecht (UWES-J). 2,334 salaries provenant de trois echantillons independants ont rempli le questionnaire. Une analyse factorielle confirmatoire faisant appel a la methode des groupes multiples a montre que le modele originel en trois facteurs devait laisser la place a un modele unifactoriel puisque tous les items d’implication etaient satures sur un unique facteur qui rendait compte a lui seul des donnees. En outre, la structure monofactorielle restait identique a elle-meme sur les trois echantillons. La consistance interne de l’echelle etait suffisamment elevee (α= .92) et la fidelite test-retest apres une periode de deux mois etait de .66. Une serie d’analyses factorielles confirmatoires de second ordre destinees aetudier la validite de construction ont confirme le modele hypothetique, indiquant que l’implication dans le travail etait en correlation positive avec la satisfaction professionnelle tandis qu’elle etait en relation negative avec la tension nerveuse et le burnout. Comme dans des travaux anterieurs, l’efficacite professionnelle, une composante du burnout, etait saturee dans le facteur d’implication. Ces resultats, vont dans le sens de la fidelite (consistance interne et stabilite), de la solidite factorielle et de la validite de construction de l’UWES-J dans ces trois echantillons independants.

Aim and Background The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of web-based assertion training programmes for Japanese hospital nurses based on their assertion knowledge, attitude and behaviour, job stress and depression. Job stress has been reported to be high among Japanese hospital nurses, and it is thought that assertion, one type of communication skill, could help nurses to better manage their job stress. Method Twenty-five nurses from an urban tertiary hospital in western Japan completed the 70-minute assertion programme during 3 weeks. The changes between pretraining and post-training and between pretraining and 1 month after the training were tested. Result Results showed that assertion knowledge and voluntary behaviour in assertive behaviour had increased at post-training and remained higher a month later. With regard to job stress, mental workload decreased. Conclusion The results show the effects of web-based assertion training on assertion skills and stress management for Japanese hospital nurses.

This study examined the effects of a stress management program for university students related to their stressors, problem-solving abilities (problem-solving confidence, approach-avoidance style, and personal control), knowledge of stress, and stress responses. Participants (n = 27) were randomly assigned to either an intervention or a waiting list control group. The program, including small group discussions, completion of a workbook, and follow-up interviews, was conducted for the intervention group for three weeks. Participants (n = 8 and n = 12 for the intervention and waiting list control groups, respectively) responded to three waves of questionnaires (pre, post, and follow-up). The results showed significant favorable intervention effects for knowledge of stress, problem-solving confidence, and stress responses on the post-tests, while no intervention effects were found at the follow-up.

An action checklist for improving the workplace environment by means of enhancing mental health of workers (Mental Health Action Check List: MHACL) was developed. The use of the checklist for primary prevention was examined. MHACL was developed through three steps: (1) Review of related references and collection of improvement examples for designing a draft MHACL; (2) pilot application of the draft at industrial workplaces and trials at workshops of occupational health staff; and (3) proposing a new MHACL for general use in industry. Workplace improvement actions related to mental health were listed in eight technical areas. From 84 workplaces in Japan, 201 such actions were collected. Typical improvement action phrases were extracted based on these examples, and a draft MHACL containing 40 generally applicable actions were prepared. This draft was applied to selected workplaces for its use as a tool for group discussion. Then, the utility of the checklist was discussed by 105 occupational health staff working in public service offices. The workshop suggested modifications of the draft MHACL including improved check items and usage procedures and the need to use easy-to-understand actions. The final version of the MHACL comprised 30 items in six technical areas: A) sharing work planning, B) work time and organization, C) ergonomic work methods, D) workplace environment, E) mutual support in the workplace, and F) preparedness and care. A new action checklist was proposed for use as a means of changing existing workplace environments and proposing practical actions for improving it. The checklist was confirmed to be useful for organizing workplace-level discussion for identifying immediate improvements at the workplace. The checklist is expected to be widely applied for promoting primary prevention measures in terms of better mental health.

Background: Polymorphisms in methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene, that is considered to be the most important genetic determinant of blood homocysteine concentration, are associated with various diseases, including psychiatric disorders. However, the epigenetic factors influencing on the transcription and expression of this gene are unclear. The current study aims to detect the relationship between epigenetic factor-DNA methylation status, on the human MTHFR gene and depressive symptoms in Japanese workers. Methods: 774 DNA samples were extracted from saliva samples collected from subjects recruited for a mental health study, and an Illumina Human Methylation 450K Microarray Assay was used to examine DNA methylation profile across the human MTHFR gene. Depressive symptoms were determined by K6 questionnaire. Four independent DNA pools were created based on K6 scores, and the methylation levels were compared among the pools. Results: The DNA methylation level was lower in subjects with higher degrees of depression for both the entire gene ( p=2.10×10 -14

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study is to examine the effects of an internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy (iCBT) program on decreasing the risk of major depressive episodes (MDEs) among workers employed in a private corporate group in Japan, using a randomised controlled trial design.METHODS AND ANALYSIS: All of the workers in a corporate group (n=20,000) will be recruited through an invitation email. Participants who fulfil the inclusion criteria will be randomly allocated to intervention or control groups (planned N=4050 for each group). They will be allowed to complete the six lessons of the iCBT program within 10 weeks after the baseline survey. Those in the control group will receive the same iCBT after 12 months. The program includes several CBT skills: self-monitoring, cognitive restructuring, assertiveness, problem-solving and relaxation. The primary outcome measure is no new onset of MDE (using Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR)/DSM-5 criteria) during the 12-month follow-up. Assessment will use the web version of the WHO Composite International Diagnostic Interview V.3.0 depression section.ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The Research Ethics Review Board of Graduate School of Medicine, the University of Tokyo (No. 3083-(2)), approved the study procedures.TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: The study protocol is registered at the UMIN Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN-CTR; ID=UMIN000014146).

Mental health problems, such as depression, are increasingly common among workers. Job-related stresses, including psychological demands and a lack of discretion in controlling one's own work environment, are important causal factors. However, the mechanisms through which job-related stress may affect brain function remain unknown. We sought to identify the relationship between job-related stress and frontotemporal cortex activation using near-infrared spectroscopy. Seventy-nine (45 females, 34 males) Japanese employees, aged 26-51 years, were recruited from respondents to the Japanese Study of Stratification, Health, Income, and Neighborhood survey. Job-related stress was measured using the Japanese version of Job Content Questionnaire, which can index "job demand" and "job control". We found a significant correlation between higher "job demand" and smaller oxygenated hemoglobin [oxy-Hb] changes in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in female (r = -.54 to -.44). Significant correlations between higher "job control" and greater [oxy-Hb] changes in the right temporal cortex were observed among male, and in the combined sample (r = .46-.64). This initial cross-sectional observation suggests that elevated job-related stress is related to decrease frontotemporal cortex activation among workers. Integrating social epidemiology and neuroscience may be a powerful strategy for understanding how individuals' brain functions may mediate between the job-related stress or psychosocial work characteristics and public mental health.

This study examined effects of web-based psychoeducation on self-efficacy, problem solving behavior, stress responses and job satisfaction. The program was based on social cognitive theory and was primarily aimed at increasing knowledge of stress, self-efficacy, and the use of problem solving behavior. A total of 225 employees were invited to participate in the study. Participants were assigned to an intervention (n=112) or waiting list control group (n=113). Those in the intervention group were asked to access the website and to complete learning within 1 month. To investigate the intervention effect, the change score in the outcome variable was calculated by subtracting the score at pre-intervention from that at post-intervention (1 week after completion of the learning period). Then, the difference in the scores between groups was examined using analyses of covariance (ANCOVA) with the pre-intervention score as the covariate. We detected a marginally significant difference between groups in changes in job satisfaction from pre- to post-intervention (p=0.081). Participants in the intervention group showed an increase in job satisfaction score, while those in the waiting list control group showed a decrease in it. No significant differences were detected between groups in the other indicators (p>.10). We detected significant or marginally significant intervention effects on self-efficacy, problem solving behavior, stress responses, and job satisfaction among males and younger individuals, and those who had initially higher job strain and higher interest in managing stress. Further research is required with longer time periods (controlled follow-up) and a broader sample to fully determine the intervention effect.

"The Checklist for Evaluation of Mental Health Activities at the Workplace" was developed for workplace staff evaluating mental health activities in their own workplace. The validity and reliability of the checklist were examined and criteria for evaluation were developed for workplace/organization/companies with 50 or more employees in Japan. The checklist initially included 33 items covering seven major domains of occupational mental health, with a four-point response option, based on the Japanese Guideline for Worker Mental Health in the Workplace and a relevant literature review. A questionnaire was send to 60 members of the Occupational Mental Health Committee (OMHC) of the Japan Society for Occupational Health to ask their opinions on the checklist and on the minimum requirement for each item on the checklist; 30 (50%) responded. A random sample of 1,335 workplaces from a contractor list of workplaces for worker compensation insurance and a questionnaire was send to the personnel department to fill in the checklist; 412 (31.5%) responded and data from 335 of them with 50 or more employees were analyzed. Some OMHC members felt that one of the items (concerning the Total Health Promotion program) should be dropped; thus the checklist was revised to include 32 items, still covering the seven domains. Based on the workplace survey data, most domain scales showed internal consistency reliability at an acceptable level; explanatory factor analysis yielded a four-factor structure that was well concordant with the hypnotized seven-domain structure. Three levels of adequacy of mental health activities were set for each domain scale: "red" (inadequate), "yellow" (minimal), and "green" (adequate). One third of occupational health professionals from 49 workplaces rated the evaluation result based on the checklist as concordant with their view; 95% of them said the checklist would be useful in promoting occupational mental health activities. The study indicated that the checklist had reliability (based on internal consistency reliability) and content- and construct-validity (based on expert opinions, a factor-structure concordant with empirical data, and evaluation by workplace staff). The checklist seems useful in promoting occupational mental health activities.

In this study the sole and the combined effects of active and non-active forms of coping on psychological distress across various kinds of job stressors were examined. Data on job stressors, coping and psychological distress were obtained from 4487 male employees of a research institute in the automobile industry in Japan (mean age� /36.27 years, SD� / 7.43). A hierarchical moderated multiple regression analysis was conducted to estimate and test the significance of the main effects and their interactions. The results show that although active coping was effective in decreasing psychological distress regardless of the type of job stressor, the effectiveness was weaker in situations that require effortful coping, such as role ambiguity and insufficient authority. Furthermore, the effectiveness of active coping was influenced by the other strategies, especially in effortful coping situations. While distancing or seeking social support improved the effectiveness, restraint coping reduced it. These results suggest that the type of non-active coping that individuals combine with active coping can be critical in determining health outcomes in more complex and effortful coping situations. Consideration of the coping combinations, not merely the situational context, is important in explaining how the work environment influences employees’ psychological distress.

Objectives Sickness absence due to mental disease in the workplace has become a global public health problem. Previous studies report that sickness presenteeism is associated with sickness absence. We aimed to determine optimal cutoff scores for presenteeism in the screening of the future absences due to mental disease. Methods A prospective study of 2195 Japanese employees from all areas of Japan was conducted. Presenteeism and depression were measured by the validated Japanese version of the World Health Organization Health and Work Performance Questionnaire (WHO-HPQ) and K6 scale, respectively. Absence due to mental disease across a 2-year follow-up was surveyed using medical certificates obtained for work absence. Socioeconomic status was measured via a self-administered questionnaire. Receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis was used to determine optimal cutoff scores for absolute and relative presenteeism in relation to the area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity. Results The AUC values for absolute and relative presenteeism were 0.708 (95% CI, 0.618–0.797) and 0.646 (95% CI, 0.546–0.746), respectively. Optimal cutoff scores of absolute and relative presenteeism were 40 and 0.8, respectively. With multivariate adjustment, cohort participants with our proposal cutoff scores for absolute and relative presenteeism were significantly more likely to be absent due to mental disease (OR = 4.85, 95% CI: 2.20–10.73 and OR = 5.37, 95% CI: 2.42–11.93, respectively). The inclusion or exclusion of depressive symptoms (K6≥13) at baseline in the multivariate adjustment did not influence the results. Conclusions Our proposed optimal cutoff scores of absolute and relative presenteeism are 40 and 0.8, respectively. Participants who scored worse than the cutoff scores for presenteeism were significantly more likely to be absent in future because of mental disease. Our findings suggest that the utility of presenteeism in the screening of sickness absence due to mental disease would help prevent such an absence.

This study was aimed to investigate the test-retest reliability and validity of a short version of the New Brief Job Stress Questionnaire (New BJSQ) whose scales have one item selected from a standard version. Based on the results from an anonymous web-based questionnaire of occupational health staffs and personnel/labor staffs, we selected higher-priority scales from the standard version. After selecting one item with highest item-total correlation coefficient from each scale, a 23-item questionnaire was developed. A nationally representative survey was administered to Japanese employees (n=1,633) to examine test-retest reliability and validity. Most scales (or items) showed modest but adequate levels of test-retest reliability (r>0.50). Furthermore, job demands and job resources scales (or items) were associated with mental and physical stress reactions while job resources scales (or items) were also associated with positive outcomes. These findings provided a piece of evidence that the short version of the New BJSQ is reliable and valid.

Objectives Recent epidemiological research in Europe has reported that two groups of job demands, i.e., challenges and hindrances, are differently associated with work engagement. The purpose of the present study was to replicate the cross-sectional association of workload and time pressure (as a challenge) and role ambiguity (as a hindrance) with work engagement among Japanese employees. Methods Between October 2010 and December 2011, a total of 9,134 employees (7,101 men and 1,673 women) from 12 companies in Japan were surveyed using a self-administered questionnaire comprising the Job Content Questionnaire, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Generic Job Stress Questionnaire, short 10-item version of the Effort-Reward Imbalance Questionnaire, short nine-item version of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, and demographic characteristics. Multilevel regression analyses with a random intercept model were conducted. Results After adjusting for demographic characteristics, workload and time pressure showed a positive association with work engagement with a small effect size (standardized coefficient [β] = 0.102, Cohen’s d [d] = 0.240) while role ambiguity showed a negative association with a large effect size (β = −0.429, d = 1.011). After additionally adjusting for job resources (i.e., decision latitude, supervisor support, co-worker support, and extrinsic reward), the effect size of workload and time pressure was not attenuated (β = 0.093, d = 0.234) while that of role ambiguity was attenuated but still medium (β = −0.242, d = 0.609). Conclusions Among Japanese employees, challenges such as having higher levels of workload and time pressure may enhance work engagement but hindrances, such as role ambiguity, may reduce it.

Nowadays people are more and more work free from the constraints of geography and time in line with the development of transportation and communication technology. These changes have been facilitating the diversity of working style. In addition to these innovations, the changes of economy have also been forcing individuals to work in various ways. These changes have possibility of deteriorating the work situation while enhancing the freedom of work styles. Thus, workaholism-the tendency to work hard with irresistible inner drive to do so-has been paid attention to by both in lay and academic people. In this chapter, we first overview the definition of workaholism and economic and working conditions in Japan. Then, we discuss (negative) impacts of workaholism on one's own and one partner's well-beings among Japanese workers, such as health, job and family satisfaction, and job performance. Finally, three suggestions for future research are discussed.

The Asia Pacific is diverse culturally, economically, and socially. Despite being the world’s most populous region where many workers experience poor working conditions and insecure employment, little attention has been given to psychosocial factors at work in the region. This chapter argues that in understanding work conditions and worker health it is important to consider influences at the international, national, state, and local levels. Moreover, within nations, power actors such as unions, governments, and corporations, legal requirements, welfare regimes, national culture, corruption, and occupational health and safety policies and guidance, are fundamental influences on work conditions and worker health in the Asia Pacific. The chapter outlines initiatives in the region to foster knowledge development processes, such as the development of the Asia Pacific Academy for Psychosocial Factors at Work. The aim of such initiatives is to address the gap in the global and local stock of knowledge, so that good policies and practices can be developed for the region. A synopsis of each chapter is given to assist navigation through the book.

PART I: PSYCHOSOCIAL FACTORS AT WORK IN THE ASIA PACIFIC.- Chapter 1: The Context of Psychosocial Factors at Work in the Asia Pacific Maureen F. Dollard, Akihito Shimazu, Rusli Bin Nordin, Paula Brough and Michelle R. Tuckey.- Chapter 2: Psychosocial Factors at Work in Japan, Korea, Australia and China Norito Kawakami, Jungsun Park, Maureen F. Dollard and Junming Dai.-PART II: INNOVATIONS IN METHOD FOR WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY.- Chapter 3: Cultural Distinctiveness in Response Bias Noboru Iwata.- Chapter 4: Timing in Methods for Studying Psychosocial Factors at Work Christian Dormann and Bart Van de Ven.- Chapter 5: Momentary Measurement of Psychosocial Factors Kazuhiro Yoshiuchi.- Chapter 6: A Multi-Level Study of Psychosocial Safety Climate, Challenge and Hindrance Demands, Employee Exhaustion, Engagement and Physical Health Yulita, Mohd Awang Idris and Maureen F. Dollard.- Chapter 7: Comparing the Impact of Occupation-Specific and Generic Work Characteristics Paula Brough and Amanda Biggs.- Chapter 8: Enacting Job Demands and Resources: Exploring Processes and Links with Individual Outcomes Carolyn M. Boyd and Michelle R. Tuckey.- PART III: PSYCHOSOCIAL RISKS IN THE ASIA PACIFIC.- Chapter 9: Dominant Culture and Bullying Personal Accounts of Workers in Malaysia Sharon Kwan, Michelle R. Tuckey and Maureen F. Dollard.- Chapter 10: Australian and Japanese Differences in Predispositions to Anger: Looking at Targets of Interpersonal Anger in the Workplace Sarven S. McLinton and Maureen F. Dollard.- Chapter 11: Workaholism and Work Addictions in Japanese Workers Nobuko Matsuoka and Akihito Shimazu.- Chapter 12: Mental Health of the Unemployed in Japan Miho Takahashi and Anthony H. Winefield.- PART IV: PHYSICAL HEALTH RISKS AT WORK.- Chapter 13: Using Evidence to Improve the Management Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders Jodi Oakman.- Chapter 14: Psychosocial Factors and Physical Safety Valerie O'Keeffe and Michelle R. Tuckey.- PART V: WORK-LIFE BALANCE.- Chapter 15: Malaysian Model of Work-Family Interface: Similar or Different from the West? Zaiton Hassan, Maureen F. Dollard and Anthony H. Winefield.- Chapter 16: Work-family Conflict and Worker Well-Being in China Jian Li and Peter Angerer.- Chapter 17: Worklife Enrichment Paula Brough, Zaiton Hassan and Mike O'Driscoll.- PART VI: INTERVENTIONS IN WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY.- Chapter 18: Individual Approaches Stress Management Cindy Biding and Rusli Nordin.- Chapter 19: Organizational Interventions Amanda Biggs, Andrew Noblet and Amanda Allisey.- Chapter 20: National Benchmarking and Standards for Psychosocial Factors Tessa Bailey and Maureen F. Dollard.- VII: CONCLUSION.- Chapter 21: Psychosocial Factors at Work in the Asia Pacific: Final Thoughts and Future Research Directions Paula Brough, Maureen F. Dollard and Michelle Tuckey.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to develop a new Internet-based computerized cognitive behavior therapy (iCBT) program in Manga format, the Japanese cartoon, for workers and to examine the effects of the iCBT program on improving subthreshold depression using a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design among workers employed in private companies in Japan.METHOD: All workers in a company (n = 290) and all workers in three departments (n = 1,500) at the headquarters of another large company were recruited by an invitation e-mail. Participants who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were randomly allocated to intervention or control groups (N = 381 for each group). A six-week, six-lesson iCBT program using Manga (Japanese comic) story was developed. The program included several CBT skills: self-monitoring, cognitive restructuring, assertiveness, problem solving, and relaxation. The intervention group studied the iCBT program at a frequency of one lesson per week. Depression (Beck Depression Inventory II; BDI-II) was assessed as a primary outcome at baseline, and three- and six-month follow-ups for both intervention and control groups were performed.RESULTS: The iCBT program showed a significant intervention effect on BDI-II (t = -1.99, pCONCLUSIONS: The present study first demonstrated that a computerized cognitive behavior therapy delivered via the Internet was effective in improving depression in the general working population. It seems critical to improve program involvement of participants in order to enhance the effect size of an iCBT program.TRIAL REGISTRATION: UMIN Clinical Trials Registry UMIN000006210.

ispartof: The handbook of employee engagement: Perspectives, issues, research and practice pages:364-372 ispartof: New Horizons in Innovation Management pages:364-372 status: published

OBJECTIVES: Although it is understood that work-related factors, including job demands, job control, and workplace support, are associated with workers' health and well-being, the role played by personal characteristics, especially workaholism, has not been fully investigated. This study examined workaholism's associations with psychological ill health, low back pain with disability, and sickness absence among Japanese workers. METHODS: A cross-sectional Internet survey was conducted using self-administered questionnaires. Data from 3,899 Japanese workers were analyzed. Workaholism was measured using the Dutch Workaholism Scale (DUWAS). Scores were divided into tertiles, where respondents were classified into three groups (high, middle, and low). Depressive mood as a measure of psychological ill health was assessed using the SF-36 mental health subscale, and low back pain using a standardized question. Sickness absence, except that due to physical injuries, was categorized either as absence due to mental health problems or to physical/somatic problems including the common cold. Multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the association between workaholism and depressive mood, low back pain with disability, and sickness absence, adjusting for demographic characteristics, job demand, job control, and workplace support. RESULTS: Compared to the low workaholism group, the middle and high workaholism groups had significantly higher odds for depressive mood (Odds ratio (OR) = 1.93 and 3.62 for the middle and high groups, respectively), disabling back pain (ORs = 1.36 and 1.77 for the middle and high groups, respectively). Workaholism was more strongly associated with sickness absence due to mental health problems than that for other reasons (ORs = 1.76 vs. 1.21 for the middle group and 3.52 vs. 1.37 for the high groups). CONCLUSIONS: Workaholism is significantly associated with poor psychological health, disabling back pain, and sickness absence, particularly from mental health problems. Therefore, workaholism must be considered when addressing well-being of workers.

Work-to-family Conflict and Family-to- work Conflict among Japanese Dual-earner Couples with Preschool Children: A Spillover-Crossover Perspective: Akihito SHIMAZU, et al. Department of Mental Health, The University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine, Japan—Objectives: This study among Japanese dual-earner couples examined the independent and combined associations of work-to- family conflict (WFC) and family-to-work conflict (FWC) with psychological health of employees and their part- ners and the relationship quality between partners. Methods: The matched responses of 895 couples were analyzed with logistic regression analysis to examine whether there were differences among the four work- family conflict groups (i.e., no conflict, WFC, FWC and both conflicts groups) in terms of own psychological distress, social undermining (i.e., negative behaviors directed toward the target person) reported by partners and partner's psychological distress. The no conflicts group was used as the reference group. Results: The both conflicts group had the highest odds ratios for own psychological distress and social undermining towards the partner for both genders. In addition, for husbands, the both conflicts group had the highest odds ratio for partner's psychological distress, whereas for wives, it did not. Conclusions: Dual experiences of WFC and FWC have adverse associations with psychological health of employees and relationship quality between partners of both genders. In addition, dual experiences in husbands have an adverse association with psycho- logical health of their partners (i.e., wives), whereas this