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Published in: European Journal of Ageing 2/2015

01-06-2015 | Original Investigation

The role of cognitive resources for subjective work ability and health in nursing

Authors: Andreas Ihle, Erika Borella, Marlen Rahnfeld, Sandrine R. Müller, Sören Enge, Winfried Hacker, Jürgen Wegge, Michel Oris, Matthias Kliegel

Published in: European Journal of Ageing | Issue 2/2015

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Abstract

Cognitive resources can be considered to be key variables in the context of work ability and health, particularly in the aging workforce. However, research on this issue is sparse, lacking a comprehensive examination of specific cognitive functions. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine the association of cognitive resources with subjective work ability and health in more detail. In 166 geriatric care workers (mean age 42.1 years, SD = 11.5, range 20–62), subjective work ability and health were assessed. Additionally, a comprehensive battery of cognitive tests measuring crystallized intelligence, cognitive speed, short-term memory, working memory, and inhibition was administered in a standardized procedure. Controlling for individual differences in age, education, depressive symptoms, self-regulation strategies (in terms of selective optimization with compensation), and cognitive resources (particularly better performance in short-term memory, working memory, and inhibition) were related to better subjective work ability and health. The present results demonstrate the relation of a variety of specific cognitive functions with subjective work ability and health over and above individual differences in age, education, depressive symptoms, and self-regulation strategies. Implications to explicitly consider a set of cognitive resources in models of work and organizational psychology, particularly with respect to the aging workforce, are discussed.
Footnotes
1
We investigated relations for ordered categorical variables once subjective health was the outcome.
 
2
We additionally investigated whether the relationship between cognitive resources and subjective work ability/health is mediated by SOC strategies. There were no such mediation effects (all ps > .252).
 
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Metadata
Title
The role of cognitive resources for subjective work ability and health in nursing
Authors
Andreas Ihle
Erika Borella
Marlen Rahnfeld
Sandrine R. Müller
Sören Enge
Winfried Hacker
Jürgen Wegge
Michel Oris
Matthias Kliegel
Publication date
01-06-2015
Publisher
Springer Netherlands
Published in
European Journal of Ageing / Issue 2/2015
Print ISSN: 1613-9372
Electronic ISSN: 1613-9380
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10433-014-0331-y

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