Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

At a glance: The STEP trials

A round-up of the STEP phase 3 clinical trials evaluating semaglutide for weight loss in people with overweight or obesity.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
BMC Public Health
Published in: BMC Public Health 1/2018

Open Access 01-12-2018 | Research article

Linking quantitative demands to offshore wind workers’ stress: do personal and job resources matter? A structural equation modelling approach

Authors: Janika Mette, Marcial Velasco Garrido, Alexandra M. Preisser, Volker Harth, Stefanie Mache

Published in: BMC Public Health | Issue 1/2018

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

Employees in the offshore wind industry are exposed to various job demands, increasing the workers’ risk of experiencing strain reactions. However, personal and job resources might play a role in the stressor-strain context. The aim of this study was (1) to examine the link between offshore employees’ quantitative demands and stress, and (2) to study the role of personal and job resources (psychological detachment from work, social support, and influence at work) in this stressor-strain relationship.

Methods

Two hundred fifty offshore wind workers responded to an anonymous web-based survey, assessing the workers’ quantitative demands, social support, influence at work, psychological detachment from work, and stress. Descriptive statistical analyses and structural equation modelling were applied to test the hypotheses.

Results

Correlation analyses revealed substantial associations between employees’ quantitative demands, personal and job resources, and stress. Results of structural equation modelling indicated a good fit of the hypothesized model. Quantitative demands were positively related to stress, and psychological detachment from work partially mediated this relationship. Social support was negatively related to stress, while influence at work was not. Neither social support nor influence at work moderated the stressor-strain or stressor-detachment relationship.

Conclusions

The results contribute to the current knowledge on the topic. They can be used to design health promotion interventions aimed at reducing offshore employees’ quantitative demands, fostering their ability to mentally detach from work, and enhancing social support at the offshore workplace.
Literature
1.
Schwieters N, Ull T, Meyer R. Volle Kraft aus Hochseewind. Bremerhaven, Bremen: PricewaterhouseCoopers AG Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft (PwC); 2012.
2.
3.
4.
Chen WQ, Wong TW, Yu TS. Association of Occupational Stress and Social Support with health-related behaviors among Chinese offshore oil workers. J Occup Health. 2008;50(3):262–9.CrossRefPubMed
5.
Mette J, Velasco Garrido M, Harth V, Preisser AM, Mache S. “It’s still a great adventure” - exploring offshore employees’ working conditions in a qualitative study. J Occup Med Toxicol. 2017;12:35.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
6.
Mayerl H, Stolz E, Waxenegger A, Rásky É, Freidl W. The role of personal and job resources in the relationship between psychosocial job demands, mental strain, and health problems. Front Psychol. 2016;7:1214.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
7.
Xanthopoulou D, Bakker AB, Demerouti E, Schaufeli WB. The role of personal resources in the job demands-resources model. Int J Stress Manag. 2007;14(2):121.CrossRef
8.
Mette J, Velasco Garrido M, Harth V, Preisser AM, Mache S. Healthy offshore workforce? A qualitative study on offshore wind employees’ occupational strain, health, and coping. BMC Public Health. 2018;18(1):172.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
9.
10.
11.
Tveiten CK, Albrechtsen E, Heggset J, Hofmann M, Jersin E, Leira B, Norddal PK. HSE challenges related to offshore renewable energy. Report No. A18107. Volume 002. Trondhelm: SINTEF Technology and Society; 2011.
12.
Stansfeld S, Candy B. Psychosocial work environment and mental health – a meta-analytic review. Scand J Work Environ Health. 2006:443–62.
13.
de Lange AH, Taris TW, Kompier MAJ, Houtman ILD, Bongers PM. “The very best of the millennium”: longitudinal research and the demand-control-(support) model. J Occup Health Psychol. 2003;8(4):282–305.CrossRefPubMed
14.
Backé E-M, Seidler A, Latza U, Rossnagel K, Schumann B. The role of psychosocial stress at work for the development of cardiovascular diseases: a systematic review. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2012;85(1):67–79.CrossRefPubMed
15.
Bakker AB, Demerouti E. The job demands-resources model: state of the art. J Manag Psychol. 2007;22(3):309–28.CrossRef
16.
Demerouti E, Bakker AB, Nachreiner F, Schaufeli WB. The job demands-resources model of burnout. J Appl Psychol. 2001;86(3):499–512.CrossRefPubMed
17.
Linzer M, Gerrity M, Douglas JA, McMurray JE, Williams ES, Konrad TR. Physician stress: results from the physician worklife study. Stress Health. 2002;18(1):37–42.CrossRef
18.
Chiang FFT, Birtch TA, Kwan HK. The moderating roles of job control and work-life balance practices on employee stress in the hotel and catering industry. Int J Hosp Manag. 2010;29(1):25–32.CrossRef
19.
Bowen P, Edwards P, Lingard H, Cattell K. Occupational stress and job demand, control and support factors among construction project consultants. Int J Proj Manag. 2014;32(7):1273–84.CrossRef
20.
Merkus SL, Holte KA, Huysmans MA, van de Ven PM, van Mechelen W, van der Beek AJ. Self-reported recovery from 2-week 12-hour shift work schedules: a 14-day follow-up. Saf Health Work. 2015;6(3):240–8.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
21.
Parkes KR. Shift schedules on North Sea oil/gas installations: a systematic review of their impact on performance, safety and health. Saf Sci. 2012;50(7):1636–51.CrossRef
22.
Berthelsen M, Pallesen S, Bjorvatn B, Knardahl S. Shift schedules, work factors, and mental health among onshore and offshore workers in the Norwegian petroleum industry. Ind Health. 2015;53:280–92.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
23.
Ljoså CH, Tyssen R, Lau B. Mental distress among shift workers in Norwegian offshore petroleum industry – relative influence of individual and psychosocial work factors. Scand J Work Environ Health. 2011;37(6):551–5.CrossRefPubMed
24.
Parkes KR. Psychosocial aspects of work and health in the North Sea oil and gas industry. Research Report 002. Sudbury: University of Oxford for the Health and Safety Executive; 2002.
25.
Håvold JI. Stress on the bridge of offshore vessels: examples from the North Sea. Saf Sci. 2015;71:160–6.CrossRef
26.
Hystad SW, Saus E-R, Saetrevik B, Eid J. Fatigue in seafarers working in the offshore oil and gas re-supply industry: effects of safety climate, psychosocial work environment and shift arrangement. Int Marit Health. 2013;64(2):72–9.PubMed
27.
European Agency for Safety and Health at Work. Occupational safety and health in the wind energy sector. Luxembourg: European Agency for Safety and Health at Work; 2013.
28.
Puskeppeleit M. Medizin im Offshore-Bereich. In: Ottoman C, Seidenstücker KH, editors. Maritime Medizin. Praxiswissen für Schiffsärzte und Ärzte im Offshore-Bereich. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer; 2015. p. 35–47.
29.
Sonnentag S, Fritz C. Recovery from job stress: the stressor-detachment model as an integrative framework. J Organ Behav. 2015;36(S1):S72–S103.CrossRef
30.
31.
Siltaloppi M, Kinnunen U, Feldt T. Recovery experiences as moderators between psychosocial work characteristics and occupational well-being. Work Stress. 2009;23(4):330–48.CrossRef
32.
Wendsche J, Lohmann-Haislah A. Detachment als Bindeglied zwischen psychischen Arbeitsanforderungen und ermüdungsrelevanten psychischen Beanspruchungsfolgen: Eine Metaanalyse. Z Arb Wiss. 2017;71(1):52–70.CrossRef
33.
Safstrom M, Hartig T. Psychological detachment in the relationship between job stressors and strain. Behav Sci. 2013;3(3):418–33.CrossRefPubMed
34.
Sonnentag S, Fritz C. The recovery experience questionnaire: development and validation of a measure for assessing recuperation and unwinding from work. J Occup Health Psychol. 2007;12(3):204–21.CrossRefPubMed
35.
Kinnunen U, Feldt T, Siltaloppi M, Sonnentag S. Job demands–resources model in the context of recovery: testing recovery experiences as mediators. Eur J Work Organ Psychol. 2011;20(6):805–32.CrossRef
36.
Sonnentag S, Bayer U-V. Switching off mentally: predictors and consequences of psychological detachment from work during off-job time. J Occup Health Psychol. 2005;10(4):393–414.CrossRefPubMed
37.
Moreno-Jiménez B, Rodríguez-Muñoz A, Sanz-Vergel AI, Garrosa E. Elucidating the role of recovery experiences in the job demands-resources model. Span J Psychol. 2012;15(2):659–69.CrossRefPubMed
38.
Sonnentag S, Binnewies C, Mojza EJ. Staying well and engaged when demands are high: the role of psychological detachment. J Appl Psychol. 2010;95(5):965–76.CrossRefPubMed
39.
Sonnentag S, Kuttler I, Fritz C. Job stressors, emotional exhaustion, and need for recovery: a multi-source study on the benefits of psychological detachment. J Vocat Behav. 2010;76(3):355–65.CrossRef
40.
ten Brummelhuis LL, Bakker AB. Staying engaged during the week: the effect of off-job activities on next day work engagement. J Occup Health Psychol. 2012;17(4):445–55.CrossRefPubMed
41.
Moreno-Jiménez B, Rodríguez-Muñoz A, Pastor JC, Sanz-Vergel AI, Garrosa E. The moderating effects of psychological detachment and thoughts of revenge in workplace bullying. Pers Individ Dif. 2009;46(3):359–64.CrossRef
42.
Leavy RL. Social support and psychological disorder: a review. J Community Psychol. 1983;11(1):3–21.CrossRefPubMed
43.
Chen WQ, Wong TW, Yu TS. Direct and interactive effects of occupational stress and coping on ulcer-like symptoms among Chinese male off-shore oil workers. Am J Ind Med. 2009;52(6):500–8.CrossRefPubMed
44.
Ulleberg P, Rundmo T. Job stress, social support, job satisfaction and absenteeism among offshore oil personnel. Work Stress. 1997;11(3):215–28.CrossRef
45.
Viswesvaran C, Sanchez JI, Fisher J. The role of social support in the process of work stress: a meta-analysis. J Vocat Behav. 1999;54(2):314–34.CrossRef
46.
Dormann C, Zapf D. Social support, social stressors at work, and depressive symptoms: testing for main and moderating effects with structural equations in a three-wave longitudinal study. J Appl Psychol. 1999;84(6):874–84.CrossRefPubMed
47.
Day A, Crown SN, Ivany M. Organisational change and employee burnout: the moderating effects of support and job control. Saf Sci. 2017;100:4–12.
48.
Cunningham CE, Woodward CA, Shannon HS, MacIntosh J, Lendrum B, Rosenbloom D, Brown J. Readiness for organizational change: a longitudinal study of workplace, psychological and behavioural correlates. J Occup Organ Psychol. 2002;75(4):377–92.CrossRef
49.
Johnson JV, Hall EM. Job strain, work place social support, and cardiovascular disease: a cross-sectional study of a random sample of the Swedish working population. Am J Public Health. 1988;78(10):1336–42.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
50.
Kim H, Stoner M. Burnout and turnover intention among social workers: effects of role stress, job autonomy and social support. Adm Soc Work. 2008;32(3):5–25.CrossRef
51.
Nissly JA, Barak MEM, Levin A. Stress, social support, and Workers’ intentions to leave their jobs in public child welfare. Adm Soc Work. 2005;29(1):79–100.CrossRef
52.
Carlson DS, Perrewé PL. The role of social support in the stressor-strain relationship: an examination of work-family conflict. J Manag. 1999;25(4):513–40.
53.
Karasek RA. Job demands, job decision latitude, and mental strain: implications for job redesign. Adm Sci Q. 1979;24:285–308.CrossRef
54.
Thompson CA, Prottas DJ. Relationships among organizational family support, job autonomy, perceived control, and employee well-being. J Occup Health Psychol. 2006;10(4):100–18.CrossRef
55.
Bond FW, Bunce D. The role of acceptance and job control in mental health, job satisfaction, and work performance. J Appl Psychol. 2003;88(6):1057–67.CrossRefPubMed
56.
Dwyer DJ, Ganster DC. The effects of job demands and control on employee attendance and satisfaction. J Organ Behav. 1991;12(7):595–608.CrossRef
57.
Taris TW. Bricks without clay: on urban myths in occupational health psychology. Work Stress. 2006;20(2):99–104.CrossRef
58.
Van der Doef M, Maes S. The job demand-control (-support) model and psychological well-being: a review of 20 years of empirical research. Work Stress. 1999;13(2):87–114.CrossRef
59.
Häusser JA, Mojzisch A, Niesel M, Schulz-Hardt S. Ten years on: a review of recent research on the job demand–control (-support) model and psychological well-being. Work Stress. 2010;24(1):1–35.CrossRef
60.
Kristensen TS, Hannerz H, Hogh A, Borg V. The Copenhagen psychosocial questionnaire – a tool for the assessment and improvement of the psychosocial work environment. Scand J Work Environ Health. 2005;31(6):438–49.CrossRefPubMed
61.
Nübling M, Hasselhorn HM. The Copenhagen psychosocial questionnaire in Germany: from the validation of the instrument to the formation of a job-specific database of psychosocial factors at work. Scand J Public Health. 2010;38(Suppl 3):120–4.CrossRef
62.
Pejtersen JH, Kristensen TS, Borg V, Bjorner JB. The second version of the Copenhagen psychosocial questionnaire. Scand J Public Health. 2010;38(Suppl 3):8–24.CrossRefPubMed
63.
64.
65.
Little RJ. A test of missing completely at random for multivariate data with missing values. J Am Stat Assoc. 1988;83(404):1198–202.CrossRef
66.
67.
Enders CK. A primer on maximum likelihood algorithms available for use with missing data. Struct Equ Model. 2001;8(1):128–41.CrossRef
68.
Weiber R, Mühlhaus D. Strukturgleichungsmodellierung. Eine anwendungsorientierte Einführung in die Kausalanalyse mit Hilfe von AMOS, SmartPLS und SPSS. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer-Lehrbuch; 2014.
69.
Baron RM, Kenny DA. The moderator-mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations. J Pers Soc Psychol. 1986;51(6):1173–82.CrossRefPubMed
70.
Hayes AF. Introduction to mediation, moderation, and conditional process analysis: a regression-based approach. New York: The Guilford Press; 2013.
71.
72.
Hu L-T, Bentler PM. Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis: conventional criteria versus new alternatives. Struct Equ Model. 1999;6(1):1–55.CrossRef
73.
74.
Podsakoff PM, MacKenzie SB, Lee JY, Podsakoff NP. Common method biases in behavioral research: a critical review of the literature and recommended remedies. J Appl Psychol. 2003;88(5):879–903.CrossRefPubMed
75.
Parkes KR. Psychosocial aspects of stress, health and safety on North Sea installations. Scand J Work Environ Health. 1998;24(5):321–33.CrossRefPubMed
76.
Chen WQ, Wong TW, Yu TS. Mental health issues in Chinese offshore oil workers. Occup Med. 2009;59(8):545–9.CrossRef
77.
Nielsen MB, Tvedt SD, Matthiesen SB. Prevalence and occupational predictors of psychological distress in the offshore petroleum industry: a prospective study. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2013;86(8):875–85.CrossRefPubMed
78.
Nübling M, Stößel U, Hasselhorn HM, Michaelis M, Hofmann F. Methoden zur Erfassung psychischer Belastungen - Erprobung eines Messinstrumentes (COPSOQ). Dortmund, Berlin, Dresden: Bundesamt für Arbeitsschutz und Arbeitsmedizin; 2005.
79.
80.
Sonnentag S, Arbeus H, Mahn C, Fritz C. Exhaustion and lack of psychological detachment from work during off-job time: moderator effects of time pressure and leisure experiences. J Occup Health Psychol. 2014;19(2):206–16.CrossRefPubMed
81.
Parkes KR. Mental health in the oil industry: a comparative study of onshore and offshore employees. Psychol Med. 1992;22(04):997–1009.CrossRefPubMed
82.
Sonnentag S, Kruel U. Psychological detachment from work during off-job time: the role of job stressors, job involvement, and recovery-related self-efficacy. Eur J Work Organ Psychol. 2006;15(2):197–217.CrossRef
83.
Bjerkan AM. Work and health: a comparison between Norwegian onshore and offshore employees. Work. 2011;40(2):125–42.PubMed
84.
Beehr TA, Glaser KM, Canali KG, Wallwey DA. Back to basics: re-examination of demand-control theory of occupational stress. Work Stress. 2001;15(2):115–30.CrossRef
85.
Rodgers JL. The epistemology of mathematical and statistical modeling: a quiet methodological revolution. Am Psychol. 2010;65(1):1–12.CrossRefPubMed
86.
Selig JP, Preacher KJ. Mediation models for longitudinal data in developmental research. Res Hum Dev. 2009;6(2–3):144–64.CrossRef
87.
Maxwell SE, Cole DA. Bias in cross-sectional analyses of longitudinal mediation. Psychol Methods. 2007;12(1):23–44.CrossRefPubMed
88.
O’Sullivan M, Edler D, Lehr U. Ökonomische Indikatoren des Energiesystems. Methode, Abgrenzung und Ergebnisse für den Zeitraum 2000–2016. GWS research report 2018/01. Osnabrück: GWS mbH Osnabrück; 2018.
89.
Lenz J, Ludwig T, Timm S. Branchenanalyse Windenergieindustrie: Arbeitsbedingungen und Marktentwicklung aus Sicht von Betriebsräten. Düsseldorf: Hans Böckler Stiftung; 2017.
Metadata
Title
Linking quantitative demands to offshore wind workers’ stress: do personal and job resources matter? A structural equation modelling approach
Authors
Janika Mette
Marcial Velasco Garrido
Alexandra M. Preisser
Volker Harth
Stefanie Mache
Publication date
01-12-2018
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Public Health / Issue 1/2018
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2458
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-018-5808-8

Other articles of this Issue 1/2018

BMC Public Health 1/2018 Go to the issue

Research article

The influence of maternal psychosocial circumstances and physical environment on the risk of severe wasting in rural Gambian infants: a mixed methods approach

Research article

A randomized controlled trial testing a social network intervention to promote physical activity among adolescents

Study protocol

Evaluating the impact of the DREAMS partnership to reduce HIV incidence among adolescent girls and young women in four settings: a study protocol

Research article

Exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke and respiratory symptoms in non-smoking adults: cross-sectional data from the general population of Telemark, Norway

Research article

Microcephaly epidemic related to the Zika virus and living conditions in Recife, Northeast Brazil

Research article

Reported incidence and risk factors of childhood pneumonia in India: a community-based cross-sectional study