A mediational model of sense of coherence in the work context: a one‐year follow‐up study

The aim of this study was to test a mediational model appropriate for explaining the effects of psychosocial work characteristics (influence at work, job insecurity, organizational climate and leadership relations) on general well‐being, (psychosomatic symptoms) and on occupational well‐being (emotional exhaustion at work) via sense of coherence (SOC) in a one‐year follow‐up study. The questionnaire data were gathered in four Finnish organizations in February 1995 and 1996. Altogether 219 employees participated in the study in both years. The results, based on structural equation modelling, showed that a good organizational climate and low job insecurity were related to strong SOC, which was, in turn, linked to a high level of general as well as occupational well‐being. In addition, those employees who experienced changes in organizational climate and leadership relations during the follow‐up period, showed changes in SOC which was, in turn, related to changes in the well‐being indicators. The results thus highlight the major role of a good organizational climate for enhancing SOC and, consequently, well‐being. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Organizational antecedents and outcomes of job insecurity: a longitudinal study in three organizations in Finland

The aim of the study was to examine perceived job insecurity and its organizational antecedents and outcomes within a one‐year time period. The study was carried out by means of questionnaires, which were responded to twice, in 1995 (Time 1) and 1996 (Time 2), by employees in three organizations: a factory, a bank, and a municipal social and health care department. The present article is based on the data of those employees (n=210) who participated in the study in both years. The results indicated that perceived job insecurity varied with gender and organization, but not with time. In particular, female employees in the bank reported a high level of job insecurity compared with men. The use of a restorative strategy by management at Time 1 decreased job insecurity at Time 2, whereas job insecurity at Time 1 weakened the quality of human relations and perceived efficiency within the organizations at Time 2. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Multi‐wave,multi‐variable models of job insecurity: applying different scales in studying the stability of job insecurity

The study had two specific targets: first, to examine the stability of job insecurity by utilizing three‐year longitudinal data (n = 109) collected in Finland and, second, to clarify psychometric properties of four job insecurity scales, i.e., the global scale, the importance scale, the probability scale and the powerlessness scale. The study was carried out by means of questionnaires, which were answered on three occasions. Analyses were conducted using multi‐wave, multi‐variable models which were estimated and tested via the LISREL program. Generally, the results showed that job insecurity remained relatively stable during the follow‐up period, although there were some variations in the stability as well as in the psychometric properties of the four job insecurity scales examined. More specifically, three of the scales studied showed good psychometric properties, whereas the probability scale could not be estimated longitudinally. Furthermore, working organization and time had effects on the level of job insecurity measured via the different scales. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effect of Cd++ on germination,growth and active principles of Datura metel L.∗

The effects of Cd⁺⁺ concentration increment in soil and/or in atmosphere, on germination, growth and alkaloid contents of Datura metel L. were investigated. We observed a significant reduction of growth following addition of Cd⁺⁺ in soil. Minor effects on growth were evident when the plants were sprayed with CdCl₂ solution (10mgCd⁺⁺/l).

Scanning electron microscope observation showed stomata widely open and conspicuous cuticular striations in the foliar epidermis of polluted plants.

GLC analysis of extracts evidenced a significant variation in active principle content among plants undergoing different treatments.     

The effects of job stressors on marital satisfaction in Finnish dual‐earner couples

The focus on the present study was to test a mediational model appropriate for explaining the effects of psychosocial job stressors, i.e., job insecurity, job autonomy, time pressures at work, leadership relations and work–family conflict, on marital satisfaction via job exhaustion and psychosomatic health. The study was carried out among 215 married or cohabiting dual‐earner couples. The proposed model was tested through structural equation analysis (LISREL). The results indicated that the job stressors, except for job autonomy, spilled over into marital satisfaction via job exhaustion and psychosomatic health for both men and women. However, no empirical support was found for the crossover of job stressors between partners, signifying that job stressors experienced by one partner did not influence the marital well‐being of the other. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.