Understanding how employees unwind after work : expanding the construct of "recovery"

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dc.contributor.advisor Day, Arla L. (Arla Lauree), 1968-
dc.creator Stevens, Sonya N. M.
dc.date.accessioned 2011-06-24T17:48:38Z
dc.date.available 2011-06-24T17:48:38Z
dc.date.issued 2010
dc.identifier.other RA785 S74 2010
dc.identifier.uri http://library2.smu.ca/xmlui/handle/01/23055
dc.description x, 180 leaves : ill. ; 29 cm. en_CA
dc.description Includes abstract.
dc.description Includes bibliographical references (leaves 129-145).
dc.description.abstract Recovery experiences (e.g., psychological detachment, relaxation, mastery, control) have been proposed to work in opposition of the strain process and help employees to unwind and restore their resources (Sonnentag & Bayer, 2005). Although we are beginning to understand how these experiences may help workers to recuperate from job demands, there are still many questions about the construct and the efficacy of recovery that remain to be examined. Therefore, the goals of this program of research were to: (1) explore and potentially expand the domain of recovery experiences; (2) examine the relationship between recovery experiences and related constructs (i.e., coping, strain, burnout, engagement, positive mood); (3) examine the influence of a work-life balance intervention on recovery experiences; and (4) assess whether recovery experiences mediate the impact of the work-life balance intervention on strain and motivational outcomes. This program of research consisted of three studies: Study 1 involved qualitative scale development; Study 2 involved cross-sectional survey data collection; and Study 3 involved the implementation of a recovery intervention and longitudinal survey data collection (i.e., pre-treatment and post-treatment). In Study 1, several recovery experiences (i.e., physical activity, social affiliation, hope/optimism, fun/humour, self-reward) in addition to the original four experiences, were identified through consultation with subject matter experts as being important for recuperation from work stress. New items were created to tap into each of these additional experiences. In Study 2, recovery items factored into the ten hypothesized subscales (i.e., four original recovery experiences and six new recovery experiences). The new recovery experiences demonstrated incremental validity, above and beyond the existing recovery experiences, in the prediction of employee well-being outcomes. Recovery experiences were also distinct from conceptualizations of coping and demonstrated incremental validity, above and beyond coping scales, in the prediction of employee well-being outcomes. In line with job-demands resources theory, recovery experiences tended to be more strongly related to positive mood than to strain outcomes. In Study 3, recovery experiences were positively influenced by a 12-week work-life balance intervention and recovery partially mediated the effects of the intervention on employee strain. This series of studies suggests that recovery is an important construct in occupational health psychology and warrant further empirical attention. en_CA
dc.description.provenance Submitted by Dianne MacPhee (dianne.macphee@smu.ca) on 2011-06-24T17:48:38Z No. of bitstreams: 0 en
dc.description.provenance Made available in DSpace on 2011-06-24T17:48:38Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2010 en
dc.language.iso en en_CA
dc.publisher Halifax, N.S. : Saint Mary's University en_CA
dc.subject.lcc RA785
dc.subject.lcsh Relaxation
dc.subject.lcsh Job stress
dc.subject.lcsh Work-life balance
dc.title Understanding how employees unwind after work : expanding the construct of "recovery" en_CA
dc.title.alternative Work & recovery
dc.type Text en_CA
thesis.degree.name Doctor of Philosophy in Industrial/Organizational Psychology
thesis.degree.level Doctoral
thesis.degree.discipline Psychology
thesis.degree.grantor Saint Mary's University (Halifax, N.S.)
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