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The dissertation includes three published articles on which the development of a theoretical model of motivational and self-regulatory determinants of the intention to comprehensively search for health information is based. The first article focuses on building a solid theoretical foundation as to the nature of a comprehensive search for health information and enabling its integration into a broader conceptual framework. Based on subjective source perceptions, a taxonomy of health information sources was developed. The aim of this taxonomy was to identify most fundamental source characteristics to provide a point of reference when it comes to relating to the target objects of a comprehensive search. Three basic source characteristics were identified: expertise, interaction and accessibility. The second article reports on the development and evaluation of an instrument measuring the goals individuals have when seeking health information: the ‘Goals Associated with Health Information Seeking’ (GAINS) questionnaire. Two goal categories (coping focus and regulatory focus) were theoretically derived, based on which four goals (understanding, action planning, hope and reassurance) were classified. The final version of the questionnaire comprised four scales representing the goals, with four items per scale (sixteen items in total). The psychometric properties of the GAINS were analyzed in three independent samples, and the questionnaire was found to be reliable and sufficiently valid as well as suitable for a patient sample. It was concluded that the GAINS makes it possible to evaluate goals of health information seeking (HIS) which are likely to inform the intention building on how to organize the search for health information. The third article describes the final development and a first empirical evaluation of a model of motivational and self-regulatory determinants of an intentionally comprehensive search for health information. Based on the insights and implications of the previous two articles and an additional rigorous theoretical investigation, the model included approach and avoidance motivation, emotion regulation, HIS self-efficacy, problem and emotion focused coping goals and the intention to seek comprehensively (as outcome variable). The model was analyzed via structural equation modeling in a sample of university students. Model fit was good and hypotheses with regard to specific direct and indirect effects were confirmed. Last, the findings of all three articles are synthesized, the final model is presented and discussed with regard to its strengths and weaknesses, and implications for further research are determined.
In light of an alarming increase of sick leave and early retirement because of mental diseases, the public, political and scientific interest in an effective protection of psychological health within organizational context has been increasing for years. More and more the focus is especially on executives who influence the mental health of their employees by leadership behavior within interactions and by designing work tasks and working pro-cesses. In this regard classical and modern, explicit health-oriented leadership approaches provide valuable insights but also neglect the important influence of leadership situation on health-oriented leadership. This situation reduces the explanatory and predictive potential of available health-oriented leadership concepts.
In article 1 a conceptual framework model called Systemic Salutogenic Interaction Model (SSIM) is developed and justified that is based on findings of evidence-based leadership research but also integrates systemic concepts and key elements of the theory of saluto-genesis. The SSIM distinguishes between two levels: Within the primary system of salutogenic interaction salutogenic leadership and employees behavior for the first time are conceptualized as recipocal influence factors that influence each other (level 1). The organizational context is explicitly taken into account as significant factor outside the primary system that effects the behavior of both interaction partners mediated via cognitive pro-cesses (level 2). Due to this focus on interactions und context factors for the first time leadership situation becomes an explicit component of a health-oriented leadership concept.
First of all, article 2 focusses on the systematic analysis of the relative importance health related leadership aspects. For this purpose the TIMP-inventory was developed that records three distinct core-factors of salutogenic leadership (trust, incident management and pressure) which explain more variance of the Work-SoC construct than established general approaches and health-related leadership concepts.
In article 3 the results of a cross-sectional multilevel analysis indicate that the perceived leadership situation significantly explains variance of salutogenic leadership between teams. For the first time, this shows a significant correlation between specific aspects of leadership situation und salutogenic leadership behavior.
Within the frame of a quasi-experimental study (article 4), for the first time, a correlation is shown between salutogenic target-setting processes on executive’s side and the Work-SoC of team members. These results support an essential effect mechanism that is postulated in the SSIM. Furthermore these findings indicate that the SSIM can profitably be used within the context of salutogenic coachings, underlining its practical benefit.
Taken together the empirical findings of this dissertation support the assumption that the new SSIM approach significantly expands the explanatory und predictive potential of the health-oriented leadership concepts so far available. The results also raise a number of new, interesting questions for future research. Furthermore the SSIM broadens the perspective regarding the strategic orientation of human resource and organizational devel-opment. Especially out of the SSIM important guiding principles and innovative concepts for a target-oriented diagnostic und effective interventions can be derived. Thus this dissertation lays the foundation for a coherent, holistic oriented salutogenic leadership research und practice.
Designing a Randomized Trial with an Age Simulation Suit—Representing People with Health Impairments
(2020)
Due to demographic change, there is an increasing demand for professional care services, whereby this demand cannot be met by available caregivers. To enable adequate care by relieving informal and formal care, the independence of people with chronic diseases has to be preserved for as long as possible. Assistance approaches can be used that support promoting physical activity, which is a main predictor of independence. One challenge is to design and test such approaches without affecting the people in focus. In this paper, we propose a design for a randomized trial to enable the use of an age simulation suit to generate reference data of people with health impairments with young and healthy participants. Therefore, we focus on situations of increased physical activity.