ObjectivesThis study aims to intensively evaluate the effectiveness of mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) on mental illness risks (including psychological distress, prolonged fatigue, and perceived stress) and job strain (job control and job demands) for employees with poor mental health.MethodsA longitudinal research design was adopted. In total, 144 participants were randomized to the intervention group or the control group. The intervention group participated in MBI for eight weeks. Measurements were collected for both groups at five time points: at pre-intervention (T1), at mid-intervention (T2), at the completion of intervention (T3), four weeks after intervention (T4), and eight weeks after intervention (T5). Data were analyzed according to the intention-to-treat principle. A linear mixed model with two levels was employed to analyze the repeated measurement data.ResultsCompared with the control group, the intercepts (means at T3) for the intervention group were significantly lower on psychological distress, prolonged fatigue, and perceived stress when MBI was completed. Even with the demographic variables controlled, the positive effects remained. For growth rates of prolonged fatigue and perceived stress, participants in the intervention group showed a steeper decrease than did the participants in the control group. Regarding job strain, although the intercept (mean at T3) of job demands showed a significant decline when BMI was completed, the significance disappeared when the demographic variables were controlled. Moreover, the other results for job control and job demands did not show promising findings.ConclusionAs a workplace health promotion program, the MBI seems to have potential in improving mental illness risks for employees with poor mental health. However, there was insufficient evidence to support its effect on mitigating job strain. Further research on maintaining the positive effects on mental health for the long term and on developing innovative MBI to suit job strain are recommended.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT02241070

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The purpose of this study is to explore the relationships among social support, professional empowerment, and nursing career development and to identify the significant factors that affect nursing career development among male nurses. A cross-sectional survey design was used with 314 male nurses in Taiwan. Social support and professional empowerment were significantly and positively correlated with nursing career development among male nurses. Social support, professional empowerment, salary, type of institution, type of clinical level, and nursing discipline were identified as factors that significantly influenced nursing career development. Together, they accounted for 55.9% of the total variation. Professional empowerment was the most critical predictor of nursing career development and accounted for 47.7% of the variation. Nursing managers should follow male nurses' empowerment with interest and specifically address professional empowerment to promote male nurses' career development.

Objective:The aim of this study was to develop a new and shorter Chinese version of Ryff's psychological well-being scale. Design: Cross-sectional survey. Setting: In recent years there have been several versions of this scale, including 84-item, 54-item and 18-item versions. Researchers in different countries have built on Ryff's version to create their own versions in various languages. However, most versions have not yielded improved confirmatory factor analysis results. Shorter versions of the scale in the past were also less reliable in terms of internal consistency. Method: This study used a sample of 820 middle-aged and older people from Taiwan with an average age of 59.8 years. We used structural equation modelling (SEM) to select items for inclusion. Results: After item selection, a new version of 18 items based on Ryff 's 84-item version was established with improved confirmatory factor analysis validity and reliability. The results for this 18-item version indicated that factor loadings were at least .60, and the reliability alpha coefficients were 0.92 and 0.60-0.75 for its six subscales. Additionally, a significant correlation with the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS)-15 and quality of life criteria indicate very acceptable criterion-related validities. Conclusion:The 18-item Chinese version does not include any reversely worded items after the item selection processes, thus reducing method artefacts. It also exhibited very acceptable confirmatory factor analysis results.

[[abstract]]In Taiwan, workplace health promotion programs have been designed on an organizational basis, and the specific health needs for workers within different occupational categories have not usually been taken into account. This study describes the various levels of overall health-promoting lifestyles and health-promoting behaviors of workers within different occupational categories, and examines the effects of occupational category, perceived busyness, and BMI level on overall health-promoting lifestyles and health-promoting behaviors. A cross-sectional survey with convenient sampling, comprising a self-reporting questionnaire (which included the Chinese version of the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile), was used to measure the overall HPLP and six health-promoting behaviors (nutrition, health responsibility, self-actualization, interpersonal support, exercise, and stress management). A total of 796 participants were recruited. Multiple regression analysis showed that the various occupational categories sustained significant differences in overall HPLP, nutrition, self-actualization, interpersonal support, and stress management (after controlling for some specific factors). Perceived busyness showed positive effects on the overall HPLP, self-actualization, interpersonal support, and stress management. The obese group had less participation in overall health-promoting lifestyles and stress management when compared with the moderate BMI group. Workplace health promotion practitioners should therefore develop specific strategies to target the laborers and workers who demonstrate obesity