Testing cross‐lagged relationships between work‐related rumination and well‐being at work in a three‐wave longitudinal study across 1 and 2 years

Abstract

The aim of this three‐wave longitudinal study conducted among 664 Finnish employees was to examine the cross‐lagged relationships between various work‐related ruminative thoughts (affective rumination, problem‐solving pondering, lack of detachment from work) during off‐job time and employee well‐being (exhaustion, vigour). We tested normal, reversed, and reciprocal temporal relationships across 1 and 2 years using structural equation modelling. The analyses lent most support to the reversed temporal relationships, showing first that high exhaustion predicted low problem‐solving pondering 2 years later and second, that high vigour predicted low affective rumination both 1 and 2 years later. In addition, a normal temporal relationship was supported in one model, indicating that high affective rumination predicted high exhaustion 1 year later. Thus, our study suggests that affective ruminative thoughts, in particular, play a negative role in cross‐lagged relationships. On the basis of our results, occupational health interventions intended to reduce both affective work‐related rumination and exhaustion and to increase vigour at work are desirable. Practitioner points Affective rumination during off‐job time predicted increased job exhaustion across 1 year. Prevent affective rumination by training employees to change ways of thinking and to create action plans on setting and completing work goals. Vigour predicted reduced affective work‐related rumination in the long term. Provide employees with sufficient job resources to increase their vigour at work. Exhaustion predicted reduced problem‐solving pondering during off‐job time in the long term. Attention should be paid to ensuring that job demands are not so high that they increase exhaustion. Care should be taken to ensure that problem‐solving pondering replenishes energy resources.

My Mind is Working Overtime—Towards an Integrative Perspective of Psychological Detachment, Work-Related Rumination, and Work Reflection

“…In a longitudinal panel study, Vahle-Hinz et al [22] provided evidence that while affective rumination predicted lower levels of recovery and did not affect creativity six months later, problem-solving pondering predicted higher levels of creativity but did not impair recovery status. Applying latent profile analysis, Kinnunen and colleagues [23,24] found that different configurations of affective rumination, problem-solving pondering, and (lack of) detachment differentially predicted changes in exhaustion, work engagement, and sleep problems. Finally, another longitudinal study by Firoozabadi and colleagues [25] applied growth curve modeling and found that while affective rumination predicted increases in exhaustion over twelve months, problem-solving pondering was only related to the initial level of exhaustion.…”

“…While the studies cited above have consistently shown the differential effects of affective rumination vs. problem-solving pondering, very few studies have investigated affective rumination and problem-solving pondering in concert with psychological detachment for exceptions see [8,23,24,26]. In this sense, although much of the above cited research explicitly refers to detachment, we run the risk of disconnecting research on affective rumination and problem-solving pondering from the large body of research on detachment.…”

Switch Off Totally or Switch Off Strategically? The Consequences of Thinking About Work on Job Performance

“…It can be seen that affective rumination is positively related to negative behavior, and problem-solving pondering is negatively related or Psychological Reports, in press 11 not related to negative behavior. Research specific to the field of work has also found that only affective rumination predicted poor job role performance (Kinnunen et al, 2017;Kinnunen et al, 2019). In view of this, it can be inferred that after affective rumination, employees may show counterproductive behaviors (e.g., show up late, leave early, etc.)…”

Do Older Teachers Benefit More From Workday Break Recovery Than Younger Ones?

“…The reason for this may relate to reduced self-regulatory capacity that would be needed to refrain from thinking about workrelated matters when it is not necessary (Sonnentag and Fritz, 2015). This reverse relationship has been shown in longitudinal studies lasting from four weeks (Sonnentag, Arbeus, Mahn, and Fritz, 2014) to two years (Kinnunen, Feldt, and de Bloom, 2019). In the future, either shortterm diary studies or long-term longitudinal studies are needed to better reveal causal relationships between break recovery and various recovery outcomes.…”