Marianne Skogbrott Birkeland1, Morten Birkeland Nielsen2,3, Stein Knardahl2, Trond Heir4,5. 1. Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies (NKVTS), 181 Nydalen, 0409, Oslo, Norway. marianne.s.birkeland@gmail.com. 2. National Institute of Occupational Health, Oslo, Norway. 3. Department of Psychosocial Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway. 4. Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies (NKVTS), 181 Nydalen, 0409, Oslo, Norway. 5. Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Abstract
PURPOSE: The impact of leadership practices on employee health may be especially evident after extreme events that have physical, psychological, or material consequences for the members of an organization. In this prospective study, we aimed to examine the association between leadership behavior and psychological distress in employees who had experienced a workplace terror attack. METHODS: Ten and 22 months after the 2011 Oslo bombing attack targeting their workplace, ministerial employees (n = 2272) responded to a questionnaire assessing fair, empowering, supportive, and laissez-faire leadership, as well as psychological distress. Cross-sectional and time-lagged associations between the constructs were tested using structural equation modeling. RESULTS: Cross-sectionally, higher levels of supportive leadership were associated with lower levels of psychological distress. Longitudinally, negative relationships were found between psychological distress and subsequent ratings of fair and empowering leadership. CONCLUSIONS: Supportive leadership was associated with employees' psychological health after trauma, but seems not to have long-term effects on subsequent psychological distress. Rather, psychological distress may lead the employees to perceive their leaders as more negative across time.
PURPOSE: The impact of leadership practices on employee health may be especially evident after extreme events that have physical, psychological, or material consequences for the members of an organization. In this prospective study, we aimed to examine the association between leadership behavior and psychological distress in employees who had experienced a workplace terror attack. METHODS: Ten and 22 months after the 2011 Oslo bombing attack targeting their workplace, ministerial employees (n = 2272) responded to a questionnaire assessing fair, empowering, supportive, and laissez-faire leadership, as well as psychological distress. Cross-sectional and time-lagged associations between the constructs were tested using structural equation modeling. RESULTS: Cross-sectionally, higher levels of supportive leadership were associated with lower levels of psychological distress. Longitudinally, negative relationships were found between psychological distress and subsequent ratings of fair and empowering leadership. CONCLUSIONS: Supportive leadership was associated with employees' psychological health after trauma, but seems not to have long-term effects on subsequent psychological distress. Rather, psychological distress may lead the employees to perceive their leaders as more negative across time.
Authors: Marko Elovainio; Anne Linna; Marianna Virtanen; Tuula Oksanen; Mika Kivimäki; Jaana Pentti; Jussi Vahtera Journal: Soc Sci Med Date: 2013-05-16 Impact factor: 4.634