title: Non-suicidal self-injury and outward-directed injury: An exploration into commonalities in engagement and function within an Aotearoa New Zealand youth sample

authors: Trappitt Smith, Anita

subjects: NSSI

abstract: This research explores two detrimental issues confronting an increasing number of young people: non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and outward-directed injury (ODI). Researchers and service providers often approach these behaviours in vastly differently ways. NSSI is understood as the direct and deliberate destruction of one’s own skin tissue, unsanctioned socially or culturally, occurring in the absence of suicidal intent. This behaviour is often associated with depressed or highly distressed females. Self-directed injury (SDI) of this type often evokes sympathy from others and can result in increased care and support for those engaging in these behaviours. Outward-directed injury (ODI) is a novel term explored through this study and intended to capture harmful behaviours which are directed externally or outward, potentially causing injury to another or damage to an object, seemingly in an aggressive act, with the intent to injure oneself. Examples of ODI include: wall- / object-punching, fighting or other aggressive acts. Stereotypically, ODI behaviours are more often associated with males and tend to be viewed with derision and punitive responses. NSSI and ODI both appear to be predicated by strong emotions and may be used to regulate these. The current study uses an established survey containing two well-validated measures to explore NZ respondents' engagement in and perceptions of these behaviours. Survey data is analysed according to gender, emotional distress, and behaviour functionality. Gender was found to play a significant role in both classes of behaviours with females endorsing SDI more frequently than males and males endorsing ODI more than females. This study also found that people who hurt themselves through either SDI or ODI report more psychological distress than those who do not engage in any self-injurious behaviour. This study also found those who engage in ODI are significantly more distressed than those who engage in SDI, whilst those with dual engagement (employing both SDI and ODI) are most distressed of all. Study findings also showed emotion regulation to be a primary function for both SDI and ODI engagement.

text: Non-suicidal self-injury and outward-directed injury: An exploration into commonalities in engagement and function within an Aotearoa New Zealand youth sample This research explores two detrimental issues confronting an increasing number of young people: non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and outward-directed injury (ODI). Researchers and service providers often approach these behaviours in vastly differently ways. NSSI is understood as the direct and deliberate destruction of one’s own skin tissue, unsanctioned socially or culturally, occurring in the absence of suicidal intent. This behaviour is often associated with depressed or highly distressed females. Self-directed injury (SDI) of this type often evokes sympathy from others and can result in increased care and support for those engaging in these behaviours. Outward-directed injury (ODI) is a novel term explored through this study and intended to capture harmful behaviours which are directed externally or outward, potentially causing injury to another or damage to an object, seemingly in an aggressive act, with the intent to injure oneself. Examples of ODI include: wall- / object-punching, fighting or other aggressive acts. Stereotypically, ODI behaviours are more often associated with males and tend to be viewed with derision and punitive responses. NSSI and ODI both appear to be predicated by strong emotions and may be used to regulate these. The current study uses an established survey containing two well-validated measures to explore NZ respondents' engagement in and perceptions of these behaviours. Survey data is analysed according to gender, emotional distress, and behaviour functionality. Gender was found to play a significant role in both classes of behaviours with females endorsing SDI more frequently than males and males endorsing ODI more than females. This study also found that people who hurt themselves through either SDI or ODI report more psychological distress than those who do not engage in any self-injurious behaviour. This study also found those who engage in ODI are significantly more distressed than those who engage in SDI, whilst those with dual engagement (employing both SDI and ODI) are most distressed of all. Study findings also showed emotion regulation to be a primary function for both SDI and ODI engagement.

year: 2025-01-24

title: Demographic perspective on women’s status and religion:  Multicultural investigation

authors: Foroutan, Yaghoob

abstract: Giving the central focus to ‘religious affiliation’ which ‘was once at the forefront of demographic research’ (McQuillan 2004: 25), this paper examines the association  between religion and women’s market employment. The context, method and comparison groups of this study provide the opportunity to examine the long-standing debate as to whether religion  per se or other determinants explain a relatively lower level of gender outcomes including a low rate of market employment for women in the Muslim world. The paper benefits the use of logistic regression analysis and the multicultural context of Australia containing substantially diverse ethnic and religious compositions throughout the world. This analysis also examines the effect of religion relative to other competing determinants on the integration of female immigrants measured by their status and success in the labor market.

text: Demographic perspective on women’s status and religion:  Multicultural investigation Giving the central focus to ‘religious affiliation’ which ‘was once at the forefront of demographic research’ (McQuillan 2004: 25), this paper examines the association  between religion and women’s market employment. The context, method and comparison groups of this study provide the opportunity to examine the long-standing debate as to whether religion  per se or other determinants explain a relatively lower level of gender outcomes including a low rate of market employment for women in the Muslim world. The paper benefits the use of logistic regression analysis and the multicultural context of Australia containing substantially diverse ethnic and religious compositions throughout the world. This analysis also examines the effect of religion relative to other competing determinants on the integration of female immigrants measured by their status and success in the labor market.

year: 2011

title: Do two rights fix a wrong? A study of employee and organizational responses to abusive supervision in New Zealand

authors: de Fluiter, Alida Jane

subjects: Abusive supervision

abstract: Organizational justice theories suggest that employees who are abused by their supervisor are likely to respond with lower job and personal outcomes. However, an under-explored area has been the influence of support perceptions. The present study suggests that perceived supervisor support (PSS) and perceived organizational support (POS) may moderate the influence of abusive supervision, and this was tested with three-way interactions. Data was collected from two samples: (1) 100 blue-collar workers in construction and (2) 218 random Maori employees from a variety of industries and professions. Structural equation modeling confirmed the unique constructs of the study measures towards abusive supervision and PSS and POS. Direct effects showed abusive supervision was significant and negative in both samples towards life satisfaction, job satisfaction, and organizational-based self-esteem (OBSE), and significant and positive in both samples towards turnover intentions, anxiety, depression, and insomnia. The results indicated that abusive supervision accounted for large amounts of variance towards all outcomes, with the exception of life satisfaction in study two (7%), and insomnia (8% in study one, and 4% in study two), ranging from 13%-32% variance. Significant three-way interactions were found for all outcomes except turnover intentions and insomnia. The three-way interaction towards life satisfaction in study one indicated that under abusive supervision, respondents with high PSS and high POS experienced the greatest levels of life satisfaction. Similar relationships were found toward depression (study one and two) and anxiety (study one), showing that respondents who experienced high abusive supervision, high PSS, and high POS had the lowest levels of negative mental health outcomes amongst all abused respondents. This suggested a potentially cumulative effect of multiple sources of support. Furthermore, towards job satisfaction in study two, findings show respondents with high abusive supervision and high POS reported the highest job satisfaction, irrespective of levels of PSS. A similar relationship was found toward OBSE in study two, suggesting that of the support variables examined, POS may have greater effect on outcomes, thereby supporting research of Dawley, Andrews and Bucklew (2008) who found POS to be the best predictor of organizational outcomes. Overall, this paper supports the notion that perceptions of support may moderate the influence of abusive supervision perceptions on employee’s work and personal outcomes. The findings show that while abusive supervision can play a dominant role on outcomes, this can be somewhat nullified by greater support from the organization. This has strong implications for firms dealing with problem supervisors, signaling the importance of establishing POS, and emphasizing that creating a supportive organization may be the first step to enabling employees to develop positive work and individual outcomes.

text: Do two rights fix a wrong? A study of employee and organizational responses to abusive supervision in New Zealand Organizational justice theories suggest that employees who are abused by their supervisor are likely to respond with lower job and personal outcomes. However, an under-explored area has been the influence of support perceptions. The present study suggests that perceived supervisor support (PSS) and perceived organizational support (POS) may moderate the influence of abusive supervision, and this was tested with three-way interactions. Data was collected from two samples: (1) 100 blue-collar workers in construction and (2) 218 random Maori employees from a variety of industries and professions. Structural equation modeling confirmed the unique constructs of the study measures towards abusive supervision and PSS and POS. Direct effects showed abusive supervision was significant and negative in both samples towards life satisfaction, job satisfaction, and organizational-based self-esteem (OBSE), and significant and positive in both samples towards turnover intentions, anxiety, depression, and insomnia. The results indicated that abusive supervision accounted for large amounts of variance towards all outcomes, with the exception of life satisfaction in study two (7%), and insomnia (8% in study one, and 4% in study two), ranging from 13%-32% variance. Significant three-way interactions were found for all outcomes except turnover intentions and insomnia. The three-way interaction towards life satisfaction in study one indicated that under abusive supervision, respondents with high PSS and high POS experienced the greatest levels of life satisfaction. Similar relationships were found toward depression (study one and two) and anxiety (study one), showing that respondents who experienced high abusive supervision, high PSS, and high POS had the lowest levels of negative mental health outcomes amongst all abused respondents. This suggested a potentially cumulative effect of multiple sources of support. Furthermore, towards job satisfaction in study two, findings show respondents with high abusive supervision and high POS reported the highest job satisfaction, irrespective of levels of PSS. A similar relationship was found toward OBSE in study two, suggesting that of the support variables examined, POS may have greater effect on outcomes, thereby supporting research of Dawley, Andrews and Bucklew (2008) who found POS to be the best predictor of organizational outcomes. Overall, this paper supports the notion that perceptions of support may moderate the influence of abusive supervision perceptions on employee’s work and personal outcomes. The findings show that while abusive supervision can play a dominant role on outcomes, this can be somewhat nullified by greater support from the organization. This has strong implications for firms dealing with problem supervisors, signaling the importance of establishing POS, and emphasizing that creating a supportive organization may be the first step to enabling employees to develop positive work and individual outcomes.

year: 2011