Marcin Wnuk

Introduction: As previous research suggests, self-compassion may be an effective way of managing pain and protecting against mental health disorders in patients struggling with chronic pain. On the other hand, the role of emotional well-being in these relationships remains unexplained. Based on the broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions, this study assumed that self-kindness can be indirectly related to pain intensity and anxiety via positive and negative affect. Methods: This prospective study was conducted at two time points, with a 4-month break between the first and second research waves, on the 58 participants struggling with chronic pain for at least three months despite pharmacological treatment. Results: Research revealed that self-kindness positively predicts positive affect and negatively predicts negative affect. Positive affect was not a statistically significant predictor of anxiety, but it statistically significantly predicted pain intensity. Negative affect was found to be a positive predictor of anxiety, but not intensity. The indirect negative relationship between self-kindness and pain intensity, through positive affect, was found to be the same as the negative relationship between self-kindness and anxiety via negative affect. Conclusion: Enhancing self-kindness as a strength of character, through increased positive affect and decreased negative affect, may be related to pain intensity and anxiety symptoms in patients with chronic pain. The need for using self-kindness techniques, both in daily life and as part of a strategic intervention for a group of patients with chronic pain, was discussed.

Purpose: Altruistic leaders represent a supportive and employee needs-focused type of leadership. Therefore, it is important to explore how altruistic leaders influence subordinates' attitudes toward the organization and turnover intentions on the grounds of social exchange and situational strength theory. This study aims to test the mechanisms underlying the link between altruistic leadership and turnover intentions, with organizational cynicism as a mediator and ethical climate as a moderator. Design/methodology/approach: The cross-sectional research was conducted in a sample of 434 full-time employees from Poland. Findings: The more altruistic leadership manifestations employees experienced, the less cynical they were in the workplace, which in turn was related to more propensity motivation to leave an organization. It was found that an instrumental ethical climate dampens the negative relationship between altruistic leadership and turnover intentions. Research limitations/implications: The beneficial implications of developing altruistic leadership for attitude toward the organization were discussed. The cross-sectional, not longitudinal, method used in the study does not allow for presenting the outcomes from a cause-effect perspective. Originality/value: It was the first attempt to examine the beneficial role of altruistic leadership in reducing employees' turnover intentions through the propensity to limit organizational cynicism and the moderating function of an ethical climate.

Introduction. Chronic non-cancer pain is highly prevalent and profoundly diminishes quality of life. While pharmacological and interventional treatments are central, its psychosocial and spiritual dimensions remain under-addressed. This pilot study assessed the feasibility of a therapist-led support group intervention for patients with chronic non-cancer pain and explored preliminary psychospiritual outcomes. Methods. A two-arm, non-randomized pilot feasibility study was conducted among 58 outpatients of a university pain management clinic in Poland. Feasibility was assessed through recruitment, retention, attendance, and safety, while preliminary psychological and spiritual outcomes were evaluated using validated self-report instruments. The intervention group (n = 29) participated in eight group sessions combining psychoeducation, mindfulness-based techniques, and supportive dialogue inspired by the Simonton Method. The control group (n = 29) received standard care. Participants completed the Numeric Rating Scale to measure pain intensity, the Satisfaction with Life Scale, the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, the WHOQOL-BREF, the Spiritual Well-Being Scale, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale, and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. Results. The intervention was feasible in terms of physician workload; however, patients adherence varied significantly. At baseline, the control group showed a significantly higher positive affect and existential well-being than did the intervention group. In exploratory within-group analyses, participants in the intervention group showed improved positive affect and reduced anxiety (p < 0.05), whereas existential well-being showed a trend toward improvement (p < 0.06). However, the self-selection design limits causal inferences. Nevertheless, participants reported social connectedness, meaning-making, and enhanced vitality. Discussion. This pilot feasibility study provides preliminary evidence that a therapist-led support group intervention integrating psychoeducation, mindfulness, and supportive components is practicable within multidisciplinary pain management. Further research in a larger, randomized trial is needed to evaluate adherence and safety, as well as clinical effects, more rigorously.

Introduction: A selfish approach in the workplace can have harmful effects on employees and the organization. Employee egoism has received limited attention in the workplace context. Only one measure had been used to verify this phenomenon, but it was not designed for business and had some methodological limitations. This study aimed to operationalize workplace egoism and presented a measure for its verification. Methods: The construct, convergent and criterion validity, as well as internal consistency of the Egoism at Work Attitude Questionnaire (EWAQ), were examined on the three samples that consisted of Polish employees. Results: An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) involving 800 employees from Poland revealed a one-factor structure of the EWAQ, which explained 66.99% variance in the egoism attitude in the workplace. In a sample of 754 employees, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) confirmed the good construct validity and internal consistency of EWAQ, with a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.89. These values align with Bagozzi and Heatherton’s (1994) criteria for the magnitude of factor loadings, average variance extracted, and composite reliability, which corroborate the good convergent validity of this tool. The criterion validity of the EWAQ was confirmed in two samples of Polish employees, showing correlations with dark triad traits, instrumental ethical climate, and indicators of occupational well-being. Discussion: The EWAQ is a psychometrically sound measure of egoistic attitudes at work and is recommended for use among Polish employees.

The aim of this study was to investigate the differences in the dynamics of the bioelectrical brain activity of monks and nuns during Zen meditation in their natural monastic environment. The participants were practitioners residing in two Vietnamese Zen monasteries: Truc Lam Tay Thien ( N = 7) and Truc Lam Thuong Chieu Buddhist Academy ( N = 6). The measurements were carried out using a four-channel BrainBit Flex mobile cap, capturing the theta (5–8 Hz), alpha (8–13 Hz), and beta (15–30 Hz) frequency bands. The results indicate that meditation is characterized by a deepened state of relaxation on the one hand and increased alertness on the other (a stable increase in the alpha range in both monasteries and an increase in theta and a decrease in beta in the second monastery). The differences identified seem to indicate distinct meditation strategies in the two monasteries (dynamic decreases in the theta range and slow increases in beta in the Truc Lam Tay Thien Monastery; dynamic decreases in beta and slow increases in theta and beta in the Truc Lam Thuong Chieu monastery). These findings contribute to an understanding of the specificity of the neural mechanisms underlying Zen meditation, which appears to foster a distinct state characterized by a combination of relaxation and sustained alertness. By highlighting its potential role in mental health, the study also demonstrates the effectiveness of using mobile electroencephalogram (EEG) technology in naturalistic environments. It can also assist professionals and practitioners in developing their skills and obtaining other benefits.

Objective: A good match between employees and the organization they work for is beneficial for both parties; however, a misfit between the two can lead to harmful effects. There is a noticeable absence of research showing that a misfit between workers characterized by higher levels of dark triad traits and workplace ethical standards has negative consequences. This study is an attempt to fill this gap by verifying whether the perception of a caring ethical climate by employees scoring higher on dark triad traits may facilitate their job stress and exhaustion. Method: The study was cross-sectional. The participants were 1,000 employees from Poland who had been employed by their current company for at least 1 year. Results: Perception of a caring ethical climate moderated the relationship between dark triad traits of personality and job stress as well as exhaustion. Also, the indirect effects of the dark triad traits of narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy on exhaustion through job stress and moderated by the perception of a caring ethical climate were found. The hypothesis about detrimental consequences of a misfit between workers scoring higher on narcissistic, Machiavellian, and psychopathic, and a caring ethical work climate were supported. Conclusions: The study showed that adaptation to the requirements of a caring ethical climate of an organization, which are antagonistic to preferences of employees possessing a higher level of dark triad traits, is associated with emotional costs for these employees. The perception of a caring ethical climate by employees scoring higher on dark triad traits facilitates their stress and exhaustion. The practical implications of the study's outcomes are discussed, emphasizing the need to match ethical preferences between potential employees and the organization during recruitment.

Studies have considered the roles of antecedents of organizational pride. However, they have not yet investigated the personality and motivational factors and potential interactions between the ethical environment, personality traits, and employees’ needs in explaining organizational pride. This study fills the gap within the person-organization fit approach by examining the relationship between dark triad personality traits and organizational pride, mediated by the opportunities to satisfy the need for power and moderated by perceptions of an instrumental ethical climate. The cross-sectional research included 1,000 participants (mean age = 41.06; 54.9% men and 45.1% women) employed on a full-time, permanent contract in companies of various sizes in Poland. A positive relationship between narcissism and organizational pride was found (B = 0.30, p = 001), as was a negative relationship between Machiavellianism and organizational pride (B = − 0.26, p = 003), and between psychopathy and organizational pride (B = − 0.29, p = 001). Perception of the instrumental climate moderated the relationship between narcissism and the opportunities to satisfy the need for power (t = 3.19; p = 009), Machiavellianism and the opportunities to satisfy the need for power (t = 2.93.; p = 003), psychopathy and the opportunities to satisfy the need for power (t = 2.94; p = 033), as well as opportunities to satisfy the need for power and organizational pride (t = 5.57; p = 000). Indirect positive relationships between narcissism and Machiavellianism and organizational pride, mediated by opportunities to satisfy the need for power and amplified by a perception of an instrumental ethical climate, were confirmed. The beneficial function of an instrumental ethical climate and opportunities to satisfy the need for power of narcissistic and Machiavellian employees’ organizational pride were discussed. Practical implications were formulated regarding the recruitment and selection of work candidates and their development in terms of dark triad features and their congruency with instrumental ethical climate and possibilities to satisfy their need for power.

Although humility is the opposite end of the same continuum as the dark triad, little is known about how this virtue can be cultivated to prevent the negative influence of narcissistic, Machiavellian, and psychopathic attitudes in the workplace. Based on the relational spirituality framework and trait activation theory, this paper proposes the verification of the mechanism underlying the link between religious practices and dark triad personality traits. Here, humility acts as a mediator and the perception of bond with God acts as a moderator in the relationship between religious practices and humility, and a caring ethical climate acts as a moderator in the link between humility and dark triad traits. The study involved 1071 employees from Poland. Consistent with the relational spirituality approach, the perception of a strong and trustful relationship with God amplified the positive effect of religious practices on humble attitude. In addition, in line with trait activation theory, the perception of a caring ethical climate strengthened the negative effects of humility on Machiavellianism and psychopathy but not on narcissism. Moreover, statistically significant mediating effects of humility moderated by the perception of bond with God were noticed on the relationship between prayer and Machiavellianism and between prayer and Mass attendance and psychopathy, but not narcissism.

Objective: Based on the job demands–resources (JD-R) theory and the person–organization (P–O) fit concept, this paper verified whether employees’ perception of the congruency of their values with those of their organization is directly and indirectly related to their turnover intentions through meaning in work. Additionally, this paper investigated whether an ethical climate of independence moderates the link between P–O fit and meaning in work. Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 1,071 employees of companies of different sizes in Poland. Participants completed validated measures assessing P-O fit, five types of ethical climate (independence, caring, instrumental, law and code, and rules), meaning in work, and turnover intention. A moderated mediation model was tested using Hayes’ PROCESS macro (Model 7), controlling for demographic and organizational variables. Confirmatory factor analysis established discriminant validity of the constructs. Results: The study confirmed direct and indirect mechanisms linking P-O fit to turnover intention. P-O fit was negatively related to turnover intention both directly ( b = −0.26, p < 0.001) and indirectly through meaning in work. Crucially, independence ethical climate significantly moderated the P-O fit to meaning in work relationship, such that the positive effect of value congruence on meaningful work was stronger when employees perceived greater freedom to base ethical decisions on their personal moral standards. The moderated mediation index was statistically significant, confirming that the indirect effect of P-O fit on turnover intention through meaning in work varied across levels of independence ethical climate. Conclusion: P-O fit facilitates meaning in work and protects employees from motivation to quit the organization, particularly when organizations cultivate independence ethical climates. Ethical decisions rooted in employees’ personal moral codes amplify the positive link between P-O fit and meaning in work, which serves as an important antecedent of retention. Practical implications include the importance of values-based recruitment, creating ethical climates that honor individual moral autonomy, and implementing interventions to enhance meaning in work.