The effects of a dilemma management training program on mental health: a prospective study with mid-level executives in hospitals
Loading...
Authors
Born, Marieke
Drews, Antonia
Bossmann, Ulrike
Zwack, Julika
Gündel, Harald
Schweitzer-Rothers, Jochen
Author (Corporation)
Publication date
27.06.2022
Typ of student thesis
Course of study
Type
01A - Journal article
Editors
Editor (Corporation)
Supervisor
Parent work
Leadership in Health Services
Special issue
DOI of the original publication
Link
Series
Series number
Volume
35
Issue / Number
4
Pages / Duration
1751-1879
Patent number
Publisher / Publishing institution
Emerald
Place of publication / Event location
Edition
Version
Programming language
Assignee
Practice partner / Client
Abstract
Purpose – Mid-level executives are confronted with many dilemma situations, in which they are forced to
decide between conflicting options, none of them leading to the desired result. If they fail to cope with them
constructively, their individual risk for mental strains increases (Gerlmaier and Latniak, 2013). Initial findings
focusing on executives in industry (Bossmann, 2020) show that fostering effective dilemma management in
executives is a preventive factor against stress-related diseases. Yet, there is little empirical research that
evaluates the contribution of dilemma management training on leadership’s mental health prevention in
hospitals. This study aims to examine whether such a training program, adapted to current working
conditions in German hospitals, promotes mid-level executives’ mental health.
Design/methodology/approach – A 10-month training program was administered to N = 69 senior
physicians, senior nurses and senior service and administrative staff in four hospitals. To evaluate training
effects on perceived stress reactivity, on cognitive and emotional irritation over time as well as the effects of
the training dose on these results, participants’ self-reported measures were collected at four points in time:
before (t0), during (t1), immediately after (t2) and three months after the intervention (t3).
Findings – Overall, participants showed less cognitive irritation and perceived stress reactivity over time.
However, their emotional irritation did not change significantly. The dose of training participation did not
moderate these results.
Originality/value – This paper contributes to the prevention of stress-related diseases and the promotion of
sensemaking in mid-level executives’ dilemma management routine in the face of increasingly aggravating
working conditions due to financial restrictions in the German health-care system. Findings of this study are
explained in greater depth using previously reported qualitative data fromthe same research project.
Keywords
Dilemma management, Decision-making, Mental health, Leadership, Ambiguity, Organizational paradox
Subject (DDC)
Event
Exhibition start date
Exhibition end date
Conference start date
Conference end date
Date of the last check
ISBN
ISSN
1751-1887
1751-1879
1751-1879
Language
English
Created during FHNW affiliation
No
Strategic action fields FHNW
Publication status
Published
Review
Peer review of the complete publication
Open access category
Closed
License
Citation
Born, M., Küllenberg, J., Drews, A., Bossmann, U., Zwack, J., Gündel, H., & Schweitzer-Rothers, J. (2022). The effects of a dilemma management training program on mental health: a prospective study with mid-level executives in hospitals. Leadership in Health Services, 35(4), 1751–1879. https://doi.org/10.1108/LHS-03-2022-0024