Details of a Researcher - Shimazu, Akihito

Papers - Shimazu, Akihito

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Effects of internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) among healthy workers: Current research evidence

Imamura K., Kawakami N., Shimazu A.

Psychosocial Factors at Work in the Asia Pacific: From Theory to Practice (Psychosocial Factors at Work in the Asia Pacific: From Theory to Practice) 257 - 265 2016.01

Research paper (scientific journal), Accepted, ISSN 9783319443997

© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2016. Previous research has shown that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is effective in reducing work-related stress, preventing the onset of major depressive episodes, and increasing positive mental health among workers. An innovative way to deliver CBT-based treatment widely is by using computerized CBT (CCBT) and CCBT via the internet (iCBT). In this part, we will review and introduce the recent iCBT studies, and discuss the possibility of utilization of iCBT program in workplace.

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Development of the new brief job stress questionnaire

Inoue A., Kawakami N., Shimomitsu T., Tsutsumi A., Haratani T., Yoshikawa T., Shimazu A., Odagiri Y.

Psychosocial Factors at Work in the Asia Pacific: From Theory to Practice (Psychosocial Factors at Work in the Asia Pacific: From Theory to Practice) 225 - 247 2016.01

Research paper (scientific journal), Accepted, ISSN 9783319443997

© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2016. The present study aimed to investigate the reliability and construct validity of a new version of the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire (New BJSQ), which measures an extended set of psychosocial factors at work by adding new scales/items to the current version of the BJSQ. Additional scales/items were extensively collected from theoretical models of job stress and similar questionnaires in several countries. Scales/items were field-tested and refined through a pilot Internet survey. Finally, an 84-item standard version questionnaire, a 63-item recommended set, and a 23-item short version (141, 120, and 80 items in total when combined with the current 57-item BJSQ) were developed. A nationally representative survey was administered to employees in Japan (n = 1633) in 2010/2011 to examine the reliability and construct validity. As a result, most scales showed acceptable levels of internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha) and test-retest reliability over one year. Principal component analyses showed that the first factor explained 50 % or greater proportion of the variance in most scales. A scale factor analysis and a correlation analysis showed that these scales fit the proposed theoretical framework. These findings provided a piece of evidence that the New BJSQ scales are reliable and valid. The New BJSQ can be a useful instrument to evaluate psychosocial work environment and positive mental health outcomes in the workplace.

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Key contributions and future research directions

Shimazu A., Oakman J., Dollard M., Nordin R.

Psychosocial Factors at Work in the Asia Pacific: From Theory to Practice (Psychosocial Factors at Work in the Asia Pacific: From Theory to Practice) 361 - 369 2016.01

Research paper (scientific journal), Accepted, ISSN 9783319443997

© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2016. This chapter will refer to key contributions and future research directions on the basis of each chapter as a conclusion. The Asia Pacific is the world’s most populous region and many workers experience very poor work conditions and insecure employment. Yet in terms of global effort little attention is given to psychosocial factors at work in the region. The 19 chapters of the current book focused on practical approaches toward healthy workplaces and workers in the Asia Pacific. Multidisciplinary efforts to address worker occupational health were made by presenting examples of practical approaches from global or national perspectives, and examples involving specific conditions such as telework, small-medium sized enterprises, work in disaster areas, and workplace clients’ violence. The book begins with an introduction to issues relating to psychosocial factors at work in the Asia Pacific, building on the body of work presented in the first book: Psychosocial factors at work in the Asia Pacific (Dollard et al. 2014). In turn four major themes are addressed in the book.

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Guidelines for primary prevention for mental health at work

Tsutsumi A., Shimazu A.

Psychosocial Factors at Work in the Asia Pacific: From Theory to Practice (Psychosocial Factors at Work in the Asia Pacific: From Theory to Practice) 61 - 75 2016.01

Research paper (scientific journal), Accepted, ISSN 9783319443997

© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2016. Occupational health experts’ and practitioners’ evaluated systematic reviews of primary prevention measures for occupational mental health. A consensus meeting was held with the intent of developing primary prevention guidelines for mental health at work. Three preventive strategies were developed- improving the psychosocial work environment, self-care training, and supervisor training. For improving the psychosocial work environment, eight recommendations and four proposed items were developed across four domains. These four domains are planning and organization development, basic rules of implementation, proposals for effective improvement measures, and continued implementation. The guidelines for self-care training consist of four steps that coincide with the process of formulating and implementing measures to help individuals cope with stress (self-care) in the workplace. These four steps are planning and preparing, deciding what self-care entails, and making subsequent efforts. Six recommendations and four proposed items are provided for these four steps. The evidence-based guidelines for supervisor mental health training include ten recommendations and four proposed items. These guidelines recommend providing training to all supervisors, with a particular focus on high-priority populations, and on the needs and situation in the workplace. The training content should be tailored to the different management levels of supervisor groups but also provide basic information, such as explaining the national guidelines and the major occupational stress models. The training should aim to change supervisors’ behaviors and not just issue warnings. The guidelines also recommend providing supervisor training periodically (annually), because there is no evidence that the training effect lasts more than 6 months. We expect these guidelines to help to promote the adoption of evidence-based preventive strategies for the management of occupational mental health.

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State of the art: The context of psychosocial factors at work in the Asia Pacific?

Oakman J., Dollard M., Shimazu A., Nordin R.

Psychosocial Factors at Work in the Asia Pacific: From Theory to Practice (Psychosocial Factors at Work in the Asia Pacific: From Theory to Practice) 3 - 22 2016.01

Research paper (scientific journal), Accepted, ISSN 9783319443997

© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2016. The Asia Pacific is a rapidly growing region with a diverse range of countries, both developing and developed. Across the region there are significant cultural variations and different work practices, creating a range of challenges for those charged with the management of workplace health. This book addresses an important gap, by focusing on research in the Asia-Pacific region that explores psychosocial work environment issues that have a significant influence on worker health and productivity. Most research concerning psychosocial factors at work is from Europe or North America and the generalizability of the research and practical implications is not clear. Consequently, managers, occupational health and safety personnel, human resource professionals, occupational health psychology practitioners, and public health professionals in the Asia Pacific have relied on an evidence basis with largely untested validity. This book extends the work of the first edition, "Psychosocial Factors at Work in the Asia Pacific," applies and tests new and emerging theories, provides insights into different workplace issues pertinent to the Asia Pacific, and practical insights into the management of psychosocial factors in the workplace.

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Effects of a job crafting intervention program on work engagement among Japanese employees: A pretest-posttest study

Sakuraya, Y., Shimazu, A., Imamura, K., Namba, K., & Kawakami, N.

BMC Psychology (BMC Psychology) 4 ( 1 ) 49 - S149 2016

Research paper (scientific journal), Joint Work, Accepted, ISSN 1070-5503

© 2016 The Author(s). Background: Job crafting, an employee-initiated job design/redesign, has become important for employees' well-being such as work engagement. This study examined the effectiveness of a newly developed job crafting intervention program on work engagement (as primary outcome), as well as job crafting and psychological distress (as secondary outcomes), using a pretest-posttest study design among Japanese employees. Methods: Participants were managers of a private company and a private psychiatric hospital in Japan. The job crafting intervention program consisted of two 120-min sessions with a two-week interval between them. Outcomes were assessed at baseline (Time 1), post-intervention (Time 2), and a one-month follow-up (Time 3). The mixed growth model analyses were conducted using time (Time 1, Time 2, and Time 3) as an indicator of intervention effect. Effect sizes were calculated using Cohen's d. Results: The program showed a significant positive effect on work engagement (t = 2.20, p = 0.03) in the mixed growth model analyses, but with only small effect sizes (Cohen's d = 0.33 at Time 2 and 0.26 at Time 3). The program also significantly improved job crafting (t = 2.36, p = 0.02: Cohen's d = 0.36 at Time 2 and 0.47 at Time 3) and reduced psychological distress (t = -2.06, p = 0.04: Cohen's d = -0.15 at Time 2 and -0.31 at Time 3). Conclusions: The study indicated that the newly developed job crafting intervention program was effective in increasing work engagement, as well as in improving job crafting and decreasing psychological distress, among Japanese managers. Trial registration: UMIN Clinical Trials Registry UMIN000024062. Retrospectively registered 15 September 2016.

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Validation of the Japanese version of the Job Crafting Scale

Eguchi, H.*, Shimazu, A.*, Bakker, A. B., Tims, M., Kamiyama, K., Hara, Y., Namba, K., Inoue, A., Ono, M., & Kawakami, N.

Journal of Occupational Health 58 231 - 240 2016

Research paper (scientific journal), Joint Work, Accepted

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Fatigue and sleep among employees with prospective increase in work time control: A 1-year observational study with objective assessment

Kubo, T., Takahashi, M., Xinxin, L., T Ikeda, H., Togo, F., Shimazu, A., Tanaka, K., Kamata, N., Kubo, Y., & Uesugi, J.

Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine) 58 ( 11 ) 1066 - 1072 2016

Research paper (scientific journal), Joint Work, Accepted, ISSN 10762752

Copyright © 2016 American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited. Objectives: This observational study aimed to determine how 1-year changes in work time control (WTC) have an impact upon objectively measured fatigue and sleep among employees. Methods: Thirty-nine employees were divided into two groups according to whether or not their WTC increased from baseline to 1 year later. Psychomotor vigilance task (PVT) and wrist actigraphy were used to objectively measure fatigue and sleep, respectively. Self-reported outcomes were also measured. Results: The increased WTC group showed gradual improvements in PVT performance and sleep quality over the course of the follow-up period compared with the not-increased WTC group. Between-group differences were statistically significant for PVT lapses and tended to be significant for PVT speed after 1 year. Conclusions: A progressive increase in WTC could play a crucial role in reducing fatigue and promoting sleep among employees.

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Association of parental workaholism and body mass index of offspring: A prospective study among Japanese dual workers

Fujiwara, T., Shimazu, A., Tokita, M., Shimada, K., Takahashi, M., Watai, I., Iwata, N., & Kawakami, N.

Frontiers in Public Health 4 ( 41 ) doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2016.00041 2016

Research paper (scientific journal), Joint Work, Accepted

Association between parental workaholism and body mass index of offspring: A prospective study among Japanese dual workers

Fujiwara T., Shimazu A., Tokita M., Shimada K., Takahashi M., Watai I., Iwata N., Kawakami N.

Frontiers in Public Health (Frontiers in Public Health) 4 41 2016

Research paper (scientific journal), Accepted, ISSN 2296-2565

© 2016 Frontiers Media S. A. The purpose of the study was to investigate the association between parental workaholism and child body mass index (BMI) among Japanese dual-income families. In 2011, 379 dual-income families from urban Tokyo with children aged 0-5 years were recruited for a baseline survey, and 160 (42.2%) were followed up in 2012. Demographics, workaholism, work demands, work control, time spent with children, and parental and child weights and heights were assessed using a questionnaire. Structural equation modeling was performed to determine the association between maternal and paternal workaholism in 2011 and child BMI in 2012, considering the mediating effects of time spent with children. Paternal workaholism showed a direct significant positive association with child BMI after 1 year (standardized coefficient: 0.19; p < 0.001), while maternal workaholism was not associated with child BMI. Both maternal and paternal time spent with children did not mediate the association. Paternal work demands showed a strong positive association with workaholism but paternal work control did not. Paternal, but not maternal, workaholism was associated with an increase in child BMI over 1 year. Interventions that target workaholism by reducing paternal work demands might be effective in preventing overweight in offspring.

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Source-specific workplace social support and highsensitivity C-reactive protein levels among Japanese workers: A 1-year prospective cohort study

Eguchi, H., Shimazu, A., Kawakami, N., Inoue, A., & Tsutsumi, A.

American Journal of Industrial Medicine (American Journal of Industrial Medicine) 59 ( 8 ) 676 - 684 2016

Research paper (scientific journal), Joint Work, Accepted, ISSN 02713586

© 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Background: This study investigated the prospective association between source-specific workplace social support and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels in workers in Japan. Methods: We conducted a 1-year prospective cohort study with 1,487 men and 533 women aged 18–65 years. Participants worked at two manufacturing worksites in Japan and were free of major illness. We used multivariable linear regression analyses to evaluate the prospective association between supervisor and coworker support at baseline, and hs-CRP levels at follow-up. We conducted the analyses separately for men and women. Results: For women, high supervisor support at baseline was significantly associated with lower hs-CRP levels at follow-up (β = −0.109, P < 0.01), whereas coworker support at baseline was not significantly associated with hs-CRP levels at follow-up. Associations between supervisor and coworker support and hs-CRP levels were not significant for men. Conclusions: Supervisor support may have beneficial effects on inflammatory markers in working women. Am. J. Ind. Med. 59:676–684, 2016.

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Work engagement as a predictor of onset of major depressive episode (MDE) among workers, independent of psychological distress: A 3-year prospective cohort study.

Imamura, K., Kawakami, N., Inoue, A., Shimazu, A., Tsutsumi, A., Takahashi, M., & Totsuzaki, T.

PLOS One (PLoS ONE) 11 ( 2 ) e0148157 - doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0148 2016

Research paper (scientific journal), Joint Work, Accepted, ISSN 1932-6203

© 2016 Imamura et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Objective This study investigated work engagement as a baseline predictor of onset of major depressive episode (MDE). Methods The study used a prospective cohort design, conforming to the STROBE checklist. Participants were recruited from the employee population of a private think tank company (N = 4,270), and 1,058 (24.8%) of them completed a baseline survey, of whom 929 were included in this study. Work engagement and psychological distress at baseline were assessed as predictor variables. MDE was measured at baseline and at each of the followups as the outcome, using the web-based, self-administered version of the Japanese WHO-CIDI 3.0 depression section based upon DSM-IV-TR/DSM-5 criteria. Cox discretetime hazards analyses were conducted to estimate hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals CIs). Results Follow-up rates of participants (N = 929) were 78.4%, 67.2%, and 51.6% at 1-, 2-, and 3- year follow-ups, respectively. The association between work engagement at baseline and the onset of MDE was U-shaped. Compared with a group with low work engagement scores, groups with the middle and high scores showed significantly (HR = 0.19, 95% CI = 0.05 to 0.64; p = 0.007) and marginally significantly (HR = 0.48, 95% CI = 0.20 to 1.15, p = 0.099) lower risks of MDE, respectively, over the follow-ups, after adjusting for covariates. The pattern remained the same after additionally adjusting for psychological distress. Conclusions The present study first demonstrated work engagement as an important predictor of the onset of MDE diagnosed according to an internationally standard diagnostic criteria of mental disorders.

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The moderating effect of health-improving workplace environment on promoting physical activity in white-collar employees: A multi-site longitudinal study using multi-level structural equation modeling.

Watanabe, K., Otsuka, Y., Shimazu, A., & Kawakami, N.

Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. (Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine) in press ( 2 ) 178 - 184 2016

Research paper (scientific journal), Joint Work, Accepted, ISSN 10762752

Copyright © 2016 American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. Objective: This longitudinal study aimed to investigate the moderating effect of health-improving workplace environment on relationships between physical activity, self-efficacy, and psychological distress. Methods: Data were collected from 16 worksites and 129 employees at two time-points. Health-improving workplace environment was measured using the Japanese version of the Environmental Assessment Tool. Physical activity, self-efficacy, and psychological distress were also measured. Multi-level structural equation modeling was used to investigate the moderating effect of health-improving workplace environment on relationships between psychological distress, self-efficacy, and physical activity. Results: Psychological distress was negatively associated with physical activity via low self-efficacy. Physical activity was negatively related to psychological distress. Physical activity/fitness facilities in the work environment exaggerated the positive relationship between self-efficacy and physical activity. Conclusions: Physical activity/fitness facilities in the workplace may promote employees' physical activity.

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The effects of workplace psychosocial factors on whether Japanese dual-earner couples with preschool children have additional children: A prospective study

Eguchi, H., Shimazu, A., Fujiwara, T., Iwata, N., Shimada, K., Takahashi, M., Tokita, M., Watai, I., & Kawakami, N.

Industrial Health (独立行政法人労働者健康安全機構労働安全衛生総合研究所) 54 ( 6 ) 498 - 504 2016

Research paper (scientific journal), Joint Work, Accepted, ISSN 0019-8366

<p>This study explored the effect of workplace psychosocial factors (job demand, job control, and workplace social support) on dual-earner couples in Japan having additional children, using a prospective study design. We conducted a 2-year prospective cohort study with 103 dual-earner couples with preschool children in Japan, as part of the Tokyo Work–Family Interface Study II. We used multivariable logistic regression analyses to evaluate the prospective association of job strain (categorized into low-strain job, active job, passive job, and strain job groups) and workplace social support (high and low) with couples having additional children during the follow-up period, adjusting for age, for men and women separately. Men in the active job group (i.e., with high job demands and high job control) had a significantly higher odds ratio (OR) of having additional children during the follow-up period, after controlling for age (OR 9.07, 95% confidence interval: 1.27–64.85). No significant association between any workplace psychosocial factor and having additional children was confirmed among women. Having an active job may have a positive influence on having additional children among men in dual-earner couples.</p>

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The efects of workplace psychosocial factors on whether Japanese dual-earner couples with preschool children have additional children: A prospective study

Eguchi H., Shimazu A., Fujiwara T., Iwata N., Shimada K., Takahashi M., Tokita M., Watai I., Kawakami N.

Industrial Health (Industrial Health) 54 ( 6 ) 498 - 504 2016

Research paper (scientific journal), Accepted, ISSN 00198366

© 2016 National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health. This study explored the efect of workplace psychosocial factors (job demand, job control, and workplace social support) on dual-earner couples in Japan having additional children, using a prospective study design. We conducted a 2-year prospective cohort study with 103 dual-earner couples with preschool children in Japan, as part of the Tokyo Work-Family Interface Study II. We used multivariable logistic regression analyses to evaluate the prospective association of job strain (categorized into low-strain job, active job, passive job, and strain job groups) and workplace social support (high and low) with couples having additional children during the follow-up period, adjusting for age, for men and women separately. Men in the active job group (i.e., with high job demands and high job control) had a signiicantly higher odds ratio (OR) of having additional children during the follow-up period, after controlling for age (OR 9.07, 95% conidence interval: 1.27-64.85). No signiicant association between any workplace psychosocial factor and having additional children was conirmed among women. Having an active job may have a positive inluence on having additional children among men in dual-earner couples.

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Positive mental health and work engagement: Towards a strategic use of stress check-up system

Shimazu Akihito

Health Evaluation and Promotion (Japan Society of Health Evaluation and Promotion) 43 ( 2 ) 320 - 325 2016

Research paper (scientific journal), Accepted, ISSN 1347-0086

This article gives an overview of the recently introduced concept of work engagement: a positive, fulfilling, affective motivational state of work-related well-being. I first define work engagement as a state including vigor, dedication, and absorption, and then refer to its antecedents and consequences. Work engagement is a unique concept that is best predicted by job resources (e.g., autonomy, supervisory coaching, performance feedback) and personal resources (e.g., optimism, self-efficacy, self-esteem) and is predictive of psychological/physical health, proactive organizational behavior, and job performance. Then, I mentioned strategies how to achieve really healthy workers and workplaces. The paper closes with an account of strategic use of stress check-up system to achieve healthy workplaces.

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未就学児を持つ共働き夫婦におけるワーカホリズムとパートナーの精神的健康との関連：夫婦間コミュニケーションの媒介効果の検討

島田恭子・島津明人・川上憲人

行動医学研究 22 76 - 84 2016

Research paper (scientific journal), Single Work, Accepted

How workaholism relates intimate partner's psychological distress: The mediating role of couple communication among Japanese dual−earner parents with preschool child (ren)

SHIMADA Kyoko, SHIMAZU Akihito, KAWAKAMI Norito

Japanese Journal of Behavioral Medicine (The Japanese Society of Behavioral Medicine) 22 ( 2 ) 76 - 84 2016

Research paper (scientific journal), Accepted, ISSN 1341-6790

The present study examined how workaholism relates the intimate partner. We hypothesized one partner's workaholism have a negative influence on the other partner's well.being, through one's own poor well.being and poor couple communication. Participants were 496 couples of dual.earner parents with preschool child (ren) in Japan. Of the 8,964 questionnaires distributed, 2,992 were returned. Due to the large number of items, we randomly distributed one of two types of questionnaires. This paper used one questionnaire which includes measures of workaholism, couple communication, psychological distress, and job and family satisfaction. Results of structural equation modeling techniques showed that the proposed model fit adequately to the data for the model from husband to wife, and for the model from wife to husband. Consistent with hypotheses, husband's workaholism led to one's own poor well.being and consequently to partners' (i.e. wife) ratings of husband's poor couple communication. Then, partners' (i.e. wife) ratings of husband's poor couple communication resulted in wife's poor well.being. We found the similar relationship in the model from wife's workaholism to husband's well.being. These findings suggest that workaholism initiate a process of one's own poor well-being and poor couple communication, which may eventually relate the intimate partner's well.being in an unfavorable way.

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日本行動医学会　理事長就任のご挨拶

SHIMAZU Akihito

Japanese Journal of Behavioral Medicine (The Japanese Society of Behavioral Medicine) 22 ( 2 ) 53 - 54 2016

Research paper (scientific journal), Accepted, ISSN 1341-6790

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職場のメンタルヘルス : 組織と職員の活性化に向けて

島津明人

民医連医療 (全日本民主医療機関連合会) ( 519 ) 48 - 53 2015.11

Research paper (scientific journal), Accepted, ISSN 0285-2241

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