BACKGROUND: Several studies have explored the relationship between personality and work addiction, suggesting that individuals with certain mental disorders, including personality disorders such as obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD), may be more prone to work addiction. However, the characterization of personality organization (PO) among workaholics and its contribution to the persistence of work addiction remains unclear.
METHODS: In this longitudinal study of a representative sample of young adults (N = 1748), we applied the Bergen Work Addiction Scale and the Inventory of Personality Organization.
RESULTS: We found significant correlations between work addiction and identity diffusion, primitive psychological defenses, reality testing, and overall personality disorganization across three waves. A latent class growth analysis revealed three profiles: no work addiction, increasing work addiction, and constant moderate work addiction. Multinomial logistic regression analysis indicated that higher levels of personality disorganization in wave 1 and increases in personality disorganization between waves 1 and 3 were associated with higher odds of belonging to the increasing work addiction group. Similarly, higher overall personality disorganization in wave 1 was associated with higher odds of belonging to the constant moderate work addiction group.
CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that individuals with chronic work addiction have lower levels of PO, and PO declines as work addiction persists. Screenings for work addiction are recommended to prevent potential mental health issues. Future research should explore the influence of workplace characteristics and work motivations on the association between work addiction and personality disorders.

Although a growing body of research has analyzed the determinants and effects of technostress, it is still unclear how and when technostress would impact workers\' psycho-physical health and work-family interface during the pandemic. To fill this gap, this study tests the mediating mechanisms and the boundary conditions associated with the impact of technostress on workers\' psycho-physical well-being and work-family conflict. A total of 266 Italian workers completed online questionnaires measuring (traditional vs. remote) working modalities, technostress, fear of COVID-19, working excessively, psycho-physical distress, work-family conflict, loss of a loved one due to COVID-19, and resilience. Structural equation models were performed. Results indicated that technostress was positively related to psycho-physical distress and work-family conflict, as mediated by fear of COVID-19 and working excessively, respectively. The loss of a loved one exacerbated the effects of fear of COVID-19 on psycho-physical health, while resilience buffered the effects of working excessively on work-family conflict. Since numerous organizations intend to maintain remote working also after the COVID-19 emergency, it is crucial to study this phenomenon during its peaks of adoption, to prevent its potential negative outcomes. The implications of these findings for theory and practice are discussed.

UNASSIGNED: Workaholism in teachers is characterized by the willingness to work until exhausted and may be associated with various adverse health outcomes as well as high economic costs. The present study examines the association between workaholism, vital exhaustion (VE), and hair cortisol concentration (HCC) as indicators of chronic stress. In addition, this study explores the moderating role of the personality trait neuroticism on the relationship between workaholism and chronic stress indicators, i.e., VE and HCC.
UNASSIGNED: Forty-two Swiss teachers (28 females; M age = 39.66, SD = 11.99) completed questionnaires assessing VE (Maastricht Vital Exhaustion Questionnaire), workaholism (Measure of Coping Capacity Questionnaire), and neuroticism (Big-Five Inventory). Together with VE, HCC was assessed twice, with a one year lag.
UNASSIGNED: Both workaholism and neuroticism were positively associated with VE at both time points but not with HCC. Moderation analyses revealed a positive relationship between workaholism and VE in teachers with high neuroticism, while no such association was observed in teachers with low neuroticism. No associations were found between self-reports and HCC.
UNASSIGNED: These findings emphasize the importance of considering individual characteristics when investigating VE. Further research is necessary to investigate the applicability of HCC as a biomarker of chronic stress in the context of work.

Defense mechanisms are unconscious processes that protect a person from excessive anxiety. They are part of everyday functioning, and mature defenses are associated with positive outcomes. However, the excessive use of defenses or the use of immature defenses is associated with psychopathology. The present study aims to analyze the defense mechanisms that characterize two types of heavy study investment: Studyholism and Study Engagement. We performed a path analysis, MANOVAs, and binary logistic regressions on 422 Italian college students (Mage = 22.56 ± 2.87; 63.5% females). Among the main findings, the strongest (and positive) predictor of Studyholism is regression (maladaptive defense), while for Study Engagement, it is task-orientation (adaptive defense). Hence, Studyholism might be defined as a new potential clinical condition. Additionally, a critical analysis of all the defense mechanisms predicting Studyholism supports the appropriateness of the OCD-related framework for conceptualizing Studyholism. Regarding Study Engagement, even if generally associated with a positive defense style, the finding that it is positively predicted by projection confirms previous studies suggesting that, for some students, it might constitute a coping strategy with paranoid symptoms (and social anxiety and anxiety). Hence, we recommend screening engaged students for social impairment and clinically relevant symptoms that might be hidden by hard studying.

Studyholism (or obsession toward study) is a new potential clinical condition that, in contrast with Study Engagement, is associated with negative outcomes. However, previous studies showed that both Studyholism and Study Engagement predict social impairment due to study. Therefore, we analyzed the role of social anxiety and interpretation bias as predictors of Studyholism and Study Engagement in 541 adolescents (Mage = 16.30 ± 1.59; 66% girls). We performed a path analysis model, MANOVAs, and Mann-Whitney tests. Among the main findings, social anxiety is a positive predictor of both Studyholism and Study Engagement. Hence, this provides further support to the conceptualization of Studyholism as an OCD-related disorder (or as an internalizing disorder) and suggests the need of screening socially anxious adolescents for the presence of Studyholism and engaged students for the presence of high social anxiety. Moreover, Studyholism is predicted by a negative interpretation style in non-social situations, while a positive interpretation style predicts Study Engagement in social and non-social situations. Hence, Studyholism and social anxiety are two different diagnoses, even if social anxiety might fuel Studyholism. Moreover, interventions to reduce Studyholism should decrease the tendency to interpret non-social situations negatively or neutrally.

Loscalzo and Giannini (Loscalzo, Y., & Giannini, M. [2017]. Studyholism or Study Addiction? A comprehensive model for a possible new clinical condition. In A. M. Columbus (Ed.), Advances in psychological research, (Vol. 125, pp. 19-37). Hauppauge, NY, USA: Nova Science) recently proposed a theoretical model for a new potential clinical condition: Studyholism, or obsession toward studying. This study aims to analyze the psychometric properties of the instrument that has been created based on their theory, namely the Studyholism Inventory (SI-10). The participants are 1296 Italian college students aged between 19 and 55 years. We analyzed its factor structure, as well as its convergent and divergent validity, and we proposed the cut-off scores of the SI-10. Moreover, we investigated some demographic and study-related differences in studyholism and study engagement and the correlations with academic indicators. The results showed that the SI-10 is a ten-item (2 fillers) and 2-factor instrument (GFI = .98, CFI = .97, RMSEA = .07) with good psychometric properties. The SI-10 could be used in future research to analyze the features and correlates of studyholism, and for both clinical and preventive purposes, pointing to favor students\' well-being and academic success.

This study proposes a new instrument for evaluating the Study-Relationships Conflict, or the conflict that may exist between study and personal relationships with family, friends, schoolmates, and teachers. We recruited a sample of 598 Italian University students (age: M = 22.58 ± 3.85) of different majors. By means of Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses, we reduced the 16-item pilot version to nine items and three factors: 1) Quarrels at School-QS; 2) Relationship Impairment-RI; 3) Family and Friends\' Complaints-FFC. Moreover, we analyzed the correlation between these scales and some academic indicators: Grade Point Average (GPA) and time spent studying. The results showed that the Study-Relationships Conflict Scale (SRCS) has good psychometric properties. In addition, GPA positively correlates with the FFC scale; while time spent studying correlates positively with both the RI and the FFC scales. Finally, QS has a statistically and low significant positive correlation with the hours a day of study before exams. The SRCS will be useful in future research aiming to analyze how studying behaviors could affect social and school relationships. Moreover, it could also be used as a quick screening for detecting student at-risk of high social impairment due to their overstudying, and for developing preventive interventions.

This study aims to deepen the analysis of Studyholism (or obsession toward study) on a sample of 793 Italian adolescents (Mage = 16.30 ± 1.73; 53% boys). A path analysis model including potential antecedents (i.e., worry, study-related perfectionism, perfectionistic strivings and concerns, overstudy climate, type of school) and outcomes (e.g., grade point average, time spent studying, psychological well-being) of Studyholism was tested. In line with previous findings on college students, this study supported the conceptualization of problematic overstudying as an OCD-related disorder, since worry is the strongest predictor of Studyholism. Moreover, among the main findings, it confirmed that Studyholism is associated with negative academic outcomes, while Study Engagement predicts positive academic outcomes. Finally, it also confirmed that both Studyholism and Study Engagement predict social impairment. In conclusion, preventive interventions to favor students\' academic success and well-being should reduce perfectionistic concerns and study-related perfectionism and enhance time management skills (in Engaged students too). For reducing Studyholism, instead, the primary target should be trait worry. Finally, preventive interventions should be implemented across all the school types and possibly during childhood or pre-adolescence to avoid the increase in psychological and social impairment that has been found to be associated with Studyholism in youths. It is also essential to detect potential early risk indicators (especially among individual factors) of Studyholism in childhood.

UNASSIGNED: During the past three decades, research interest in work addiction has increased significantly. Most definitions concerning work addiction have specifically contained personality-related elements. However, the results of empirical studies concerning personality and work addiction are both few and mixed. The aim of the present study was to explore the role of personality in the background of work addiction.
UNASSIGNED: The present study systematically reviewed and empirically carried out a meta-analysis on all the published studies examining the association between personality variables and work addiction (n = 28).
UNASSIGNED: The results of the meta-analysis indicated that perfectionism, global and performance-based self-esteem, and negative affect had the strongest and most robust associations as personality risk factors of work addiction. Among the Big Five traits, extraversion, conscientiousness, and intellect/imaginations showed positive relationships with work addiction. However, these associations were weak.
UNASSIGNED: Based on the meta-analysis, personality appears to explain only a small amount of the variance of work addiction and further studies are needed to assess the interaction between individual and environmental factors.

OBJECTIVE: To identify and compare workaholism, engagement and family interaction levels among Portuguese and Spanish nurses.
BACKGROUND: The contribution of nursing management and leadership to workers\' health and well-being is cardinal to ensure a healthy work environment. However, factors such as workaholism, engagement and family interaction can strongly influence nurses\' performance, well-being and safety.
METHODS: A multicentre, comparative and cross-sectional study using 333 Portuguese (54.1%) and Spanish (45.9%) nurses working in hospitals.
RESULTS: Portuguese nurses showed higher levels for workaholism, negative work-family interaction and negative family-work interaction, while Spanish nurses presented higher levels of engagement, positive work-family interaction and positive family-work interaction. Gender, age, job experience time, academic training, working schedule and type of employment contract influenced workaholism, engagement and work-family interaction among nurses from both countries.
CONCLUSIONS: During their professional practice, nurses perceived their stress differently according to each country, with Portuguese nurses presenting worst psychological conditions than Spanish nurses, namely higher workaholism, negative work-family interactions and lower engagement.
CONCLUSIONS: Workaholism, engagement and work-family interaction are important areas in which nursing managers must invest to better respond to the new challenges of work contexts.