Background and aim: In recent decades, alternative employment and working arrangements have become increasingly common. Organizations often make use of such arrangements to achieve greater flexibility, by hiring or laying off employees, when necessary, yet such arrangements may also suit the needs of working individuals. Given that certain employment arrangements may connote individual experiences work-related insecurity, this study aimed to investigate contractual conditions, specifically employment contract type (permanent versus temporary) and extent of employment (full-time versus part-time) in relation to two types of insecurity: job and financial insecurity. These relationships were investigated in Sweden, in four cases: self-employment, temporary agency work, the retail sector, and academia. These are characterized by variation regarding employment arrangements.

Methods: Questionnaire data was collected from working individuals between 2021 and 2022 (n = 4644). The sample included individuals in self-employment (n = 661), temporary agency work (n = 238), retail (n = 953), and academia (n = 2792). Main effects of contract type and extent of employment were tested using one-way ANOVAs and interactions were tested using two-way ANOVAs.

Results: Job and financial insecurity differed between the four cases. Temporary agency workers reported the highest job insecurity, while those working in retail reported the highest financial insecurity. Focusing on differences within cases, main effects revealed variation with regards to the importance of permanent versus temporary employment and extent of employment (full-time versus part-time) for job and financial insecurity. Significant interactions for job and financial insecurity were only found within academia.

Conclusion: Focusing on self-employment, temporary agency work, retail, and academia, the study findings reveal that contract type and extent of employment seem to play into differential experiences of job and financial insecurity among working individuals. Whereas contract type appears more important for insecurity in some cases, the extent of employment appears more important in others. Overall, the findings point towards the role of context (specifically the sector/type of work one engages in) in shaping how specific contractual conditions may differentially be associated with job and financial insecurity, with implications for working individuals and their organizations, in Sweden and in other Nordic countries.

Background: Mental health in academia is an increasing concern with implications for education, research and society at large. Psychological capital, an individual’s positive psychological state, is regarded as an important individual resource, especially in the context of higher education where academics regularly face challenges, setbacks and disappointments. As an individual resource, psychological capital has been beneficially associated with faculty performance as well as career-related perceptions such as job insecurity, employability, and career satisfaction, all of which have implications for the well-being of faculty. However, much of the current research on psychological capital does not acknowledge the significance of context in shaping (differential) experiences such capital. One could argue that contextual qualities and characteristics of academia may play into faculty experiences of psychological capital as well as career-related perceptions. Within academia, academic discipline may constitute a context in and of itself: field-specific norms and practices, and career opportunities may vary, potentially evoking differential work and career-related perceptions among faculty. Differences in funding opportunities, or proximity to industry or other job opportunities outside academia may shape differential perceptions. Considering the importance of sustainability in working life in the current sociopolitical landscape, there is value in better understanding whether disciplinary environments shape faculty’s psychological capital and subsequent associations, with implications for faculty well-being. This study aims to probe differential experiences of psychological capital and key career-related perceptions by examining the role of academic discipline.

Method: Using questionnaire data from a representative sample of faculty working in Swedish public higher education collected in 2021 and 2023, multi group, longitudinal path analysis is employed to estimate the relationship between psychological capital (at T1) and career-related perceptions (at T2), grouping by academic discipline. The longitudinal sample consists of 1285 faculty (47 percent women) from four fields: 1) natural sciences (n = 330), 2) medical and health sciences (n = 311), 3) social sciences (n = 446), and 4) arts and humanities (n = 198).

Results: Preliminary analyses reveal that psychological capital at T1 statistically predicted career-related outcomes including job insecurity, employability and career satisfaction two years later, but with some exceptions. Across all disciplines, psychological capital was consistently associated with career satisfaction at T2, but results were more inconsistent for job insecurity and employability, especially within the medical and health sciences.

Conclusion: Psychological capital seems to be an important psychological resource: it was associated with lower job insecurity, higher employability, and most consistently with higher career satisfaction among faculty. However, as field-specific norms and practices may play into differential experiences, this study takes initial steps to identify where extra efforts can be made to enhance the psychological resources of faculty and support sustainability in working life in academia.

Recently, “nonstandard” employment and working arrangements have become more prevalent. These include temporary, and part-time work, for instance. Organizations increasingly utilize such arrangements in efforts for greater flexibility, to hire and lay-off employees, and to reassign employees to other work tasks when necessary. Organizations strive for flexibility to remain competitive on the labor market. Yet, at an individual level, such arrangements may link to work-related perceptions and experiences, with broader implications. As employment contract type (permanent versus temporary) and extent of employment (full versus part-time) may have consequences for individuals, it is important to investigate how they interact, particularly to understand who may be most vulnerable.

This study investigated contract type and extent of employment in relation to job and financial insecurity. Four work-related contexts were selected, representing variation regarding contract type and extent of employment: self-employment, temporary agency work, retail, and academia.

Questionnaire data was collected between 2021 and 2022 (n = 4,644), targeting working individuals in Sweden in self-employment (n = 661), temporary agency work (n = 238), retail (n = 953), and academia (n = 2,792). ANOVAs tested main and interaction effects of work-related context, contract type, and extent of employment for job and financial insecurity.Job and financial insecurity differed across work-related contexts. Job insecurity was highest among temporary agency workers whereas financial insecurity was highest in retail. Main effects of contract type and extent of employment varied by context. Interaction effects were only found within academia: temporary, full-time contract individuals reported higher job and financial insecurity than those with temporary, part-time contracts.

Focusing on four work-related contexts, the results show that while contract type appears more important for job than financial insecurity, extent of employment was important for financial insecurity in retail. The findings illustrate how experiences of work-related insecurities may be differentially associated with contractual conditions, and underscore the significance of context for shaping differential work-related experiences, with individual and organizational implications. This contributes to a more nuanced understanding of the implications of employment and working arrangements, in Sweden and elsewhere.

Objectives: To establish diagnostic prevalences for common mental disorders among students at higher education institutions (HEI's) in Sweden.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study assessing diagnostic prevalences for 17,948 students at 30-day, 12-month and lifetime timepoints, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, fifth edition (DSM-5). Sample participants at 15 HEI's answered an online survey 2020-2023 within the World Mental Health International College Student (WMH-ICS) initiative. Diagnoses are reported for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Panic Disorder (PD), Bipolar Disorder (BD, any), Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) and Substance Use Disorder (SUD). Multilevel logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios in relation to diagnoses of any mental disorder.

Results: Respondents (69.4% women, 25.5 mean age, range 18 to ≥ 36) reported 25.2%, 39.3% and 44.5% prevalences for any mental disorder at 30-day, 12-month and lifetime periods. Odds for any mental disorder were markedly higher for non-binary students and those with non-heterosexual orientation; odds were also higher for students aged 20–29 years, women, heterosexual individuals with same-sex attraction and post-pandemic respondents.

Conclusions: The findings augment existing concern over student mental health. Student mental health services should expand menus for low-threshold treatment interventions, to promote flourishing and resilience.

Introduction: Musculoskeletal and mental health conditions are common, often coexist and may lead to disability among young adults. We aimed to: (1) estimate the 3-month incidence of coexisting function-limiting musculoskeletal problems and psychological distress among university students in Sweden, (2) estimate recovery from coexisting conditions (resolution of one or both conditions) and (3) determine whether incidence and recovery vary by sociodemographic factors.

Methods: We followed 4262 university students in Sweden (17–65 years; 62% women) over 3 months, assessing function-limiting musculoskeletal problems and psychological distress (moderate or worse depression and/or anxiety) using the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21. The 3-month incidence of coexisting conditions was estimated among 3642 students without coexisting conditions at baseline. We used risk ratios (RRs) to describe the variation of coexisting conditions across sociodemographic strata, comparing categories within each variable. Recovery at 3 months was estimated among 620 students with both conditions at baseline.

Results: The 3-month incidence of coexisting function-limiting musculoskeletal problems and psychological distress was 8% (n=302, 95% CI 7% to 9%), higher among women (RR: 1.51, 95% CI 1.19 to 1.92), non-Europeans (RR: 1.55, 95% CI 1.17 to 2.06) and students whose parents lacked a university degree (RR: 1.31, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.64). Among students with coexisting conditions at baseline, 42% (n=258, 95% CI 38% to 46%) recovered from at least one condition at 3 months. Recovery did not clearly vary by age group, civil or socioeconomic status, country of origin or parental education.

Conclusion: The 3-month incidence of coexisting function-limiting musculoskeletal problems and psychological distress was 8%, higher in women, non-Europeans and those whose parents had no university degree. Just under half of those with coexisting conditions recovered from at least one condition within 3 months, with no meaningful variation across sociodemographic groups. These findings underscore the need for targeted prevention, integrated student health support and further research.

Background: International competition, digitalised consumer behaviours and companies’ increased need for flexibility in staffing have been manifested in adverse job conditions, and atypical employment arrangements in the retail sector. Against this background, it is not surprising that retail workers are overrepresented in stress-related disorders and sick leave. Yet, unlike other stressful occupations with many social contacts, few updated studies have made in-depth investigations into occupational risk factors in retail.

Method: This study investigated job demands and resources among customer-facing retail workers in Sweden. Participants (n = 10) were recruited from an existing questionnaire study of trade industry workers. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, asking the participants about their working conditions and to describe a typical working day. Verbatim transcripts of these interviews were analyzed according to content analysis and systematic text condensation.

Results: Three overarching themes emerged: “High job demands and lack of job resources”, “Contract types and contract preferences”, and “Willingness and possibilities to remain in retail”. A typical workday was marked by a fast work pace consisting of a mix of many tasks and demanding customer interactions, paired with heavy physical strains from standing all day or handling heavy goods. Customer contact could also lead to emotional stress from easily provoked aggression, verbal abuse and threats. Some would cope with demands through social support from colleagues and sometimes management, or a feeling of reward from positive customer interactions. The types of contracts varied, as well as preferences towards a permanent contract that guaranteed full-time work. While some respondents preferred flexible work hours and part-time employment, such contracts could also be involuntary and carried a struggle to obtain a salary that was enough to feel financially secure. Due to the nature of the contracts, there were also experiences of high unpredictability in work schedules as work hours could either change rapidly or be confirmed on short notice. In view of demanding job conditions, the participants question whether it was possible to have a lifelong career in trade. On this matter, most of the participants also felt that employers preferred younger temporary workers, who made fewer demands and cost less, while their specialized knowledge and years of experience seemed to be less valued.

Conclusion: This study provides information on the current state of working conditions for retail workers with customer contacts and as such it raises questions relating to the sustainability of retail work. Together with existing quantitative data, our findings can be used to inform stakeholders within retail of the systematically investigated experiences of those employed within the sector. These findings may, in turn, contribute to improved working conditions for all in retail.

Background: Addressing the effects of non-compliance with health-related recommendations in pandemics is needed for informed decision-making. This longitudinal study investigated the effects of non-compliance on mental health and academic self-efficacy among university students in Sweden. Methods: Baseline assessments were conducted in May 2020, with follow-ups after 5 and 10 months. Students (n = 3123) from 19 universities completed online questionnaires covering compliance, mental health, and academic self-efficacy. Effects of non-compliance were estimated using causal inference and multilevel multinomial regression. Results: Non-compliant students constituted a minority, but their proportion increased over time. Regarding mental health and academic self-efficacy, few differences were observed between compliant and non-compliant students. When differences were identified, non-compliant students experienced fewer negative effects on mental health and academic self-efficacy than compliant students. Conclusion: The findings may suggest that non-compliance may have involved a trade-off between increased individual freedom and mitigating negative outcomes. Addressing the research gap on non-compliance effects is crucial for informed decision-making and promoting the common good. This may guide strategies balancing individual autonomy and collective well-being during future pandemics. Pre-registration: Center for Open Science (OSF), https://accounts.osf.io/login?service=https://osf.io/37dhm/.

This qualitative study explored the organizational and psychosocial characteristics of organizations where there had been a reduction in the proportion of employees consuming alcohol at a risky level. An inductive reflexive thematic analysis was used to examine 17 semi-structured interviews with HR, managers, and employees from eight different organizations in Sweden. Findings were interpreted through the lens of the Socio-Ecological Model. Four themes were identified: Multi-Level Leadership, including organizational structure and individual characteristics; Ongoing Conversation reflecting active use of policies in daily practice and continuous dialogue; Shared Work Environment, including organizational norms that emphasize inclusion and trust; and The Importance of Health encompassing physical and mental health and work-life balance. Core cultural values were Support, Responsibility, and Trust. Leadership was central in translating policies into practice and fostering a supportive culture. Upon reflection, interviewees proposed that leadership development, enhanced work environments, effective communication, and the promotion of healthy lifestyles may have contributed to the observed reduction in risky drinking. The included organizations were characterized not only by practices specifically related to alcohol, but also by several general organizational changes. Most organizations treated the issue of alcohol separately, distinct from general structural and psycho-social initiatives, while a few incorporated it into broader efforts to promote an overall healthy workplace culture.

Background: University students show a high prevalence of diverse mental health problems, requiring adaptable interventions to assist them in improving their mental health.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of transdiagnostic internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT) for anxiety and depression in preparation for a randomized controlled trial. ICBT incorporated 2 innovative approaches to increase precision: user-steered content personalization and within-treatment adaptive modification based on early symptom trajectory.

Methods: This single-group, open-label study was conducted online in Sweden in the autumn of 2021, recruiting from students who had completed the World Health Organization (WHO) World Mental Health International College Student (WMH-ICS) mental health survey. Participants were eligible if they scored 5-19 on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), or ≥5 on the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), or both. Participants completed an 8-week ICBT program with therapist support. They initially personalized their program by selecting a primary problem orientation, anxiety or depression, and choosing additional elective modules, and could consult their therapist regarding these choices. At midtreatment, stepped care was piloted, in which participants without symptom improvement were randomized to adaptive enhancement of therapist support or to continue treatment as before. The main feasibility outcomes included data on reach and uptake, intervention acceptability, stepped care procedures, and assessment retention up to 6 months. The GAD-7 and PHQ-9 were the primary outcome measures, with changes in scores calculated using mixed effects models.

Results: Of 749 invited students, 55 (7%) completed the study screening, and 28 (4%) were included. The GAD-7 baseline score was 9.5 (SD 4.4), and the PHQ-9 baseline score was 11.2 (SD 5.2). Participants opened 6.2 (SD 2.2) out of the 8 treatment modules. The user-directed personalization yielded 27 unique treatment configurations across 28 participants. At week 4, 16/27 (59%) participants remaining in treatment were randomized in the stepped care procedure. Ratings on self-report measures showed acceptable to good therapeutic alliance and treatment satisfaction. Eleven participants reported increased stress associated with the treatment. Reductions in depression and anxiety symptoms were observed at postmeasurement and 6 months follow-up, with 43% attrition at those times.

Conclusions: This pioneering study of personalized ICBT with adaptive change among university students demonstrated the overall feasibility of the treatment. To enhance the design of a future definitive trial, modifications are necessary to mitigate assessment attrition and reduce treatment-related stress.