title: Mental ability and psychological work performance in Chinese workers.
abstract: This study was to explore the relationship among mental ability, occupational stress, and psychological work performance in Chinese workers, and to identify relevant modifiers of mental ability and psychological work performance. Psychological Stress Intensity (PSI), psychological work performance, and mental ability (Mental Function Index, MFI) were determined among 485 Chinese workers (aged 33 to 62 yr, 65% of men) with varied work occupations. Occupational Stress Questionnaire (OSQ) and mental ability with 3 tests (including immediate memory, digit span, and cipher decoding) were used. The relationship between mental ability and psychological work performance was analyzed with multiple linear regression approach. PSI, MFI, or psychological work performance were significantly different among different work types and educational level groups (p<0.01). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that MFI was significantly related to gender, age, educational level, and work type. Higher MFI and lower PSI predicted a better psychological work performance, even after adjusted for gender, age, educational level, and work type. The study suggests that occupational stress and low mental ability are important predictors for poor psychological work performance, which is modified by both gender and educational level.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Health, West China School of Public Health, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, PR China.
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Eiji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yano
authors.forename: Yajia
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lan
authors.forename: Mianzhen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhiming
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiaorong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003071:Cognition; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016272:Occupational Health; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016526:Workload / Q000523:psychology*