1804 – Mental health at work, structures of daily life and individual characteristics

Abstract

Aims To analyse variations in workers psychological distress, depression and burnout within a model encompassing the stress promoted by constraints-resources embedded in structures of daily life (workplace, family, social networks outside the workplace) and worker individual characteristics (demography, physical health, psychological traits, life habits, stressful childhood events). Methods Data were collected in 2009-2012 from a sample of 64 Quebec (Canada)workplaces, where 2162 employees were surved, for a response rate of 73.1%. Multilevel regression models were used to analyse the data. Results Variables explain 31.8% of psychological distress (GHQ), 47.7% of depression (BDI) and 48.1% of burnout (MBI). Associations are not the same for each outcome. Skill utilization (BDI, MBI), decision authority (GHQ), abusive supervision (BDI, MBI), conflicts (BDI, MBI) and job security (GHQ, BDI, MBI) are related to the outcomes. For the family, being in couple (BDI, MBI), minor children (BDI, MBI), family to work conflict (MBI), work-to-family conflict (GHQ, BDI, MBI), strained marital and parental relations (GHQ, BDI) associated with the outcomes. Social support outside the workplace predicts both psychological distress and depression. Most of the individual characteristics correlated with the three outcomes. Conclusions The results of this study suggest expanding approaches in occupational mental health in order to avoid coming to erroneous conclusions about the relationship between work and mental health. Depression and burnout seem to share a similar explanatory structure, while psychogical distress appear mostly explained by non-work factors.