Development Of Psychological Distress Research Articles

A Longitudinal Analysis of Long Working Hours and the Onset of Psychological Distress

Abstract OBJECTIVES There is a paucity of longitudinal studies examining the relationship between working hours and the development of Psychological Distress (PD) among U.S. workers. This study utilized a longitudinal approach to examine this relationship. METHODS The 2010-2019 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) data was utilized. PD was analyzed among full-time U.S. employees without PD at baseline using a fixed effect approach. RESULTS The sample comprised 27,548 full-time workers. Individuals working 61 hours or more weekly had the highest risk of PD onset, at 9.9% (95% Confidence Interval, CI = 1.9% - 17.8%, p < 0.05), compared to those working 30-35 hours weekly. Interestingly, an increased risk of PD onset was found among individuals working 36-40 hours per week at 6.6% (CI = 1.5% - 11.6%%, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION Long working hours were associated with the increased development of PD.

Psychological distress is more common in some occupations and increases with job tenure: a thirty-seven year panel study in the United States

BackgroundWorkers in certain occupations may have elevated risks of psychological distress. However, research is limited. For example, researchers often measure distress that may have existed before occupational exposures. We studied occupations and the development of psychological distress using national data from the United States.MethodsWe reviewed relevant research to identify occupations with low and high risks of mental health problems. We confirmed those individual low and high risk occupations using 1981–2017 data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (n = 24,789). We measured new cases of distress using the Screening Scale for Psychological Distress (Kessler K6) and compared distress in the low and high risk groups, adjusted for factors associated with occupational selection and non-occupational distress risks. A subset of participants described their jobs (n = 1,484), including factors such as job demands, social support, and control over work. We examined associations of those factors with psychological distress.ResultsWorkers in high risk occupations had 20% higher adjusted odds of developing distress than those in low risk occupations (odds ratio, OR 1.20, 95% confidence interval, CI 1.13–1.28). Distress increased with time in a high risk occupation: ≥5 years OR 1.38 (CI 1.18–1.62), ≥ 10 years OR 1.46 (CI 1.07–1.99), and ≥ 15 years OR 1.77 (CI 1.08–2.90; p-trend = 0.0145). The most common positive participant descriptions of their jobs indicated social support (34%), sense of accomplishment (17%), and control over work (15%). Participants reporting such descriptions were significantly less likely to have a high risk occupation (OR 0.66, CI 0.46–0.94, p = 0.0195). The most common negative descriptions were excessive job demands (43%), low social support (27%), and lack of control (14%). Participants reporting such descriptions were significantly more likely to have a high risk occupation (OR 1.49, CI 1.03–2.14, p = 0.0331).ConclusionCertain occupations may have high risks of psychological distress, which may be due to characteristics of the occupations rather than employee characteristics, or in addition to them. Results were consistent with theoretical models of psychosocial work environments. Providers of health care and social services should ask patients or clients about work-related distress.

The role of discrimination in the relation between COVID-19 sequelae, psychological distress, and work impairment in COVID-19 survivors

Perceived discrimination and work impairment are commonly observed in COVID-19 survivors, but their relationship has not been well understood. We aimed to evaluate the role of discrimination in the development of psychological distress and work impairment in COVID-19 survivors. From April 2020 to November 2021, 309 patients were recruited at two designated COVID-19 hospitals in Japan. Participants completed a standardized questionnaire including COVID-19 sequelae, psychological distress, impairments in work performance and perceived discrimination. The majority of participants (62.5%) experienced one or more COVID-19 sequelae. Psychological distress was observed in 36.9% and work impairment in 37.9%. In multivariate logistic regression analyses, COVID-19 sequelae and discrimination were associated with both psychological distress and work impairment. Mediation analysis demonstrated that the direct effect of sequelae on work impairment was non-significant after accounting for psychological distress, suggesting that the effect of sequelae on work impairment was mainly mediated through psychological distress. These findings were replicated in a subgroup analysis limited to patients with mild COVID-19. We conclude that discrimination plays an important role in the development of psychological distress and work impairment, and that both discrimination and psychological distress should be targets of intervention in COVID-19 survivors.

Gender differences in GPs’ strategies for coping with the stress of the COVID-19 pandemic in Catalonia: A cross-sectional study

Background The Covid-19 pandemic has increased stress levels in GPs, who have resorted to different coping strategies to deal with this crisis. Gender differences in coping styles may be contributing factors in the development of psychological distress. Objectives To identify differences by gender and by stress level in coping strategies of GPs during the Covid-19 pandemic. Methods A cross-sectional, web-based survey conducted with GPs in Catalonia (Spain), in June–July 2021. via the institution’s email distribution list, all GPs members of the Catalan Society of Family and Community Medicine were invited to complete a survey assessing sociodemographic, health and work-related characteristics, experienced stress (Stress scale of the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales-DASS 21) and the frequency of use of a range of coping strategies (Brief-COPE) classified as problem-focused, emotion-focused and avoidant strategies, some of which are adaptive and others maladaptive. We compared the scores of each strategy by gender and stress level using Student’s t-test. Results Of 4739 members, 522 GPs participated in the study (response rate 11%; 79.1% women; mean age = 46.9 years, SD = 10.5). Of these, 41.9% reported moderate-severe stress levels. The most common coping strategies were acceptance, active coping, planning, positive reframing and venting. More frequently than men, women resorted to emotional and instrumental support, venting, distraction and self-blame, whereas men used acceptance and humour more commonly than women. Moderate-severe stress levels were associated with non-adaptive coping, with increased use of avoidance strategies, self-blame, religion and venting, and decreased use of positive reframing and acceptance. Conclusion The most common coping strategies were adaptive and differed by gender. However, highly stressful situations caused maladaptive strategies to emerge.

Psycho-behavioral responses of Nigerian health workers to an initial human-to-human transmission of the coronavirus disease.

Previous pandemics have had significant impact on psychological well-being of front-line health care workers. Issues such as fear of contracting the disease, high workload as a result of high numbers of infected cases, increased job stress and unavailability of personal protective equipment have been implicated in development of psychological distress in this subset of individuals. The aim of the present paper is to describe psychobehavioral responses of health care workers and potential predictors of emotional response at onset of COVID- 19 outbreak in Nigeria.Cross-sectional web-based survey and 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire (GAD-7) were administered anonymously to 444 respondents comprising various categories of frontline healthcare workers. Stepwise multiple linear regression was used to determine predictors of anxiety scores. Participants were mostly young adults (mean age 38 years), females (57%), living with a partner (78.2%) and medical doctors (56.8%). Restrictions in clinical activities and use of hand sanitizers were commonest precautionary behaviors. Commonest emotional responses were anger and despair (27.0% and 25.7%), respectively. About 42.8% had clinically significant anxiety symptoms with highest burden among nurses. Perception of likelihood of 2nd wave (p=0.03), self-preparedness (p=0.04), gender (p=0.01) and cadre (p=0.02) were significant predictors of emotional response of anxiety.Study findings highlighted diverse psychological reactions of health care workers with a large proportion screening positive for significant anxiety symptoms. This has implications for planning a comprehensive psychosocial response to COVID-19 pandemic and for future pandemics among frontline health care workers in lowresource settings.

Unhealthy Lifestyle Behaviours and Psychological Distress: A Longitudinal Study of Australian Adults Aged 45 Years and Older

Individual associations between lifestyle behaviours and mental health have been established; however, evidence on the clustering of these behaviours and the subsequent impact on mental health is limited. The purpose of this study was to examine cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between combined unhealthy lifestyle behaviours (physical activity, sitting time, sleep duration, processed meat consumption, vegetable consumption, fruit consumption, smoking status, alcohol consumption) and the development of psychological distress (measured using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale) in a large Australian sample. Participants were 163,707 Australian adults from the 45 and Up Study. Data from baseline (2006–2009) and follow-up wave 1 (2012) were analysed using binary logistic regression. The odds of reporting high or very high psychological distress at follow-up were significantly higher for those reporting five (AOR = 2.36; 95% CI 1.41–3.97, p = 0.001) or six or more (AOR = 3.04; 95% CI 1.62–5.69, p = 0.001) unhealthy lifestyle behaviours, in comparison to those reporting no unhealthy lifestyle behaviours at baseline. These findings suggest that a holistic, multi-faceted lifestyle approach addressing multiple behaviours may be required to support and promote positive mental health and to reduce the likelihood of psychological distress.

Factors Associated to Psychological Distress During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Healthcare Workers in Ecuador.

Objective: The global COVID-19 pandemic has challenged health systems. Healthcare professionals had to face harsh conditions that have caused psycho-emotional consequences. Ecuador has been one of the countries hit hardest by the pandemic in Latin America. The objective of this study was to analyse the levels of psychological distress among healthcare workers in Ecuador during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted with a convenience sample of 1,056 healthcare professionals, assessing their psychological distress, physical symptoms of COVID-19, state of health, the preventive measures adopted, and the history of contact with people infected with the SARS-CoV2 virus. Results: showed that 66.0% of the participants manifested psychological distress, with significantly higher levels in women with symptoms of COVID-19 and previous contact with infected people or objects (p < 0.001). However, adherence to preventive measures and perception of health were associated with less psychological distress (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The importance of monitoring the mental health of healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed, having identified factors associated with the development of psychological distress among professionals in Ecuador.

Effectiveness of an online positive psychology intervention among Tunisian healthcare students on mental health and study engagement during the Covid-19 pandemic.

AbstractResearch indicates that university students present higher levels of psychological distress compared with non‐student age‐matched youth. These levels are higher among healthcare students, and even higher during the Covid‐19 pandemic. Therefore, cost‐effective large‐scale interventions are needed in order to prevent further development of psychological distress during this period, and more generally. The aim of the current study was to assess the effectiveness of an 8‐week Internet‐based positive psychology intervention for healthcare students in Tunisia. A two‐armed randomized controlled trial was conducted among a sample of 366 health care students (183 in the experimental group and 183 in the control group), with a majority of women (94%). The average age was 20.74 years (±1.64). The participants completed the following online questionnaires at three time‐points (before the program, immediately after, and three months later): stress, anxiety, depression, emotional regulation, optimism, hope, study engagement, and well‐being. Repeated‐measures ANOVAs revealed significant positive effects of the intervention on all the measured variables for the experimental group. The results showed a significant improvement immediately after the intervention compared to the control group, which was maintained three months later. This program may thus be considered as a promising means of improving students' mental health and study engagement.

ReCOV: recovery and rehabilitation during and after COVID-19 \u2013 a study protocol of a longitudinal observational study on patients, next of kin and health care staff

BackgroundThe knowledge of the long-term consequences of covid-19 is limited. In patients, symptoms such as fatigue, decreased physical, psychological, and cognitive function, and nutritional problems have been reported. How the disease has affected next of kin, as well as staff involved in the care of patients with covid-19, is also largely unknown. The overall aim of this study is therefore three-fold: (1) to describe and evaluate predictors of patient recovery, the type of rehabilitation received and patients’ experiences of specialized rehabilitation following COVID-19 infection; (2) to study how next of kin experienced the hospital care of their relative and their experiences of the psychosocial support they received as well as their psychological wellbeing; (3) to describe experiences of caring for patients with COVID-19 and evaluate psychological wellbeing, coping mechanisms and predictors for development of psychological distress over time in health care staff.MethodsThis observational longitudinal study consists of three cohorts; patients, next of kin, and health care staff. The assessments for the patients consist of physical tests (lung function, muscle strength, physical capacity) and questionnaires (communication and swallowing, nutritional status, hearing, activities of daily living, physical activity, fatigue, cognition) longitudinally at 3, 6 and 12 months. Patient records auditing (care, rehabilitation) will be done retrospectively at 12 months. Patients (3, 6 and 12 months), next of kin (6 months) and health care staff (baseline, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months) will receive questionnaires regarding, health-related quality of life, depression, anxiety, sleeping disorders, and post-traumatic stress. Staff will also answer questionnaires about burnout and coping strategies. Interviews will be conducted in all three cohorts.DiscussionThis study will be able to answer different research questions from a quantitative and qualitative perspective, by describing and evaluating long-term consequences and their associations with recovery, as well as exploring patients’, next of kins’ and staffs’ views and experiences of the disease and its consequences. This will form a base for a deeper and better understanding of the consequences of the disease from different perspectives as well as helping the society to better prepare for a future pandemic.

Delineating sociodemographic, medical and quality of life factors associated with psychological distress in individuals with endometriosis.

What is the relationship between specific quality of life domains and depression, anxiety and stress in the endometriosis population? Psychosocial domains of quality of life, such as a perception of social support and self-image, are more strongly associated with depression, anxiety and stress than pain and medical factors. Prior research indicates a high prevalence of anxiety and depression in individuals with endometriosis. Pain is thought to be critical in the development of psychological distress, however prior research has investigated this association without consideration of psychosocial quality of life domains such as social functioning, perceived social support and self-image. This study is a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data collected in a longitudinal study exploring psychological distress in endometriosis (n = 584). Individuals living with endometriosis participated in this study and were recruited via online platforms of community organizations and support groups. Demographic and medical information concerning endometriosis treatment and diagnosis was self-reported. Psychological distress and quality of life was measured using the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21), Endometriosis Health Profile-30 (EHP-30) and the Short Form Survey (SF-36v2). A series of linear regression analyses explored the relationship between specific quality of life domains and the primary outcomes of depression, anxiety and stress. Approximately half of the participants in this sample reported moderate to severe anxiety, depression and stress. Quality of life domains, particularly perceived social support, social functioning and self-image, were more strongly associated with psychological distress than medical or demographic factors. Pain was associated with anxiety, but not depression or stress. A greater number of endometriosis symptoms was only associated with depression. These data are cross-sectional and, therefore, causality cannot be inferred from this analysis. Information about endometriosis diagnosis and treatment was self-reported, and not verified against medical records. This study indicates that psychosocial factors may be more salient factors underlying depression, anxiety and stress in the endometriosis population than pain and medical factors. There is a need for interventions that target psychological distress in this population with a focus on the broader impact of endometriosis beyond pain and physical symptomatology. This research was supported by the Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship awarded to C.S.M. by Macquarie University. The remaining authors have nothing to declare. ACTRN12619001508167.

Psychological Impact of the COVID-19 Outbreak on Mental Health Outcomes among Youth: A Rapid Narrative Review.

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak has affected not only physical health but also mental health and psychological wellbeing. This narrative review aimed to map the literature on the psychological impact on the young generation of the COVID-19 pandemic, social restrictions, and extraordinary measures to curb the spread of coronavirus. We performed a systematic search of MEDLINE through PubMed and Web of Science [Science Citation Index Expanded, SCI-EXPANDED), Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), and Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI)] of all scientific literature published from May 2020 until 15 March 2021. Based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 15 articles were included. We conducted a narrative review. The reviewed articles suggested the impact of the pandemic and lockdown measures on young persons for several mental symptoms as well as anxiety, stress, depression, event-specific distress, decrease in psychological wellbeing, and changes in sleep habits. Psychological symptoms were related to the experience of several stressors, such as risk for reduction of academic perspectives, massive e-learning adoption, economic issues, social restrictions, and implications for daily life related to the COVID-19 outbreak. This narrative review points out the negative psychological impact of the pandemic outbreak and the high vulnerability of the young in the development of psychological distress, highlighting the relevant focus on the mental health of young people during the pandemic and the need for structured and tailored psychological support and interventions focused to the improvement of Quality of Life of university students after the pandemic experience.

History of contact with the SARS-COV-2 virus and the sense of coherence in the development of psychological distress in the occupational health professionals in Spain.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the psychological well-being of healthcare professionals, among them, on medical and nursing occupational specialists. This study describes the psychological distress that this group has suffered, analyzing the effect that the sense of coherence related with the history of contact with infected people has generated in their mental health. Cross-sectional descriptive study using online questionnaires. Data were collected on a sample of 499 subjects, representing 42.0% and 38.8% of the associations of specialists in Occupational Medicine and Nursing, respectively. A univariate data analysis, independence test, and the CHAID multivariate method were carried out. The percentage of workers with high psychological distress was higher among women than among men; this was also higher in public sector workers than in the private sector. No differences have been observed regarding psychological distress and educational level, coexistence, having children, working away from home, having a pet, or between being a physician or nurse. The most efficient measure to prevent psychological distress was acting regarding the comprehensibility dimension of the sense of coherence. Sex, contact with any infected person, age, living as a couple, working in public or private centers, the availability of diagnostic tests, and the correlation with the manageability dimension were modulating factors. Sense of coherence is an effective measure to prevent psychological distress due to contact with people affected by COVID-19 in Occupational Health professionals.

The mediating role of alexithymia between earthquake exposure and psychopathology among adolescents 8.5 years after the wenchuan earthquake

Alexithymia refers to difficulties in recognizing and describing one's emotions. We studied potential connections of alexithymia with severity of earthquake exposure, panic/somatic symptoms, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression in 5,195 adolescents affected by the Wenchuan earthquake. Participants completed the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), the Children's Revised Impact of Event Scale (CRIES)-13, the abbreviated Kutcher Adolescent Depression Scale (KADS), and the panic/somatic subscale of the Screen for Child Anxiety-Related Emotional Disorders. The rate of alexithymia was 6.7%, and a greater proportion females were alexithymic than males (7.6% vs 5.7%). Alexithymia was more frequent among older subjects and those who were only-children. Alexithymia, severity of earthquake exposure and negative life events were independently associated with post-disaster psychological or somatic symptoms, and alexithymia was a mediator between traumatic experiences and psychopathology. Our data highlight the importance of alexithymia in the development of psychological distress, implying that alexithymia-targeted interventions may help treat or even prevent psychological distress after a disaster.

Epidemiological assessment of distress during chemotherapy: who is affected?

ObjectivesFollowing the rise in the incidence of cancer, the need for chemotherapy has escalated, as have its side effects. Psychological distress is one of the known side effects of chemotherapy; however, it has not received adequate attention. The purpose of this study was to measure psychological distress in patients receiving chemotherapy, making comparisons on the basis of age, gender, marital status, and chemotherapy dose, and to assess the patients' willingness to continue with treatment.MethodologyA descriptive cross-sectional study was performed on outpatients receiving chemotherapy beyond the first dose at the Radiation & Isotopes Centre Khartoum (Rick). Data were collected via a face-to-face interview with the patients using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.ResultsAmong patients undergoing chemotherapy, 55 (25.5%) experienced anxiety and depression. Of the 216 patients recruited, the majority were middle-aged (30–50 years old) married women. Development of psychological distress followed a U-shaped curve in relation to the number of chemotherapy doses received. Patients who received 1–5 and >10 doses experienced more psychological distress than those who received 6–10 chemotherapy doses. As many as 212 (98%) patients were willing to continue with chemotherapy.ConclusionIn our study, psychological distress burdened a quarter of the patients receiving chemotherapy. Psychological distress plays a role in cancer recurrence and recovery; thus, there is a need for a holistic approach to the management of patients with cancer, including psychological evaluation to identify those at risk.

Biomarkers of autonomic regulation for predicting psychological distress and functional recovery following road traffic injuries: protocol for a prospective cohort study

IntroductionPsychological distress is a prevalent condition often overlooked following a motor vehicle crash (MVC), particularly when injuries are not severe. The aim of this study is to examine whether biomarkers...

Parallel-process trajectories of exposure to violence and psychological distress among justice-involved youth.

Researchers have raised awareness of high levels of violence exposure among justice-involved adolescents and its association with psychological distress, yet the relationship between the violence and psychological distress has rarely been studied longitudinally. This study aimed to gain understanding of the relationship between long-term exposure to violence and the development of psychological distress among justice-involved adolescents. We examined exposure to violence and emergent psychological distress among adolescents using latent growth model analyses with a sample of 1,336 young people-male and female-who completed 10 follow-up interviews over 7years as part of the Pathways to Desistance study. We tested four models: (a) changes in exposure to violence over time, (b) changes in psychological distress over time, (c) the contemporaneous, parallel processes of changes in exposure to violence and psychological distress over time, and (d) differences in the evolution of violence exposure and psychological distress across sex and race/ethnicity. For the sample as a whole, exposure to violence decreased over time, as did psychological distress, but their relationship to each other was consistent. There were individual differences, however, and the subgroup of young African Americans did not experience the reduction in exposure to violence reported by the young Whites and Hispanics. Trajectories of exposure to violence and related psychological distress did not escalate over time as expected. In light of these findings, more research is needed on the heterogeneity of violence exposure and its negative psychological impacts.

Preconception dysmenorrhea as a risk factor for psychological distress in pregnancy: The Japan Environment and Children's Study

BackgroundDysmenorrhea influences emotional distress as well as physical suffering in young non-pregnant women. The aim of this study was to assess the potential association between preconception dysmenorrhea and the development of psychological distress during pregnancy. MethodsThis study was a part of the Japan Environment and Children's Study (JECS), a nationwide birth cohort study conducted between 2011 and 2014 in Japan. A total of 87,102 pregnant Japanese women with no psychological distress (Kessler 6-item psychological distress scale [K6] score ≤ 12) in early pregnancy were eligible. Among these, 7626 had mild and 1638 had severe preconception dysmenorrhea. The prevalence and risk of maternal psychological distress (K6 scores ≥ 13) in the second or third trimester were compared among preconception dysmenorrhea severity groups. ResultsA higher percentage of women with mild (2.6%) or severe preconception dysmenorrhea (3.6%) suffered psychological distress during pregnancy compared to that in women without dysmenorrhea (2.1%). A multilevel logistic regression model, adjusting for baseline characteristics and the K6 score at enrollment, showed that the severity of dysmenorrhea was associated with psychological distress (mild dysmenorrhea: adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.154; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.980–1.359; and severe dysmenorrhea: aOR, 1.457; 95% CI, 1.087–1.951). LimitationsInformation about dysmenorrhea was obtained during early pregnancy. The JECS did not have clear diagnostic criteria for dysmenorrhea. ConclusionsPreconception dysmenorrhea is associated with an elevated incidence of psychological distress during pregnancy. Additionally, expectant mothers with a history of severe dysmenorrhea symptoms before pregnancy have a higher risk of developing psychological distress.

The Role of Work-Related Factors in the Development of Psychological Distress and Associated Mental Disorders: Differential Views of Human Resource Managers, Occupational Physicians, Primary Care Physicians and Psychotherapists in Germany.

Objectives: This study analyses the perceived relevance of stress-dimensions in work-settings from the differential views of Human Resource Managers (HRM), Occupational Physicians (OP), Primary Care Physicians (PCP) and Psychotherapists (PT) in Germany. Methods: Cross-sectional study design, using a self-report questionnaire. Descriptive measures and explorative bivariate methods were applied for group-comparisons. Results are presented as rankings of perceived importance and as polarity profiles of contrasting views. Results: N = 627 participants completed the questionnaires (HRM: n = 172; OP: n = 133; PCP: n = 136; PT: n = 186). The stress dimensions with the highest mean ratings across all four professions were: ‘social relationships in the work place’ (M = 3.55, SD = 0.62) and ‘superiors´ leadership style’ (M = 3.54, SD = 0.64). Mean ratings of perceived relevance of stress dimensions differed most between HRM and the three medical professions. Conclusions: The perceived importance of work-related stress-dimensions seems to be higher in the medical disciplines (OP, PCP, PT) than in the group from the management sector (HRM). However, no fundamental disagreement on the role of work-related stress-dimensions seems to hinder e.g., intensified efforts of cooperation across sectors in tackling the “stress-pandemic” and improving the (mental) health of employees.

English

Many factors could be co-related with psychological distress in secondary school adolescents. Few of such factors are the style parents adopt in raising their adolescents, and the family characteristics in which adolescents are nurtured. This study was designed to look at the relationship between parenting style/family characteristics and adolescents’ psychological distress. Specifically, the study was designed to investigate the styles that parents adopt in raising their children, the family characteristics of adolescents, such as the family type, the family size and parental figure, and how these variables can contribute to psychological distress among secondary school adolescents. To guide the study, six hypotheses were formulated. The descriptive survey was adopted for the study, in which five schools were randomly selected for the study; selection of schools was restricted to only mixed gender schools in order to make comparisons easier. 40 students were selected from each of the schools making a total of two hundred (200) respondents. The respondents completely filled a questionnaire comprising a socio-demographic and family-related data sheet, a 12-item General Health Questionnaire, and a 30-item Parental Care Scale. The results showed that authoritative (p < 0.01, r = 0.633) and authoritarian parenting styles (p< 0.01, r =0.303) significantly and respectively correlated inversely and directly with psychological distress in adolescents. Permissive parenting styles and family characteristics did not correlate with psychological distress. These findings suggest that higher levels of control, which is characteristic of both authoritative and authoritarian parenting styles, may be a critical factor in the development of psychological distress. It is suggested that counsellors may help parents gain the knowledge and skills necessary to support their adolescents to fulfil their psychological needs. Counselling programmes can be designed for parents in line with the findings, parents’ discussion group and other means can be created with the aim of educating and enlightening parents on how the practices/styles that they adopt could have implications on the psychological wellbeing of their children. Key words: Parenting style, psychological distress, family characteristics, adolescents, secondary school correlate.

Does organizational culture play a role in the development of psychological distress?

The aim of this article is to analyze the extent to which organizational culture contributes to the symptoms of psychological distress in the workforce. Integrating organizational culture and work organization conditions makes it possible to examine how culture is associated with the various components of work organization conditions, and how these conditions might relate to symptoms of psychological distress in employees. Data from the SALVEO study were collected in 2009–2012 from a sample of 1824 individuals nested in 60 Canadian workplaces. Multilevel regression models were used to analyze the data. After controlling for individual and family characteristics, only group and rational cultures were associated with psychological distress, but both type of organization cultures were mediated by work organization conditions. Group culture is indirectly associated with lower levels of psychological distress since it favors lower levels of psychological demands and job insecurity. Rational culture is indirectly associated with higher levels of psychological distress because it favors higher psychological demand levels. The results obtained highlighted the importance of including variables relating to broader organizational context in models examining stress in the workplace.