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Does work really cause distress? The contribution of occupational structure and work organization to the experience of psychological distress

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  • Marchand, Alain
  • Demers, Andrée
  • Durand, Pierre

Abstract

This research examines the specific contribution of occupation and work organization conditions on psychological distress, based on a representative sample of 9501 workers in 419 occupations in Quebec, Canada. Multilevel regression models show that occupational structure accounts for 0.8% of variation in psychological distress. Among the constraints and resources related to work organization condition, physical and psychological demands, irregular schedules, and workplace harassment emerge as important determinants of psychological distress. The effects of work organization conditions do not vary across occupations. Family situation, support available from social networks outside work, and personal characteristics of individuals are also associated with psychological distress, but these factors do not moderate the effects of work organization conditions. Overall, the findings support the hypothesis that occupation and, to an even greater extent, "pathogenic" work organization conditions contribute independently to the experience of psychological distress. They also support the theoretical model conceptualizing psychological distress as the product of stress caused by constraints and resources brought to bear simultaneously by the agent's personality, structures of daily life, and macrosocial structures.

Suggested Citation

  • Marchand, Alain & Demers, Andrée & Durand, Pierre, 2005. "Does work really cause distress? The contribution of occupational structure and work organization to the experience of psychological distress," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 61(1), pages 1-14, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:61:y:2005:i:1:p:1-14
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. de Jonge, Jan & Bosma, Hans & Peter, Richard & Siegrist, Johannes, 2000. "Job strain, effort-reward imbalance and employee well-being: a large-scale cross-sectional study," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 50(9), pages 1317-1327, May.
    2. de Jonge, Jan & Mulder, Marike J. G. P. & Nijhuis, Frans J. N., 1999. "The incorporation of different demand concepts in the job demand-control model: effects on health care professionals," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 48(9), pages 1149-1160, May.
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    1. Heather Scott-Marshall, 2010. "The Social Patterning of Work-Related Insecurity and its Health Consequences," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 96(2), pages 313-337, April.
    2. Wang, Kangqing & Xia, Yiwei & Ma, Zhihao, 2021. "Development and validation of the Chinese public official strain scale," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    3. Nils Backhaus, 2022. "Working Time Control and Variability in Europe Revisited: Correlations with Health, Sleep, and Well-Being," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-19, November.
    4. Shannon, Candice A. & Rospenda, Kathleen M. & Richman, Judith A., 2007. "Workplace harassment patterning, gender, and utilization of professional services: Findings from a US national study," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 64(6), pages 1178-1191, March.
    5. Alain Marchand & Annick Parent-Lamarche & Marie-Ève Blanc, 2011. "Work and High-Risk Alcohol Consumption in the Canadian Workforce," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 8(7), pages 1-14, June.
    6. Florian Junne & Martina Michaelis & Eva Rothermund & Felicitas Stuber & Harald Gündel & Stephan Zipfel & Monika A. Rieger, 2018. "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 Phys," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-17, March.
    7. Alain Marchand & Aline Drapeau & Dominic Beaulieu-Prévost, 2012. "Psychological distress in Canada: The role of employment and reasons of non-employment," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 58(6), pages 596-604, November.

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