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The Relationships between Workaholism and Symptoms of Psychiatric Disorders: A Large-Scale Cross-Sectional Study

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  • Cecilie Schou Andreassen
  • Mark D Griffiths
  • Rajita Sinha
  • Jørn Hetland
  • Ståle Pallesen

Abstract

Despite the many number of studies examining workaholism, large-scale studies have been lacking. The present study utilized an open web-based cross-sectional survey assessing symptoms of psychiatric disorders and workaholism among 16,426 workers (Mage = 37.3 years, SD = 11.4, range = 16–75 years). Participants were administered the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale, the Obsession-Compulsive Inventory-Revised, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the Bergen Work Addiction Scale, along with additional questions examining demographic and work-related variables. Correlations between workaholism and all psychiatric disorder symptoms were positive and significant. Workaholism comprised the dependent variable in a three-step linear multiple hierarchical regression analysis. Basic demographics (age, gender, relationship status, and education) explained 1.2% of the variance in workaholism, whereas work demographics (work status, position, sector, and annual income) explained an additional 5.4% of the variance. Age (inversely) and managerial positions (positively) were of most importance. The psychiatric symptoms (ADHD, OCD, anxiety, and depression) explained 17.0% of the variance. ADHD and anxiety contributed considerably. The prevalence rate of workaholism status was 7.8% of the present sample. In an adjusted logistic regression analysis, all psychiatric symptoms were positively associated with being a workaholic. The independent variables explained between 6.1% and 14.4% in total of the variance in workaholism cases. Although most effect sizes were relatively small, the study’s findings expand our understanding of possible psychiatric predictors of workaholism, and particularly shed new insight into the reality of adult ADHD in work life. The study’s implications, strengths, and shortcomings are also discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Cecilie Schou Andreassen & Mark D Griffiths & Rajita Sinha & Jørn Hetland & Ståle Pallesen, 2016. "The Relationships between Workaholism and Symptoms of Psychiatric Disorders: A Large-Scale Cross-Sectional Study," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(5), pages 1-19, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0152978
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0152978
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ko Matsudaira & Akihito Shimazu & Tomoko Fujii & Kazumi Kubota & Takayuki Sawada & Norimasa Kikuchi & Masaya Takahashi, 2013. "Workaholism as a Risk Factor for Depressive Mood, Disabling Back Pain, and Sickness Absence," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(9), pages 1-8, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Pawe³ A. Atroszko & Bartosz Atroszko, 2020. "The Costs of Work-Addicted Managers in Organizations: Towards Integrating Clinical and Organizational Frameworks," The AMFITEATRU ECONOMIC journal, Academy of Economic Studies - Bucharest, Romania, vol. 22(Special 1), pages 1265-1265, November.
    2. Yura Loscalzo & Marco Giannini, 2020. "Heavy Work Investment and Psychopathology: Internalizing and Externalizing Disorders as Antecedents and Outcomes," The AMFITEATRU ECONOMIC journal, Academy of Economic Studies - Bucharest, Romania, vol. 22(Special 1), pages 1301-1301, November.
    3. Alessandra Falco & Damiano Girardi & Alessandro De Carlo & Cecilie Schou Andreassen & Laura Dal Corso, 2022. "Work Addiction among Bank Employees in Italy: A Contribution to Validation of the Bergen Work Addiction Scale with a Focus on Measurement Invariance across Gender and Managerial Status," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-16, October.
    4. Simmons, Sharon A. & Carr, Jon C. & Hsu, Dan & Craig, S. Bartholomew, 2023. "Intention to reengage in entrepreneurship: Performance feedback, sensation seeking and workaholism," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    5. Paweł A Atroszko & Mark D Griffiths, 2017. "Work Addiction is not New to the Psychological Literature and has Evolved over Time," Global Journal of Addiction & Rehabilitation Medicine, Juniper Publishers Inc., vol. 3(3), pages 64-65, August.
    6. Freeman, Michael & Lerner, Daniel & Rauch, Andreas, 2024. "Dopamine and entrepreneurship: Unifying entrepreneur personality traits, psychiatric symptoms, entrepreneurial action and outcomes," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 21(C).

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