A Longitudinal Study of the Relationship between Work Engagement and Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression

Abstract

This longitudinal study examined the dynamic relationship between work engagement (vigour and dedication) and symptoms of anxiety and depression. A sample of 3475 respondents from eight different occupational groups (lawyers, physicians, nurses, teachers, church ministers, bus drivers, people working in advertising and people working in information technology) in Norway supplied data at two points in time with a 2-year time interval. The advantages of longitudinal design were utilized, including testing of reversed causation and controlling for unmeasured third variables. In general, the results showed that the hypothesized normal causal relationship was superior to a reversed causation model. In other words, this study supported the assumption that work engagement is more likely to be the antecedent for symptoms of depression and anxiety than the outcome. In particular, the vigour facet of work engagement provides lower levels of depression and anxiety 2 years later. However, additional analyses modelling unmeasured third variables indicate that unknown third variables may have created some spurious effects on the pattern of the observed relationship. Implications of the findings are discussed in the paper.

Experiences of Staying Healthy in Relationally Demanding Jobs: An Interpretative Phenomenological Study of Work-Engaged Nurses in the Hospital

“…The results are also in line with a study which claimed that engaged employees often experience positive emotions, including satisfaction with one's own life [13], but the results are not in line with the studies that claim that work-engaged employees have better physical health than others [10]- [12]. So why do the nurses perceive themselves to be of good health despite suffering from a number of ailments caused by prolonged strain at work?…”

Do we all agree on how to measure work engagement? Factorial validity of Utrecht Work Engagement Scale as a standard measurement tool – A literature review

“…A 7-year longitudinal study has demonstrated that the UWES scores negatively predict depressive symptoms and positively predict overall life satisfaction [26]. A 2-year longitudinal study on Norway employees has shown that vigor, one of the 3 dimensions of engagement measured by the UWES, is a negative predictor of depression symptoms and anxiety [27]. Furthermore, the longitudinal study among telecom managers shows that work engagement predicts the frequency of absence due to illness but not the duration of sick leave [28].…”

Organizational commitment and work engagement – Theoretical conceptions and terminological problems

“…Badania dotyczące zdrowia psychosomatycznego wykazały, że bardziej zaangażo-wani pracownicy rzadziej odczuwają ból pleców i szyi [3] oraz mniej skarżą się na ból głowy, brzucha czy problemy z sercem [4]. Ponadto ujawniono, że wyższe zaangażowanie w pracę zmniejsza uczucie niepokoju i stresu u pracowników [5] oraz działa pozytywnie na ich zdrowie psychiczne podczas wykonywania obowiązków w pracy [6].…”

“…Jednocześnie zaproponowali rozstrzygnięcia w zakresie terminologii w nadziei, że przyczynią się one do większej klarowności w przyszłych publikacjach z tego obszaru. Bez wątpienia jest to warte dalszych analiz, ponieważ sposób funkcjonowania w środowisku pracy ma istotne znaczenie dla zdrowia człowieka [3][4][5][6]. Przedstawione analizy mogą inspirować także do dopracowania polskich tłumaczeń innych terminów z obszaru medycyny i psychologii pracy, które niejednokrotnie stwarzają analogiczne problemy.…”