Do I feel ill because I crave for work or do I crave for work because I feel ill? A longitudinal analysis of work craving, self-regulation, and health

Abstract

BackgroundThe theory of work craving defines workaholism as a pathological work addiction which comprises: (a) obsessive–compulsive desire to work, (b) anticipation of self-worth compensatory incentives from working, (c) anticipation of reduction of negative emotions or withdrawal symptoms from working, and (d) neurotic perfectionism. Research has shown that workaholism is associated with adverse health outcomes. However, the antecedents of workaholism and the causal direction of the relationship with health have been largely neglected.AimsIn the present longitudinal study, we expect that work craving is predicted by deficits in emotional self-regulation (i.e., low action orientation) and mediates the relationship between self-regulation deficits and symptoms of psychological distress. We expected work craving to have an effect on later psychological distress symptoms, but not psychological distress symptoms to have an effect on later work craving.MethodsIn a sample of 170 German employees, a half-longitudinal design using two times of measurement was implemented to specify the paths of two different structural equation models of mediation: (a) action orientation to later work craving and work craving to later psychological distress, and alternatively, (b) the temporal order of action orientation to later distress and distress to later work craving.ResultsOur data indicated that work craving partially mediated the relationship between self-regulation deficits and psychological distress, but psychological distress symptoms were not found to increase later work craving.ConclusionsThe presented longitudinal study indicates important mechanisms of work craving, especially by highlighting the influence of self-regulation deficits on work craving and, in turn, psychological distress.

The Firepower of Work Craving: When Self-Control Is Burning under the Rubble of Self-Regulation

“…This may explain why they remain so persistent in their work activities and why it is so difficult to change their unhealthy behavior (cf. [11], [15], [16]). Furthermore, high self-control makes people suppress intuitive (dis)likes and bodily responses that may serve as “somatic markers” [40] to guide people away from potentially dangerous and self-incongruent choices or toward successful and self-congruent options [36].…”

“…It should be noted that for convenience, we use the terms “work-cravers” and “work-addicted individuals” interchangeably for those individuals scoring relatively high on the Work Craving Scale (WCS), taking into account that the WCS has been analyzed as a continuous and not as a categorical variable (see: [11], [15], [16]). In contrast, we use the term “obsessive-compulsive workers” for individuals scoring relatively high on scales that narrowly measure “workaholism” as an obsessive-compulsive phenomenon.…”

“…For instance, work craving correlates positively with rumination, depression, and burnout as well as negatively with self-esteem and health [11], [15]. Recent results also confirm the detrimental effect of work craving on health in a longitudinal design [16]. It is therefore important to understand how work-addicted individuals regulate their unhealthy work style and what factors influence their “success” in doing so.…”

“…Specifically, whereas work craving was related to a low ability to down-regulate negative emotions and to poor health, work engagement correlated with the high ability to up-regulate positive emotions and to good health [9]. Importantly, a longitudinal study confirmed that deficits in self-regulation of emotions influence work craving and, in turn, the symptoms of psychological distress [16]. …”

A Four-Factor Model of Work Addiction: The Development of the Work Addiction Risk Test Revised

“…The second factor, Impatience, refers to frustration over loss of control and unrealistically high expectations toward the self and others and is similar to the original "Control" factor. Impatience resembles impulsivity, specifically the inability to delay gratification, which is a major factor in the development and maintenance of addictive behaviors [72,73]. The content of this factor is similar to the Unpleasantness factor of the Workaholism Analysis Questionnaire [74], but impatience and impulsivity are more emphasized in this second factor of the WART-R.…”