Job Satisfaction and Psychological Distress among Help-Seeking Men: Does Meaning in Life Play a Role?

Abstract

Men’s low job satisfaction has been shown to be associated with greater symptoms of psychological distress. Meaning in life may be an important factor in this relationship, but its role as a mediator has not been reported. The present study investigated meaning in life as a mediator in the relationship between job satisfaction and psychological distress among men. A total of 229 employed Canadian men participated in a cross-sectional survey, completing measures of depression and anxiety symptoms, anger severity, job satisfaction, and the presence of meaning in life. Zero-order correlations were calculated, and regression with mediation analyses were conducted; two models were tested: one for anxiety/depression symptoms and one for anger, as the dependent variables. Both mediation models emerged as significant, revealing a significant mediating effect for job satisfaction on the symptoms of psychological distress (anxiety/depression symptoms, anger) through meaning in life, even while controlling for salient confounding variables including COVID-related impacts. Lower job satisfaction was associated with less meaning in life, which in turn was associated with more symptoms of depression, anxiety, and anger. The findings highlight the importance of job satisfaction in the promotion of a sense of meaning in life among men, leading to improved psychological well-being both inside and outside of the workplace.

Occupational Factors Associated With Workers’ Depression, Anxiety, and General Fatigue

“…Moreover, job satisfaction and occupational exposure including low temperature, vapor inhalation, and contact with infectious materials were associated with the decrease of the risk of depression. High job satisfaction decreased the risk of depression, anxiety, and general fatigue in workers, thus confirming the already known association between job satisfaction and mental health 25,26 . Increased job satisfaction decreased the risk of psychological distress among social workers 27 .…”

“…High job satisfaction decreased the risk of depression, anxiety, and general fatigue in workers, thus confirming the already known association between job satisfaction and mental health. 25,26 Increased job satisfaction decreased the risk of psychological distress among social workers. 27 Shift work increased the risk of general fatigue but showed a tendency to increase, and in this study, was not statistically significant in depression and anxiety.…”

Work as Meaning Inventory: A network analysis in Italian workers and students

“…Furthermore, researchers have consistently linked meaningful work with improved perceptions of life meaning (Allan et al, 2015;Arnoux-Nicolas et al, 2016). Following this perspective, meaningful work can be considered a core component of meaning in life (Allan et al, 2015), which has been confirmed by several qualitative and quantitative investigations on sources of meaning in individuals' life (Liu & Allan, 2022;Simard et al, 2022). Work has long been recognized as one of the most common sources of meaning, together with service, relationships, and religion (Emmons, 2005;Fegg et al, 2007).…”

Workplace violence, bullying, burnout, job satisfaction and their correlation with depression among Bangladeshi nurses: A cross-sectional survey during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…A study reported that higher levels of depression were associated with lower levels of job satisfaction [ 22 ]. A recent study in Canada revealed that lower job satisfaction was related to increased levels of depression and anxiety [ 23 ]. However, Bishwajit and colleagues found that nurses’ job satisfaction was enhanced when organizations ensured support and safety at the workplace [ 24 ].…”