Life events, chronic strain, and psychological distress: Longitudinal causal models

Abstract

This prospective study examines the causal relations among life events, chronic strain, and psychological distress. The influence of total number of life events; recent events; and undesirable, disruptive, and unanticipated events on marital strain and work/economic strain is assessed using latent variable structural equation modeling. It is hypothesized that chronic strain mediates the effects of life events on psychological distress. The data analyzed are from the first two waves of a prospective study on psychosocial factors and cancer mortality in a sample of skilled blue collar workers exposed to asbestos. A subsample of married and employed men within a relatively narrow age range was selected for this study to facilitate the investigation of the relations among life events, strain, and distress among individuals similarly situated in the life course. The results show that total number of events and recent, undesirable, disruptive, and unanticipated events increase work/economic strain and that, through this increase in strain, life events influence both contemporaneous levels of psychological distress and changes in distress. Life events do not have a direct effect on psychological distress when prior levels of events, work/economic strain, and distress are controlled. In contrast, life events do not have an impact on marital strain; rather, marital strain exerts a direct effect on distress. Undesirable, unanticipated, and disruptive events exert modest but significant direct effects on psychological distress in models including marital strain. These findings are discussed in terms of the place of the sample of workers in the life course, and implications for the design of preventive intervention programs are presented.

Different mechanisms to explain the reversed effects of mental health on work characteristics

“…Moyle (16) found positive effects of time-1 distress on the perception of time-2 demands, whereas, in addition to normal causal effects, Garst et al (17) found effects from time-1 strain (depressive complaints, psychosomatic complaints, irritation, and worrying) on the perception of time-2 work stressors (job insecurity, time pressure, organizational problems, social stressors, and uncertainty). Three other longitudinal studies (18)(19)(20) found evidence for effects of prior depression on the perception of time-2 job characteristics. Finally, Taris (21) found effects of mental health status (depression, self-esteem, and general health) on the perception of job characteristics (eg, variety, autonomy, and job security).…”

La santé mentale des cols blancs et l’environnement psychosocial du travail

“…La survenue d'un événement stressant est associée dans les écrits scientifiques à la survenue de problèmes de santé mentale (Glickman et al, 1991). Il existerait un effet additif entre la tension au travail et l'événement stressant pour affecter la santé mentale des sujets de l'étude, ce qui occasionne des absences certifiées pour un problème de santé mentale.…”

The treadmill of declining farm-business; on the relationship between farmers' finances and well-being

“…Among employees on pay role, studies among an educated middle class sample (Aldwin & Revenson, 1986) and among skilled blue collar workers (Glickman, Tanaka & Chan, 1991) did show that people with poor mental health had a higher risk of running into financial problems and were also less likely to recover from them. However, their situation is different from that of self-employed individuals, and therefore results may not generalize to farmers.…”

“…Two longitudinal studies have addressed this issue, one among an educated middle class sample (Aldwin & Revenson, 1986) and one among skilled blue-collar workers (Glickman, et al, 1991). Results showed that individuals with poor mental health were more likely to experience financial hardship and were less likely to recover from it than those with better mental health.…”

“…For instance, studies among educated middle class employees (Aldwin & Revenson, 1986) and among skilled blue-collar workers (Glickman, et al, 1991), showed that individuals with poor mental health were more likely to experience financial hardship, and were less likely to recover from it than those with better mental health. Concerning the intention to quit the business, a recent study has indeed shown that farmers who intended to quit were less likely to invest in their business, which reduced their financial perspective (Van der Veen, Van Bommel & Venema, 2000).…”