Job strain and psychological distress in office workers: The role of coping

Work-related psychosocial factors such as job strain are thought to contribute to elevated psychological stress in office workers. One factor that may impact the relationship between job strain and psychological distress is the individual's coping resources.

The purpose of this study is to examine the interaction effect of coping resources on the relationship between job strain and psychological distress in office workers.

220 office workers in Australia and Korea completed the Job Content Questionnaire (to evaluate job strain and social support at work), the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale, (DASS-21, a measure of psychological distress), and the Coping with Job Stress Scale to assess control and escape coping. Hierarchical regression analyses were executed to examine the interaction and moderating effect of coping resources.

Job strain had a direct positive relationship with all three domains of psychological distress. The relationship between job strain and depression was positively moderated by escape coping, but negatively moderated by social support. Use of higher levels of escape coping predicted higher levels of depression and anxiety symptoms when higher levels of job strain were perceived.

Findings suggest there may be a direct relationship between job strain and psychological distress in office workers. This relationship, however, may be moderated by the office workers coping resources (coping strategies and social support). It is suggested that the evaluation of coping might be a key consideration in the elements of the assessment of psychological distress in office workers.