Testing the Associations between Coping, Mental Health, and Satisfaction with Life in Portuguese Workers

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Occupational Health
• Sociology

Background:

• Workplace mental health is a growing concern.
• Understanding factors influencing life satisfaction is crucial for employee well-being.
• Portuguese workers face unique occupational stressors and support systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the links between coping strategies, mental health symptoms (depression, anxiety, stress), and life satisfaction.
• To identify specific coping mechanisms that positively or negatively impact well-being in a Portuguese working population.
• To inform the development of targeted interventions for improving quality of life in the workplace.

Main Methods:

• Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were performed on data from 402 Portuguese workers.
• The study examined associations between coping strategies, depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms with life satisfaction.
• Two regression models were tested to assess the predictive power of these factors on life satisfaction.

Main Results:

• Depression and stress symptoms were significantly associated with lower life satisfaction.
• Adaptive coping strategies, including instrumental support reinterpretation, disengagement, and humor, were linked to higher life satisfaction.
• The tested models explained a significant portion of the variance in life satisfaction (adjusted R² = 0.24).

Conclusions:

• Employing adaptive coping strategies can help mitigate mental distress and enhance life satisfaction among workers.
• Interventions should focus on promoting effective coping mechanisms to improve mental health and overall quality of life.
• Findings provide valuable insights for occupational health strategies in Portugal.