Bidirectional Relationship Between Work Satisfaction, Interpersonal Trust, and Depression: A Four-Year Longitudinal...

Depression has become a major public health concern due to its high prevalence and substantial burden on individuals and society. As a persistent negative emotional state, depression is closely linked to both work and personal life. Work satisfaction and interpersonal trust, two important positive resources in these domains, may serve as protective factors against depression. However, the long-term relationships among work satisfaction, interpersonal trust, and depression remain unclear.

The present study aims to examine the longitudinal bidirectional relationships among work satisfaction, interpersonal trust, and depression and to explore potential patterns of association among these variables over time.

This study analyzed survey data collected from 11,538 Chinese participants aged 18 to 82 years over a 4-year, three-wave period using cross-lagged panel model.

(1) Bidirectional longitudinal associations were observed between work satisfaction and depression. (2) Bidirectional longitudinal associations were observed between interpersonal trust and depression. (3) Bidirectional longitudinal associations were observed between work satisfaction and interpersonal trust. (4) Very small but statistically reliable indirect longitudinal associations were observed among work satisfaction, interpersonal trust, and depression over time.

This study demonstrates bidirectional longitudinal associations among work satisfaction, interpersonal trust, and depression. Although some indirect longitudinal associations reached statistical significance, their effect sizes were negligible and should be interpreted cautiously. Further research using stronger longitudinal and causal designs is needed to evaluate potential explanations for these observed associations.