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Social structures, agent personality and workers' mental health:A longitudinal analysis of the specific role of occupation and of workplace constraints-resources on psychological distress in the Canadian workforce

University of Montreal, Canada, alain.marchand{at}umontreal.ca

Andrée Demers

University of Montreal, Canada, andree.demers{at}umontreal.ca

Pierre Durand

University of Montreal, Canada, pierre.durand{at}umontreal.ca

This study examines the role of occupations and work conditions in psychological distress with a model of social action in which psychological distress results from stress created by the constraintsresources of structures of daily life, macrosocial structures, and agent personality. Using longitudinal data from 6611 workers nested in 471 occupations, multilevel regression analyses confirm the model. Occupations account for 1.6 percent of the variation. Social support and job insecurity contribute to distress, but greater decision authority increases distress. Skill utilization follows a J curve. Family structure, social network outside the workplace, and the personality of the agent do not moderate the influence of the workplace, with the sole exception of strained marital relations. The findings support the hypothesis that occupations and certain workplace constraintsresources contribute independently to psychological distress. Researchers in workplace mental health must expand their theoretical perspectives to avoid erroneous conclusions about the specific role of the workplace.

Key Words: mental health • multilevel models • occupations • psychological distress • work stress

Human Relations, Vol. 59, No. 7, 875-901 (2006)
DOI: 10.1177/0018726706067595


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