Clark, C., Pike, C., McManus, Sally, Harris, J., Bebbington, Paul, Brugha, T. S. (Traolach S.), Jenkins, Rachel, Meltzer, Howard, Weich, Scott and Stansfeld, Stephen (2012) The contribution of work and non-work stressors to common mental disorders in the 2007 Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey. Psychological Medicine, Vol.42 (No.4). pp. 829-842. doi:10.1017/S0033291711001759

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Abstract

Evidence for an effect of work stressors on common mental disorders (CMD) has increased over the past decade. However, studies have not considered whether the effects of work stressors on CMD remain after taking co-occurring non-work stressors into account.

Method. Data were from the 2007 Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey, a national population survey of participants
>= 16 years living in private households in England. This paper analyses data from employed working age
participants (N=3383: 1804 males; 1579 females). ICD-10 diagnoses for depressive episode, generalized anxiety
disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, agoraphobia, social phobia, panic or mixed anxiety and depression in the
past week were derived using a structured diagnostic interview. Questionnaires assessed self-reported work stressors
and non-work stressors.
Results. The effects of work stressors on CMD were not explained by co-existing non-work stressors. We found
independent effects of work and non-work stressors on CMD. Job stress, whether conceptualized as job strain or
effort–reward imbalance, together with lower levels of social support at work, recent stressful life events, domestic
violence, caring responsibilities, lower levels of non-work social support, debt and poor housing quality were all
independently associated with CMD. Social support at home and debt did not influence the effect of work stressors
on CMD.
Conclusions. Non-work stressors do not appear to make people more susceptible to work stressors ; both contribute
to CMD. Tackling workplace stress is likely to benefit employee psychological health even if the employee’s home life
is stressful but interventions incorporating non-work stressors may also be effective.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HF Commerce R Medicine > RC Internal medicine > RC0321 Neuroscience. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry
Divisions:	Faculty of Medicine > Warwick Medical School > Health Sciences > Mental Health and Wellbeing Faculty of Medicine > Warwick Medical School
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Mental illness, Job stress
Journal or Publication Title:	Psychological Medicine
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
ISSN:	0033-2917
Official Date:	2012
Dates:	Date Event 2012 Published
Date of first compliant deposit:	22 December 2015
Volume:	Vol.42
Number:	No.4
Page Range:	pp. 829-842
DOI:	10.1017/S0033291711001759
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Publication Status:	Published
Access rights to Published version:	Restricted or Subscription Access
Funder:	Great Britain. Dept. of Health (DoH), Great Britain. Health and Safety Executive, Great Britain. Dept. for Work and Pensions (DWP)

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