What about causality? Examining longitudinal relations between work characteristics and mental health

Abstract

Mental health problems constitute one of the three leading causes of work disability worldwide and have negative consequences for the individual as well as the companies they work for. The Netherlands reports one of the higher and also growing percentages (38%) of work incapacitation due to mental health disorders. This thesis examined whether job characteristics may be regarded as causes of mental health problems or vice versa. The normal cross-legged effects found in this thesis illustrated that work related interventions directed at decreasing job demands, increasing job control and/or supervisor social support may indeed improve the mental health of workers. The author especially recommends these job (re)design) interventions for ('high-risk') subgroups of workers who work in a high strain job (with high job demands, low job control) for a prolonged period of time, and for workers who transfer to a high strain job. Professionals working in the occupational health field should also consider the potential feedback loop of mental health.