Hell is other people? Gender and interactions with strangers in the workplace influence a person's risk of depression
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In: PLoS ONE, Vol. 9, No. 7, e103501, 30.07.2014.
Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Hell is other people?
T2 - Gender and interactions with strangers in the workplace influence a person's risk of depression
AU - Fischer, Sebastian
AU - Wiemer, Anita
AU - Diedrich, Laura
AU - Moock, Jörn
AU - Rössler, Wulf
PY - 2014/7/30
Y1 - 2014/7/30
N2 - We suggest that interactions with strangers at work influence the likelihood of depressive disorders, as they serve as an environmental stressor, which are a necessary condition for the onset of depression according to diathesis-stress models of depression. We examined a large dataset (N = 76,563 in K = 196 occupations) from the German pension insurance program and the Occupational Information Network dataset on occupational characteristics. We used a multilevel framework with individuals and occupations as levels of analysis. We found that occupational environments influence employees' risks of depression. In line with the quotation that 'hell is other people' frequent conflictual contacts were related to greater likelihoods of depression in both males and females (OR = 1.14, p<.05). However, interactions with the public were related to greater likelihoods of depression for males but lower likelihoods of depression for females (ORintercation = 1.21, p<.01). We theorize that some occupations may involve interpersonal experiences with negative emotional tones that make functional coping difficult and increase the risk of depression. In other occupations, these experiences have neutral tones and allow for functional coping strategies. Functional strategies are more often found in women than in men.
AB - We suggest that interactions with strangers at work influence the likelihood of depressive disorders, as they serve as an environmental stressor, which are a necessary condition for the onset of depression according to diathesis-stress models of depression. We examined a large dataset (N = 76,563 in K = 196 occupations) from the German pension insurance program and the Occupational Information Network dataset on occupational characteristics. We used a multilevel framework with individuals and occupations as levels of analysis. We found that occupational environments influence employees' risks of depression. In line with the quotation that 'hell is other people' frequent conflictual contacts were related to greater likelihoods of depression in both males and females (OR = 1.14, p<.05). However, interactions with the public were related to greater likelihoods of depression for males but lower likelihoods of depression for females (ORintercation = 1.21, p<.01). We theorize that some occupations may involve interpersonal experiences with negative emotional tones that make functional coping difficult and increase the risk of depression. In other occupations, these experiences have neutral tones and allow for functional coping strategies. Functional strategies are more often found in women than in men.
KW - Health sciences
U2 - 10.1371/journal.pone.0103501
DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0103501
M3 - Journal articles
C2 - 25075855
AN - SCOPUS:84904994561
VL - 9
JO - PLoS ONE
JF - PLoS ONE
SN - 1932-6203
IS - 7
M1 - e103501
ER -