Trait-level Perceived Job Discrimination Mediates Lower Coworker and Supervisor Support Predicting Major Depressive Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder 18 Years Later.
Open Access
Author:
Yan, Rebecca
Area of Honors:
Psychology
Degree:
Bachelor of Science
Document Type:
Thesis
Thesis Supervisors:
Michelle Gayle Newman, Thesis Supervisor Susan Simkins, Thesis Honors Advisor
Keywords:
coworker support supervisor support anxiety depression workplace discrimination longitudinal
Abstract:
Theorists have proposed a potential link between trait-level social support at work and adverse mental health outcomes. However, there has been a lack of empirical studies on the longitudinal relationship between these two variables and potential mediators that might account for their association. The current study investigated this longitudinal relationship by testing trait-level perceived job discrimination as a mediator of the relations between social support at work and future generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and major depressive disorder (MDD) symptom severity. To test these hypotheses, participants (N = 3294) were surveyed at three time points, approximately nine years apart. Time 1 (T1) trait-level coworker and trait-level supervisor support, Time 2 (T2) trait-level perceived job discrimination, and Time 1 (T1) and Time 3 (T3) GAD and MDD severity were measured. GAD and MDD measured examined severity in the past year. Longitudinal structural equation modeling (SEM) mediation analyses showed that T2 trait-level perceived job discrimination significantly mediated the relations between lower T1 trait-level coworker and supervisor support and both T3 GAD and MDD severity. Lower T1 trait-level coworker and supervisor support predicted stronger T2 trait-level perceived job discrimination (Cohen's d = -0.98 to -0.56). Stronger T2 trait-level perceived job discrimination thereby predicted higher T3 GAD and MDD severity (d = 0.53 to 0.83). Findings emphasize the importance of considering perceived job discrimination in the relationship between social support at work and adverse mental health outcomes. Institutionally embedded interventions to enhance coworker/supervisor support and decrease perceived job discrimination might mitigate GAD and MDD symptoms and enhance employee well-being.
