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Job stress and depressive symptoms among Korean employees: the effects of culture on work

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Abstract

Objective

This study was conducted to investigate the association between depressive symptoms and job stress, as measured by the KOSS, among Korean employees in small- and medium-sized enterprises, and examined which components of stress are involved in the risk for depression among males and females.

Methods

Data were collected from a work-stress survey of full-time employees of small- and medium-sized enterprises in Incheon, South Korea. A total of 3,013 participants were included in the analysis. Job stress was measured using 24 items (7 sub-scales) of the short form of Korean occupational stress scale (KOSS-SF), and depressive symptoms were evaluated using Center for epidemiologic studies depression scale (CES-D).

Results

After adjustment for confounding variables, most of subscales of job stress contributed to an increased risk of depressive symptoms, and job insecurity (male; OR = 2.02, 95%CI: 1.61–2.40, female; OR = 1.95, 95%CI: 1.42–2.70) and occupational climate (male; OR = 1.84, 95%CI: 1.49–2.28, female; OR = 1.78, 95%CI: 1.30–2.49) showed strong associations in both male and female. Other subscales revealed different effects for males and females; for males, job demands (OR = 1.68, 95%CI: 1.43–2.20), inadequate social support (OR = 1.55, 95%CI: 1.23–1.94), and lack of rewards (OR = 1.88, 95%CI: 1.48–2.37) were associated with depressive symptoms, whereas for females, organizational injustice (OR = 1.62, 95%CI: 1.14–2.30) was associated with depressive symptoms.

Conclusion

These results indicate that job stress may play a significant role in increasing the risk of depressive symptoms, and that further preventive efforts and research are needed to reduce job stress and address health problems caused by job stress among Korean employees.

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Acknowledgement

This work was supported by INHA UNIVERSITY Research Grant.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Inha University Hospital, Incheon, Republic of Korea

    Shin-Goo Park & Hwan-Cheol Kim

  2. Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea

    Kyoung-Bok Min

  3. Department of Preventive Medicine and Institute of Occupational Medicine, Wonju College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea

    Sei-Jin Chang

  4. Institute of Health and Environment, Seoul National University, Chongno-gu Yongeun-dong 28, Seoul, 110-799, Republic of Korea

    Jin-Young Min

Authors
  1. Shin-Goo Park
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  2. Kyoung-Bok Min
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  3. Sei-Jin Chang
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  4. Hwan-Cheol Kim
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  5. Jin-Young Min
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jin-Young Min.

Appendix 1

Appendix 1

The short form of Korean occupational stress scale (KOSS-SF)

Subscales

Contents

Questions

Job demand

Time pressure

Due to many things to do, I always feel time pressure

Increasing workload

My job has become increasingly overloading

Insufficient rest

Sufficient rest is provided during working hours

Multiple functioning

I have to do various jobs simultaneously

Insufficient

Noncreative work

My work requires creativity

Job control

Skill underutilization

My work requires a high level of skill or knowledge

Little or no decision-making

I can make my own decision in my job and give influence over the work

Low control

I can control my work pace and time schedule

Inadequate social support

Inadquate supervisor support

My supervisor is helpful in getting the job done

Inadquate coworker support

My coworker is helpful in getting the job done

Lack of emotional support

I have someone who understands my difficulties at work

Job insecurity

Uncertainty

My future is uncertain because the current situation of my company is unstable

Changes negative to my job

Undesirable changes (i.e. downsizing) will come to my job

Organizational system

Unfair organizational polity

The organizational polity of my company is fair and reasonable

Unsatisfactory organizational support

My company provides me with sufficient organizational supports

Inter-department conflict

Departments cooperate each other without conflicts

Limitation of communication

I have opportunities and channels to talk about my ideas

Lack of reward

Unfair treatment

I acquire respect and confidence from my company

Future ambiguity

I believe that I will be given more rewards from my company if I work hard

Interruption of opportunity

I am provided with opportunity of developing my capacity

Occupational climate

Collective culture

Dining out after work makes me uncomfortable

Inconsistency of job order

I am asked to do my work with irrational principle or inconsistency

Authoritarian culture

My company climate is authoritative and hierarchical

Gender discrimination

I take disadvantages since I am woman (man)

  1. Calculation of job-stress score (altered to a scale of 100); 1. Scores of each subscale = [(real score − the number of item)/(maximum score expected − the number of item) × 100]; 2. Score of total job stress = (Total scores of eight subscales/8)

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Park, SG., Min, KB., Chang, SJ. et al. Job stress and depressive symptoms among Korean employees: the effects of culture on work. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 82, 397–405 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-008-0347-8

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