The impact of psychological distress on absence from work.
- 1 January 2003
- journal article
- Published by American Psychological Association (APA) in Journal of Applied Psychology
- Vol. 88 (2) , 306-314
- https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.88.2.306
Abstract
The aims of this study were to examine the impact of psychological distress on absence from work; to compare psychological distress and job satisfaction as predictors of absence; and to compare the relative effects of 2 components of psychological distress, depression and anxiety, on absence. Organizational records of absence over a 3-year period were obtained for 323 health service staff in the United Kingdom, who also completed self-report measures of psychological distress and job satisfaction at the beginning of the study and 2 years later. Psychological distress, particularly depression, was found to predict absence, with higher levels of distress predicting a greater number of days and number of times absent. Job satisfaction and psychological distress independently predicted levels of absence. The psychological distress-absence relationship was not moderated by demographic variables.Keywords
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