The Effects of Prolonged Job Insecurity on the Psychological Well-Being of Workers

Authors

Cynthia Rocha, University of Tennessee
Jennifer Hause Crowell, Virginia Commonwealth University
Andrea K. McCarter, University of Tennessee

Keywords

Job insecurity, well-being, workers, psychological distress

Abstract

Job insecurity has been increasing since the 1980s. While researchers have found job insecurity to be negatively associated with multiple indicators of well-being for workers and their families in cross sectional studies, less is known about the long term effects of prolonged job insecurity. Specifically, there is a need to collect measures of both insecurity and its consequences at multiple time periods. The current study followed workers for 3 1/2 years to assess the effects of chronic job insecurity on psychological distress. Results indicate that while workers reported increased feelings of security over time, there were longer term negative effects on workers' depression levels. The importance of government regulations to decrease insecurity is discussed.

Recommended Citation

Rocha, Cynthia; Crowell, Jennifer Hause; and McCarter, Andrea K. (2006) "The Effects of Prolonged Job Insecurity on the Psychological Well-Being of Workers," The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare: Vol. 33: Iss. 3, Article 2.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15453/0191-5096.3179
Available at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/jssw/vol33/iss3/2