A Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-42) Study on the Mental Health Conditions of Japanese Employees

Abstract

The prevalence of work-related mental disorders in Japan has been increasing in recent years, amplifying concerns surrounding the psychological wellbeing of Japanese employees. The aim of this psychometric study was to evaluate the mental health conditions of Japan's workforce by utilizing the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-42), a widely known self-reporting 42-item questionnaire that measures depression, anxiety, and stress. A nationwide survey was performed with a research sample of N = 1,174 Japanese employees aged between 23 and 61 years (M = 34.86 years, SD = 5.71 years). The results indicate that the employees' psychological wellbeing aligns with the observed national increased prevalence of occupational health issues: depression scores exceeding the normal range were evident in 1,145 (97.53%) of the study participants, with 1,165 (99.23%) scoring above the normal range for anxiety and 1,037 (88.33%) for stress. The DASS-42 mean scores indicate that Japanese employees are typically subject to severe depression, extremely severe anxiety, and moderate stress. It was also found from one-way analysis of variance and the independent samples t-test that psychological distress is more prevalent in women than in men, whereas age and education do not necessarily predict the development of depression, anxiety, and stress. However, it was observed that individuals working in certain occupation sectors, such as agriculture and finance, may be at a heightened risk of developing mental disorders.