The Relationship between Occupational Stress, Mental Health and COVID-19-Related Stress: Mediation Analysis Results

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic led to serious psychological consequences that negatively affect workers’ mental health, leading to post-traumatic symptoms. In this scenario, employees may be exposed to multiple stressors that ultimately drain their resources. Drawing on the Conservation of Resources Theory (COR) and the stress–strain perspective, we analyzed the relationship between different dimensions of work-related stress and psychological distress in a sample of 294 workers in the industrial sector. Specifically, we hypothesized a series of mediation models in which the dimensions of work-related stress are associated with a lower level of mental health directly and indirectly through higher levels of COVID-19-related post-traumatic symptoms. The results partially support the hypotheses, showing that COVID-19-related trauma plays a mediating role between the stress experienced and the resulting decrease in mental health, except in the case of job control and colleague support. These results will hopefully offer insights into possible organizational interventions for the promotion of workers’ well-being in the postpandemic setting.