Negative Spillover and Mental Health: An Exploration of the Moderating Effects of Sociodemographic Factors, Family Characteristics, Socioeconomic Resources, and Work Characteristics
Year: 2009
Type: article
Abstract: The major aim of this dissertation was to investigate how negative spillover shapes mental health status.Following the stress process model, this study also explored whether and how sociodemographic characteristics (i.e., race, gender, and age), family characteristics (i.e., length of marriage/cohabitation, spousal/partner support, and presence of children), socioeconomic resources (i.e., education, income, mortgage-payer status, renter status), and work characteristics (i.e., total work hours, job tenure, skill discretion, decision authority, coworker support, and supervisor support) moderate the relationship between negative spillover and mental health.Data were analyzed from the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States 2004-06 (N=1,430) and the key outcome measures were depressive symptoms and anxious mood.With respect to depressive symptoms, the major findings indicated that negative work-to-family spillover increased symptoms.Other findings indicated that the deleterious effects of negative work-to-family spillover were moderated by gender and spousal/partner support, wherein men and individuals with higher levels of spousal/partner support experiences lower levels of depressed mood.While negative family-to-work spillover did not have main effects on depressive symptoms, this type of spillover was moderated by spousal/partner support which acted as a protectant against spillover in the case of high levels of negative family-to-work spillover.iv Similar to depressive symptoms, negative work-to-family spillover increased anxious mood.Moreover, the effect of negative work-to-family spillover on symptoms of anxiety was moderated by length of marriage/cohabitation.Lengthy married or cohabitating relationships reduced the impact of negative work-to-family spillover on anxious mood.Negative family-to-work spillover was not related to anxious symptoms; however, despite the lack of main effects, age did moderate the relationship between this type of spillover and symptoms of anxiety.Age did not diminish respondents' anxiety levels at high levels of negative family-to-work spillover, but younger respondents experienced more anxiety at low levels of negative family-to-work spillover.v DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to the memories of my grandparents, Robert and Jessie Blount and Charlie and Nina Thompson, who were diligent about instilling the importance of education in their children.May their faith, zeal, and family legacies live on in their children's children and in future generations.vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS "O God, I thank You for the lanterns in my life who illumined dark and uncertain paths, calmed and stilled debilitating doubts and fears with encouraging words, firm nudges, and faithful actions along my journey of life and back to You."-Marian Edelman It is a joy to share some of the great lives of persons who have touched this project and my life.Daily, I am reminded that I did not come into this life alone nor have I gotten through this life alone.I am fortunate to have encountered many people-blessings along the way.It is these people-blessings that have sustained me during this process.My parents, Morris and Jeannette, and my brother, Morris, Jr., have been constant sources of encouragement and love throughout this academic journey.My parents have willingly and unconditionally given of themselves, their energies, their time, and their finances to ensure that my graduate school experience was a rewarding one.My brother has been generous with his resources and willingness to share his expertise about mental health with me.I eagerly await opportunities to prove my gratitude to them in this life.They are sweethearts and I dearly love them.
Author: Stacye A. Blount
Institution: University of Akron
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2269411135