Symptoms of social anxiety or depression may serve as a barrier to seeking or maintaining employment, according to a study issued by Psychiatric Research and Clinical Practice. However, working more hours may not by itself reduce depression or social anxiety symptoms.
“Social anxiety is associated with a lower likelihood of receiving and accepting job offers, poor job performance, increased work absences, and higher rates of terminations and resignations. However, bidirectional associations between social anxiety and unemployment are untested,” wrote Olivia M. Losiewicz, M.A., of the University of California, Los Angeles, and colleagues.
The researchers recruited 250 diverse adults with diagnoses of social anxiety disorder, more than half of whom were homeless or in transient housing, who were job-seeking at vocational centers in Detroit or Los Angeles. Depression and social anxiety were assessed at weeks four, 12, 26, and 52 using the eight‐item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ–8) and the Liebowitz Social anxiety scale.
Participants estimated the number of hours they worked for pay every two weeks by responding to a text-message prompt. The researchers averaged the number of hours participants worked for three time periods: weeks five to 12, 13 to 26, and 27 to 52. They also examined participants’ substance use, psychosis, homelessness, racial minority status, and household income.
After factoring in the above variables, the researchers reported that greater social anxiety and depression symptoms at one period predicted fewer subsequent hours worked for pay. However, contrary to their hypothesis, working more hours during a period was not significantly associated with reduced social anxiety or depression symptoms later.
“Findings suggest that clinicians should monitor employment‐related factors, such as work attendance and time spent working, when treating patients with depression or social anxiety, as symptoms may lead to significant functional impairment,” Losiewicz and colleagues wrote. “Furthermore, this study highlights the potential importance of mental health interventions to simultaneously address occupational concerns. Since symptoms of social anxiety or depression may serve as a barrier to seeking or maintaining employment, effective treatments, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, may indirectly help individuals obtain or maintain employment.”
For related information, see the Psychiatric News article “‘I Don’t Feel Like a Productive Member of Society.’”
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