Incorporating home demands into models of job strain: findings from the work, family, and health network.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this article was to integrate home demands with the demand-control-support model to test if home demands interact with job strain to increase depressive symptoms.


METHODS
Data were from 431 employees in four extended care facilities. Presence of a child younger than 18 years in the household signified home demands. The outcome was depressive symptoms based on a shortened version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale.


RESULTS
The association between job strain and depressive symptoms was moderated by social support (SS) and presence of a child in the household (child). There was no association among participants with high SS and no child, but a positive one among participants with low SS and a child.


CONCLUSIONS
Job strain may be a particularly important determinant of depressive symptoms among employees with family demands. Models of job strain should expand to incorporate family demands.
Ertel
Karen A
KA
Department of Society, Human Development, and Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston MA 02115, USA. kertel@hsph.harvard.edu
Koenen
Karestan C
KC
Berkman
Lisa F
LF
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008404:Massachusetts / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012647:Self-Assessment; D012866:Skilled Nursing Facilities; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D016526:Workload; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult