Positive resources for combating depressive symptoms among Chinese male correctional officers: perceived organizational support and psychological capital

Abstract

BackgroundAlthough correctional officers (COs) clearly suffer from depression, positive resources for combating depression have been rarely studied in this population. The purpose of the study was to examine the associations of perceived organizational support (POS) and psychological capital (PsyCap) with depressive symptoms among Chinese COs.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted in a province of northeast China during March–April 2011. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 1900 male COs from four male prisons. Depressive symptoms, POS, and PsyCap (self efficacy, hope, resilience, and optimism) were measured anonymously. A total of 1428 effective respondents with 953 frontline COs (FL-COs) and 475 non-frontline COs (NFL-COs) became our final sample. Hierarchical linear regression was performed to explore the factors associated with depressive symptoms. Asymptotic and resampling strategies were used to examine the mediating roles of PsyCap and its four components.ResultsThe level of depressive symptoms of FL-COs was significantly higher than that of NFL-COs (t = 2.28, p = 0.023). There were significant negative associations of POS, PsyCap, hope, resilience, and optimism with depressive symptoms among FL-COs. In NFL-COs, POS, PsyCap, and optimism were negatively associated with depressive symptoms. POS was positively associated with PsyCap and its four components among both FL-COs and NFL-COs. For FL-COs, PsyCap (a*b = −0.143, BCa 95% CI: –0.186, –0.103, p < 0.05), resilience (a*b = −0.052, BCa 95% CI: –0.090, –0.017, p < 0.05), and optimism (a*b = −0.053, BCa 95% CI: –0.090, –0.016, p < 0.05) significantly mediated the association between POS and depressive symptoms. For NFL-COs, PsyCap (a*b = −0.126, BCa 95% CI: –0.186, –0.065, p < 0.05) and optimism (a*b = −0.066, BCa 95% CI: –0.116, –0.008, p < 0.05) significantly mediated the association.ConclusionsPerceived organizational support and psychological capital could be positive resources for combating depressive symptoms in Chinese male COs. Psychological capital and its components (resilience and optimism) partially mediate the association between perceived organizational support and depressive symptoms. Therefore, organizational support and psychological capital investment (especially resilience and optimism) should be included in depression preventions and treatments targeting Chinese male COs.

Effective resources for improving mental health among Chinese underground coal miners: Perceived organizational support and psychological capital

“…The present study indicated that POS may be a highly effective resource that can help underground miners combat depression and anxiety. This result was consistent with previous studies in which other occupational groups from different countries with supportive organizations were more likely to show mental well-being 15,20) . The internal coping resources of mental health problems include ability, personality trait, coping style, and so on.…”

“…The mean level of depressive symptoms was higher than that of other male occupational groups in China, such as correctional officers 20) and a cross-occupational sample including teachers, foreign enterprise employees, managers, researchers, traffic police and community health workers from Shanghai 23) . This was consistent with the level of Chinese male doctors 24) .…”

“…Higher average scores for the SPOS scale indicate higher POS levels. Also, this scale has been extensively applied and validated among Chinese occupational groups 20,27) . In this study, Cronbach's alpha for the POS scale was 0.85.…”

“…The summed CES-D score ranges from 0 to 60, and higher scores indicate increased severity of depressive symptoms. Due to its good reliability and validity, the CES-D scale has been used widely across occupational groups in China 3,20,23,24) . In the present study, Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the CES-D scale was 0.89.…”

“…A mediator explains the mechanism that determines how and why a certain relationship exists. Although the positive effects of POS and PsyCap on worker mental health and the mediating role of PsyCap in the relationship between POS and depressive symptoms have been confirmed 20) , integrated studies on the inherent relationships among positive resources and mental health problems are still limited. To our knowledge, among underground coal miners, the positive roles of POS and PsyCap in combating depression and anxiety and whether or not PsyCap moderates and/or mediates these relationships have not been confirmed.…”