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Unresolved conflicts and shaming processes: risk factors for long-term sick leave for mental-health reasons
Karlstad University, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (starting 2013), Department of Social and Psychological Studies (from 2013).
Karlstad University, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (starting 2013), Department of Social and Psychological Studies (from 2013).
2014 (English)In: Nordic Journal of Social Research, E-ISSN 1892-2783, Vol. 5, p. 39-54Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Mental illness is the most common diagnosis resulting in long-term sick leave in Sweden today, especially stress-related syndromes and mood disorders. The aim of this article is to analyse the relational and emotional processes in the workplace that may contribute to the understanding of long-term sick leave for mental-health reasons. We conducted interviews with twenty-six people who were on sick-leave because of diagnoses of mental ill-health. The empirical material was analysed using Classic Grounded Theory. We suggest that the risk of being afflicted with mental illness, and forced into long-term sick leave, increases when there are conflicts at work that remain unresolved and which lead to malignant shaming processes that jeopardize personal dignity. In their struggle to maintain self-esteem, the afflicted escalate their work efforts by increasing work intensity, putting in overtime, and working when ill. Eventually, this behaviour affects their health and results in sick-listing. The strengths and weaknesses of the study are discussed along with the need for further research.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2014. Vol. 5, p. 39-54
Keywords [en]
mental illness, long-term sick leave, shaming processes
National Category
Social Work
Research subject
Social Work
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:kau:diva-34373OAI: oai:DiVA.org:kau-34373DiVA, id: diva2:755794
Available from: 2014-10-15 Created: 2014-10-15 Last updated: 2023-12-08Bibliographically approved
In thesis
1. Arbete i motvind: Relationella och emotionella processer i arbetslivet och under sjukskrivning
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Arbete i motvind: Relationella och emotionella processer i arbetslivet och under sjukskrivning
2020 (Swedish)Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
Alternative title[en]
Working in an uphill struggle : Relational and emotional processes in working life and during sick leave
Abstract [en]

This exploratory compilation thesis of four sub studies in Social Work aims to qualitatively examine how employees are affected by organisational changes and other work-related processes, and also to increase understanding of the causes of sick leave and being on sick leave through analysing the experiences of people from different professional backgrounds. Against the background of the labour market and social policy changes introduced at the beginning of the 1990s, these are urgent issues to address, particularly since there is a lack of qualitative studies linking work environment to mental health and sick leave, from the perspective of the employee. The focus of this doctoral thesis is on the relational and emotional processes involved.

The empirical material consists of qualitative interviews with assistant nurses and care assistants in municipal home care services for the elderly, and with individuals of different professional backgrounds who were on long-term sick leave with stress-related diagnosis.  

To understand the central contribution of the thesis – working in an uphill struggle – as something beyond the individual experience, the structures framing the individual must be included in the analysis. The feeling of working in an uphill struggle arises in the process of having to work against personal conviction and harbouring conflicting emotions when institutional and structural conditions for gainful employment and health insurance have changed for the worse, thus obstructing the opportunity to fulfil personal performance standards of quality and credibility. Conflicting feelings can lead to emotional dissonance, which unresolved may lead to illness and sick leave. The uphill struggle is manifested in various ways, as presented in the four sub studies.

Abstract [sv]

Denna avhandling i socialt arbete studerar hur arbetstagare påverkas av organisationsförändringar och andra arbetsrelaterade processer som kan föranleda psykisk ohälsa och sjukskrivning, samt hur det är att vara sjukskriven med en psykiatrisk diagnos av stressrelaterad karaktär. Det är angelägna frågor att studera mot bakgrund av den samhällsomvandling som inleddes i början på 1990-talet med omfattande förändringar inom arbetslivet och socialpolitiken, speciellt då det råder brist på fördjupad kunskap utifrån arbetstagares och sjukskrivnas perspektiv.

För att förstå avhandlingens övergripande bidrag, arbete i motvind, som något mera än en individuell upplevelse, måste den kontext som individen lever inom inkluderas i analysen. Känslan av att arbeta i motvind uppkommer genom att tvingas arbeta mot sin övertygelse och härbärgera motstridiga känslor när institutionella och strukturella villkor för lönearbetet och sjukförsäkringen förändrats och försämrats och blir till hinder för att förverkliga egna krav på kvalitet och trovärdighet. Dessa motstridiga känslor kan leda till emotionell dissonans som om den inte löses upp riskerar att leda till ohälsa och sjukskrivning. Arbete i motvind tar sig uttryck på olika sätt som redovisas i avhandlingens fyra delstudier.

 

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Karlstads universitet, 2020. p. 94
Series
Karlstad University Studies, ISSN 1403-8099 ; 2020:33
Keywords
care work, part-time work, sick-leave, mental health disorder, unresolved conflicts, emotional labor, grounded theory
National Category
Social Work
Research subject
Social Work
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:kau:diva-80663 (URN)978-91-7867-160-1 (ISBN)978-91-7867-159-5 (ISBN)
Public defence
2020-11-06, 11D257, 10:00 (Swedish)
Opponent
Supervisors
Available from: 2020-10-27 Created: 2020-10-02 Last updated: 2020-10-27Bibliographically approved

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Ede, LenaStarrin, Bengt

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