Psychological Distress, Depression, and Burnout Similar Contribution of the Job Demand-Control and Job Demand-Control-Support Models?

Objective: This study examines the contribution of the Job Demand-Control (JDC) and the Job Demand-Control-Support (JDCS) models to three mental health outcomes. Methods: Data were collected from 410 Canadian municipal police employees. Mental health was evaluated with the General Health Questionnaire 12 items (GHQ-12), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-21) 21 items, and the Maslach Burnout Inventory 16-items general survey (MBI-16). Karasek's Job Content Questionnaire was used to measure JDC and JDCS. Results: The results revealed a differential impact of JDC and JDCS models according to the type of mental health outcome. The MBI-16 was the best-predicted outcome. Interactions at the core of the JDC and JDCS models were weakly supported. Conclusions: The JDC and JDCS models contribute differently to workers mental health, depending on the instrument used to measure mental health. Implications for workplace health interventions are discussed.