Occupational identity, work, psychological distress and gender in management: results from SALVEO study

Purpose This paper aims to examine the contribution of occupational identity and gender in explaining psychological distress among managers. It proposes and tests empirically a theoretical model that integrates identity theory into occupational stress and gender research. It analyses the proposition that a low level of verification of role identity is associated with a high level of psychological distress and that gender plays a moderating role in the relationship between role identity verification and psychological distress. Design/methodology/approach Multilevel regression analyses were conducted on a sample of 314 managers employed in 56 Canadian firms. Findings Low level of verification of one standard of managers' role identity, namely, recognition, is significantly associated with managers' psychological distress. It encloses monetary and non-monetary recognition, career prospects and job security. Notwithstanding, gender does not moderate the relationship between identity verification and psychological distress. Originality/value Studies addressing the contributions of identity and gender in the explanation of managers' psychological distress are sparse. This paper helps to expand the scope of management and workplace mental health research as well as gender-related research, by proposing a new approach for the study of managers' psychological distress, by the integration of identity theory and the analysis of the moderating role of gender.