Rising to the Top (and Hitting Rock Bottom): A Look into the Relationship between Promotion and Depression
Spence, Karen; Murphy, Cori; Torgerson, Blake; Thompson, Jessica; Tsunoda, Chris; Francis, Jessica; Dufur, Mikaela
Abstract
A job promotion or an increase in supervisory responsibility is typically seen as something to be congratulated; but could there actually be a dark side to it? Due to few previous studies regarding this topic in relation to women and mothers, the subject was of great interest to us. Our findings revealed that job change and increased supervisory responsibilities had a negative association with depression levels. Marriage, number of children, and dual-earner households were also negatively associated with levels of depression. Women with more children also had significantly lower levels of depression than men or women without children. Further research into the topic may reveal other hidden factors affecting depression levels that may still be lurking underneath the corporate ladder.