Psychosocial Working Conditions and Cognitive Complaints among Swedish Employees

<div><p>Background</p><p>Cognitive complaints involving problems with concentration, memory, decision-making and thinking are relatively common in the work force. The sensitivity of both subjective and objective cognitive functioning to common psychiatric conditions, stress levels and to cognitive load makes it plausible that psychosocial working conditions play a role in cognitive complaints. Thus, this study aimed to test the associations between psychosocial work factors and cognitive complaints in nationally representative samples of the Swedish work force. Cross-sectional (n = 9751) and prospective (n = 3644; two time points two years apart) sequential multiple regression analyses were run, adjusting for general confounders, depressive- and sleeping problems. Additional prospective analyses were run adjusting for baseline cognitive complaints.</p><p>Cross-sectional results</p><p>High quantitative demands, information and communication technology (ICT) demands, underqualification and conflicts were positively associated with cognitive complaints, while social support, good resources at work and overqualification were negatively associated with cognitive complaints in all models. Skill discretion and decision authority were weakly associated with cognitive complaints. Conflicts were more strongly associated with cognitive complaints in women than in men, after adjustment for general confounders.</p><p>Prospective results</p><p>Quantitative job demands, ICT demands and underqualification were positively associated with future cognitive complaints in all models, including when adjusted for baseline cognitive complaints. Decision authority was weakly positively associated with future cognitive complaints, only after adjustment for depressive- and sleeping problems respectively. Social support was negatively associated with future cognitive complaints after adjustment for general confounders and baseline cognitive complaints. Skill discretion and resources were negatively associated with future cognitive complaints after adjustment for general confounders. The associations between quantitative demands and future cognitive complaints were stronger in women.</p><p>Discussion/Conclusions</p><p>The findings indicate that psychosocial working conditions should be taken into account when considering cognitive complaints among employees.</p></div

Descriptive statistics for test performance measures in groups with low versus high levels of SCC.

<p>Descriptive statistics for test performance measures in groups with low versus high levels of SCC.</p

Characteristics of groups with a low vs. high level of SCC.

<p>SMBQ= Shirom Melamed burnout questionnaire; MDI= major depression inventory.</p><p>^† Collected at the laboratory test occasion.</p><p>*p<0.05 **p<0.01 ***p<0.001</p

ANCOVA results for SCC group differences in executive cognitive measures, additionally controlling for symptoms of exhaustion, depression and sleeping problems in models a-d^†.

<p>^† All models include the covariates age, sex and education. </p><p>^a Chronic stress symptoms measure is included as a covariate.</p><p>b. Depressive symptoms measure is included as a covariate.</p><p>^c Measures of sleeping problems are included as covariates.</p><p>^d Measures of chronic stress symptoms, depressive symptoms and sleeping problems are included as covariates.</p><p>RS=reading span task; FRC=free recall, correct number of words; TMT=trail making test.</p