Comparing and combining the demand-control-support model and the effort reward imbalance model to predict long-term mental strain

Abstract

A first purpose of this prospective study was to investigate whether the levels of mental strain and the working conditions included in the Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) model and the Demand-Control-Support (DCS) model differed for managers/professionals (n = 658) and manual workers (n = 343). An additional purpose was to compare the predictive power of the DCS and ERI models in the regard to long-term mental strain for these two groups. The study further aimed to investigate whether combining the models would improve the predictive power of long-term mental strain. Managers/professionals reported higher job demands and intrinsic efforts than did the manual workers, as well as slightly higher mental strain, but also higher decision latitude, social support, and rewards from work. Both models explained small albeit significant proportions of variance in mental strain for both occupational groups. A tentative conclusion from the study is that combining the two models may slightly increase the explanatory power to predict work-related mental strain.