Unresolved conflicts and shaming processes: risk factors for long-term sick leave for mental-health reasons
Mental illness is the most common diagnosis resulting in long-term sick leave in Sweden today, especially stress-related syndromes and mood disorders. The aim of this article is to analyse the relational and emotional processes in the workplace that may contribute to the understanding of long-term s...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Scandinavian University Press
2014-05-01
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| Series: | Nordic Journal of Social Research |
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| Online Access: | https://journals.hioa.no/index.php/njsr/article/view/2074 |
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| author | Lena Ede Bengt Starrin |
| author_facet | Lena Ede Bengt Starrin |
| author_sort | Lena Ede |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Mental illness is the most common diagnosis resulting in long-term sick leave in Sweden today, especially stress-related syndromes and mood disorders. The aim of this article is to analyse the relational and emotional processes in the workplace that may contribute to the understanding of long-term sick leave for mental-health reasons. We conducted interviews with twenty-six people who were on sick-leave because of diagnoses of mental ill-health. The empirical material was analysed using Classic Grounded Theory. We suggest that the risk of being afflicted with mental illness, and forced into long-term sick leave, increases when there are conflicts at work that remain unresolved and which lead to malignant shaming processes that jeopardize personal dignity. In their struggle to maintain self-esteem, the afflicted escalate their work efforts by increasing work intensity, putting in overtime, and working when ill. Eventually, this behaviour affects their health and results in sick-listing. The strengths and weaknesses of the study are discussed along with the need for further research. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d90309bf52da4f83abbfee57a1371bfc |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1892-2783 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2014-05-01 |
| publisher | Scandinavian University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nordic Journal of Social Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-d90309bf52da4f83abbfee57a1371bfc2025-08-20T02:21:11ZengScandinavian University PressNordic Journal of Social Research1892-27832014-05-01510.7577/njsr.20741253Unresolved conflicts and shaming processes: risk factors for long-term sick leave for mental-health reasonsLena EdeBengt StarrinMental illness is the most common diagnosis resulting in long-term sick leave in Sweden today, especially stress-related syndromes and mood disorders. The aim of this article is to analyse the relational and emotional processes in the workplace that may contribute to the understanding of long-term sick leave for mental-health reasons. We conducted interviews with twenty-six people who were on sick-leave because of diagnoses of mental ill-health. The empirical material was analysed using Classic Grounded Theory. We suggest that the risk of being afflicted with mental illness, and forced into long-term sick leave, increases when there are conflicts at work that remain unresolved and which lead to malignant shaming processes that jeopardize personal dignity. In their struggle to maintain self-esteem, the afflicted escalate their work efforts by increasing work intensity, putting in overtime, and working when ill. Eventually, this behaviour affects their health and results in sick-listing. The strengths and weaknesses of the study are discussed along with the need for further research.https://journals.hioa.no/index.php/njsr/article/view/2074mental illnesslong-term sick leaveshaming processesunresolved conflicts |
| spellingShingle | Lena Ede Bengt Starrin Unresolved conflicts and shaming processes: risk factors for long-term sick leave for mental-health reasons Nordic Journal of Social Research mental illness long-term sick leave shaming processes unresolved conflicts |
| title | Unresolved conflicts and shaming processes: risk factors for long-term sick leave for mental-health reasons |
| title_full | Unresolved conflicts and shaming processes: risk factors for long-term sick leave for mental-health reasons |
| title_fullStr | Unresolved conflicts and shaming processes: risk factors for long-term sick leave for mental-health reasons |
| title_full_unstemmed | Unresolved conflicts and shaming processes: risk factors for long-term sick leave for mental-health reasons |
| title_short | Unresolved conflicts and shaming processes: risk factors for long-term sick leave for mental-health reasons |
| title_sort | unresolved conflicts and shaming processes risk factors for long term sick leave for mental health reasons |
| topic | mental illness long-term sick leave shaming processes unresolved conflicts |
| url | https://journals.hioa.no/index.php/njsr/article/view/2074 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lenaede unresolvedconflictsandshamingprocessesriskfactorsforlongtermsickleaveformentalhealthreasons AT bengtstarrin unresolvedconflictsandshamingprocessesriskfactorsforlongtermsickleaveformentalhealthreasons |