[Focus! Health] "No Depression but Suicidal Thoughts, Strong Link to 'Lack of Reward'"

A study has found that among workers without depression, suicidal thoughts are most strongly associated with insufficient compensation.

The photo is not related to the article content. [Photo provided by Pixabay]

According to Gangbuk Samsung Hospital, a research team from the Corporate Mental Health Research Institute conducted a study targeting Korean workers and found that 16.2% of those without depression reported having suicidal thoughts, a relatively high proportion.

Accordingly, the research team led by Professors Jeon Sang-won and Cho Sung-joon, and resident Jeon Hye-jung from the Department of Psychiatry analyzed job stress factors that increase the risk of suicidal thoughts among workers without depression. The study involved 14,425 Korean workers who used the SimCare service (a workplace mental health promotion service) at Gangbuk Samsung Hospital’s Corporate Mental Health Research Institute from 2015 to 2019.

The analysis revealed that workers without prominent depressive symptoms but with suicidal thoughts were more common among women than men, and more frequent in middle-aged and older adults than in younger age groups. Additionally, this group showed low psychological resilience, which is the ability to recover quickly from stressful events. They experienced high subjective stress, pronounced anxiety symptoms, and shorter sleep duration compared to the general population.

Furthermore, insufficient compensation in the workplace was identified as the primary cause of suicidal thoughts even in the absence of depressive symptoms. In this context, 'compensation' refers to the degree of reward workers expect for their work. Specifically, it includes ▲monetary compensation level ▲personal satisfaction with the job ▲being respected within the workplace ▲and receiving appropriate rewards when showing passion for work.

Professor Jeon Sang-won of the Department of Psychiatry at Gangbuk Samsung Hospital emphasized, "Adequate compensation in the workplace acts as a protective factor preventing workers from developing anxiety disorders and depression. Lack of proper compensation can induce stress and cause mental health problems among workers. Especially, the fact that insufficient compensation can lead to suicidal thoughts even without depressive symptoms highlights the critical importance of compensation."

Professor Cho Sung-joon of the Department of Psychiatry at Gangbuk Samsung Hospital stated, "Mental health assessments for workers mostly focus on those with depression, which may exclude the group at risk of suicide without depression. It is necessary to expand the concept of risk groups and establish effective prevention strategies and support systems for these individuals."

Meanwhile, the study results were published in the international academic journal Psychiatry Investigation.

Professor Seongjun Cho, Department of Psychiatry, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital. [Photo by Kangbuk Samsung Hospital]

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