Complex effects of childhood abuse, subjective social status, and trait anxiety on presenteeism in adult volunteers from the community

Rintaro Nibuya; Akiyoshi Shimura; Jiro Masuya; Yoshio Iwata; Ayaka Deguchi; Yoshitaka Ishii; Yu Tamada; Yota Fujimura; Hajime Tanabe; Takeshi Inoue

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1063637

Complex effects of childhood abuse, subjective social status, and trait anxiety on presenteeism in adult volunteers from the community

Front Psychol. 2022 Dec 20:13:1063637. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1063637. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Rintaro Nibuya^{1

2}, Akiyoshi Shimura¹, Jiro Masuya¹, Yoshio Iwata¹, Ayaka Deguchi¹, Yoshitaka Ishii¹, Yu Tamada^{1

3}, Yota Fujimura^{1

3}, Hajime Tanabe⁴, Takeshi Inoue¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychiatry, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan.
² Fuji Psychosomatic Rehabilitation Institute Hospital, Fujinomiya, Shizuoka, Japan.
³ Department of Psychiatry, Tokyo Medical University Hachioji Medical Center, Tokyo, Japan.
⁴ Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Shizuoka University, Shizuoka, Japan.

Abstract

Background: Presenteeism, which is reduced productivity levels owing to physical or mental problems, causes substantial economic loss. It is known to be associated with personal and working environment factors, but the mechanism has not been fully clarified to date. Therefore, we analyzed the effects of childhood abuse on presenteeism of general adult workers, and the mediating effects of subjective social status and trait anxiety.

Methods: From 2017 to 2018, a cross-sectional survey was performed, and 469 adult workers provided written consent. Demographic information, and results from the Child Abuse and Trauma Scale, Subjective Social Status, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory form Y, and Work Limitations Questionnaire were investigated. Multiple linear regression and path analyzes were performed.

Results: Childhood abuse indirectly affected current presenteeism via subjective social status and trait anxiety. Presenteeism was directly affected only by trait anxiety, childhood abuse directly affected subjective social status and trait anxiety, and subjective social status affected trait anxiety.

Conclusion: This study clarified the long-term effects of childhood abuse on presenteeism in adulthood via trait anxiety. Therefore, assessing childhood abuse, subjective social status, and trait anxiety may help to elucidate the mechanism of workplace presenteeism and develop measures against it.

Keywords: Presenteeism; childhood abuse; path analysis; subjective social status; trait anxiety.