The Relationship Between Effort-Reward Imbalance and Depressive Symptoms Among Chinese Firefighters Moderating by Coping Styles

Objectives: This study aims to examine the association between effort-reward imbalance (ERI) and depressive symptoms among Chinese firefighters and the moderating role of positive and negative coping styles in the above association. Methods: A cross-sectional study including 1328 male firefighters was conducted in China. We adopted the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale to measure depressive symptoms. Results: Results showed that ERI was associated with depressive symptoms. Individuals with a higher ERI ratio and greater over commitment were likely to have higher level of depressive symptoms. Furthermore, negative coping style strengthened the relationship between ERI ratio and over commitment with depressive symptoms, whereas the positive coping style presented none significant moderation. Conclusions: These findings indicate that reforming the effort-reward system might be helpful for mental health promotion among Chinese firefighters.