Study Links Remote Work to Increased Isolation and Mental Distress
5 verified3 unconfirmed
A new study published in the journal Science examines the mental health effects of working from home. Researchers analyzed data from five large national surveys comparing workers in jobs that can be done remotely with those in jobs that cannot. The study found that workers in remote jobs experienced a notable increase in time spent alone during the workday. These workers also reported higher levels of emotional distress, including more symptoms of anxiety and depression. Visits to mental health care providers and use of prescription psychiatric medications also rose among remote workers. The negative effects were more pronounced for remote employees who live alone. The study’s authors include Natalia Emanuel of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, along with Emma Harrington and Amanda Pallais.
What’s verified
The study compared workers in “remotable” jobs with those in “non-remotable” jobs using data from five large national surveys.
Workers in remote jobs experienced a rise in hours spent alone per workday.
Remote workers showed an increase in measures of mental distress, including symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Remote workers had more visits to mental health care providers and increased use of antidepressant prescriptions.
The negative effects were larger for remote workers who lived alone, including a significantly increased likelihood of spending an entire day without social contact.
Not yet confirmed
One source reported that the increase in psychological distress as measured by the Kessler (K-6) scale was 0.1 standard deviations for remote workers relative to non-remote workers.
One source reported that remote workers did not show increased visits to non-mental health care providers or non-mental health prescriptions, suggesting the change was not simply due to more flexibility for doctor visits.
One source included comments from behavioral scientist Nicholas Epley and psychologist Gillian Sandstrom about the importance of social connection and recommendations for employers and remote workers.
Key figures
Natalia Emanuel, economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York
Emma Harrington, researcher
Amanda Pallais, researcher
Nicholas Epley, professor of behavioral science at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business
Gillian Sandstrom, psychologist at Sussex University
Sources: marginalrevolution.com, NPR
