Precarious work on psychological distress and life satisfaction among young adults in Japan

Abstract

Drawing on social stress theory and the life course perspective, this dissertation examines how precarious work affects mental health among Japanese young adults. Using data from a nationally representative longitudinal survey, the Japanese Life Course Panel Survey (2007-2011), my dissertation investigates both immediate and long-term effects of two dimensions of precarious work: non-standard employment (NSE) and perceived job insecurity. Cross-sectional findings highlight distinct relationships with two mental health outcomes. Perceived job insecurity is associated with higher levels of psychological distress and lower life satisfaction, whereas NSE is associated with lower life satisfaction only among women. My life course analysis suggests that NSE for the first job and longer durations of NSE (Wave 1 – 4) have enduring negative effects on subsequent mental health outcomes among females and not males. Job insecurity (Wave 1) also predicts subsequent distress (Wave 5) for females. Past duration (Wave 1 – 4) of job insecurity among men and women is not as distressing as current job insecurity. Contrary to the stress-buffering hypothesis, coping resources (a sense of coherence and social support) do not show any stress-buffering effects, suggesting the need for alternative support mechanisms in the Japanese context. Young women's vulnerability to both immediate and long-term mental health effects of precarious work challenges conventional assumptions about gender roles in Japanese society, where men are traditionally considered primary breadwinners. These findings advance our understanding of how employment precarity shapes well-being during critical life transitions, while highlighting the need for gender-sensitive policy interventions and workplace strategies to support young workers in an increasingly unstable labor market.