The purpose of this research is to examine how increased personal control and participation in the work setting will affect mental health. Although there has been considerable research examining the impact of control on mental health, very little of this research has focused on control and participation at work, a setting of considerable importance. Specifically, the aim of hte proposed research is to determine how self- directed work groups (a rapidly growing employee participation intervention) influence indices of negative and positive mental health (e.g., general health questionnaire, depresion, anxiety, self esteem). The study will also examine the role of potential mediators (e.g., perceived job characteristics, social support) of the work design-mental health relationship. The investigation will employ a powerful quasi- experimental, repeated measures design, assessing the above variables in both an experimental adn control group, prior to conversion to self- directed work groups, several months after conversion, with at least one year after conversion. With this methodology, strong inferences can be made about the impact of participation in the work setting on mental health, and upon the processes involved.
