Cross-sectional survey finds that role overload increases depression via reduced psychological safety in soldiers, indicating that high unit cohesion can intensify conformity pressures.
Key Points
To examine whether psychological safety mediates the link between role overload and depression, and to evaluate how team cohesion moderates this indirect relationship.
Conducted a cross-sectional survey based on Job Demands–Resources theory.
Sample comprised N=311 soldiers in a non-deployed, high-demand organizational setting.
Psychological safety significantly mediated the relationship between role overload and depression.
Team cohesion acted as a boundary condition: under high cohesion, role overload was linked to reduced psychological safety, which subsequently predicted higher levels of depression.