Toward a Comprehensive Understanding of Journalists’ Emotional Well-Being: Precarity, Identity and Shared Concern in Latin America

This study examines determinants of journalists’ emotional well-being. Drawing on stress and coping theory, role theory, and research on precarity and safety, it proposes a framework to explain concern about emotional well-being under workplace stress. Data come from the Worlds of Journalism Study in 10 Latin American countries with varying levels of press freedom. The dependent variable is a single-item report of concern about emotional well-being due to work. Hypotheses address gender, precarity, professional roles, victimization, coping, support, and press freedom. Findings show widespread concern driven by structural, organizational, and identity-based vulnerabilities. Indicators of precarity are the strongest predictors: heavier workloads increase concern, while higher income serves as a protective factor. Identity-related factors also matter: identifying as a woman and experiencing workplace bullying—reported more frequently by women—predict higher concern. Role discordance, or tension between self-censorship and professional values, further elevates concern. Unexpectedly, receiving colleague support after attacks is associated with greater concern, suggesting reactive coping or emotional contagion. Press freedom is not a significant predictor. Potential limitations include the single-item outcome and sensitivity of press freedom measures to local conditions. The study calls for organizational interventions while noting that addressing precarity requires structural changes to journalism’s financial model.