Psychopathology of shift work

In this study the incidence and nature of general psychopathology among Nigerian shift workers was examined. A total of 320 participants of both sexes were randomly selected from establishments running one type of shift or the other in Benin City, Nigeria. The Awaritefe Psychological Index (API; Awaritefe, 1982) was used in the study. The data were analyzed by analysis of variance supplemented Scheffe’s orthogonal test of comparison. The shift workers were found to be more significantly psychopathological than the nonshift workers (p < 0.001). The prominent disorders found among the shift workers were intellectual, sleep, mood, and general somatic disorders. No significant difference could be attributed to sex and marital status of participants. The relevance of the findings and their possible clinical implications are discussed. Recommendations for employers of shift workers and suggestions for future research are also made.