Workplace Ageism and Depression: A Multiple Group Analysis of the Mediating Role of Job Satisfaction and the Moderating Role of US-Born Status

Background and Purpose:
A growing number of older workers aged 50 and older are participating in the U.S. workforce. However, more than 60% report experiencing ageism in the workplace. Moreover, research has shown that ageism can lower job satisfaction and increase the risk of depression. In addition, existing research has identified that the effects of ageism among older workers can vary depending on socioeconomic status, gender, and race or ethnicity, thereby limiting their access to resources and their ability to cope with discrimination experiences. Nevertheless, previous efforts are limited by their tendency to overlook the role of US-born status in the dynamics of workplace ageism, job satisfaction, and depression, particularly among older workers. Therefore, this study examines whether and how job satisfaction mediates the association between workplace ageism and depression, and further investigates whether this association differs by US-born status.

Methods:
Data were from the 2018 to 2020 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 (NLSY79), a nationally representative, biennial longitudinal study of individuals born in 1957 to 1964. The sample in this study included older workers aged 53 to 62. Depression was measured using nine items assessing self-reported depressive symptoms. Two types of workplace ageism were measured using a single item that asked participants to rate the level of ageism related to promotion and early retirement, respectively. A single item was used to measure workers’ perceptions of job satisfaction. Multiple-group analysis was employed to test the moderated mediation model using Mplus version 8.11.

Results:
Model fit indices indicated that the hypothesized model fit the data well (χ²(11) = 11.718, p = .304, CFI = .995, RMSEA = .01). For the non-US-born workers, only ageism in promotion was significantly associated with job satisfaction (β = -0.15, p < .05), which in turn was significantly related to depression (β = -0.18, p < .05). The indirect effect was significant (β = 0.03, 95% CI [0.007, 0.062]). For the US-born workers, both types of ageism in promotion (β = -0.15, p < .05) and early retirement (β = -0.11, p < .05) were related to job satisfaction, which in turn was associated with depression (β = -0.11, p < .05). Both indirect effects were also significant (promotion: β = 0.01, 95% CI [0.009, 0.024]; early retirement: β = 0.02, 95% CI [0.005, 0.018]).

Conclusion and Implications:
This study highlights how the impact of workplace ageism on job satisfaction and depression varies by different types of ageism and older workers’ US-born status. Among older non-US-born workers, ageism in promotion, rather than in early retirement, emerges as a significant factor indirectly associated with depression. These findings underscore the importance of developing culturally sensitive workplace policies to address the diverse experiences of older workers with different US-born statuses. The results suggest that, for older non-US-born workers, targeted interventions should be designed to foster inclusive environments and ensure equitable access to resources and opportunities, specifically to address workplace ageism related to promotion. This effort may improve their job satisfaction and, in turn, enhance their mental health outcomes.