Does Job-related Affective Wellbeing Differ Across Bio-characteristic Determinants in the Congolese Higher Education Sector

  • Kenshune J. Mfiri Protestant University of the Congo, Kinshasa
  • Lutete Christian Ayikwa Tshwane University of Technology
Keywords: Job-related Affective Wellbeing scale, Well-being, Depression, Anxiety, Comfort, Enthusiasm, Congolese higher education

Abstract

Psychological and emotional health are believed to impact employees’ productivity and well-being. Hence, promoting the latter within workplaces by implementing proper policies, whilst adapting to the nature and strength of its relationship with bio-characteristic determinants, as well as profile groups’ disparities, guarantees both employee wellness and organisational performance. A total of 948 higher education employees, representing three socio-professional categories, completed a Job-related Affective Wellbeing Scale (JAWS), which included a profile section for those who volunteered to participate in the study. In addition to descriptive statistics, Pearson product-moment correlation, t-test, and ANOVA were also used to answer the research study’s questions. The study revealed that Congolese higher education staff were in good mental and psychological health. Gender correlated positively with depression and anxiety. Likewise, age correlated positively with depression but associated negatively with enthusiasm. Women appeared to be more likely than men to experience depression and anxiety disorders. Younger participants reported significantly higher mean levels of depression than older participants, who displayed more enthusiasm. Master's degree holders were more enthusiastic than those who held a bachelor’s degree. Higher education staff who live alone are more depressive and more anxious than those who are legally married and also appeared to experience less comfort at work than those who are legally married. Those staff member participants who are legally married were less enthusiastic than those who live with a partner without any legal matrimonial bond. Academic staff appeared to be more anxious than both administrative staff and scientific staff participants. Proper well-being policies must be implemented that adapt to staff members’ gender, age, marital status, level of education, and socio-professional categories, as correlation disparities were observed in this regard

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Published
2026-07-24
How to Cite
Mfiri, K. J., & Ayikwa, L. C. (2026). Does Job-related Affective Wellbeing Differ Across Bio-characteristic Determinants in the Congolese Higher Education Sector. Journal of Economics and Behavioral Studies, 18(2(J), 114-129. https://doi.org/10.22610/jebs.v18i2(J).4857
Section
Research Paper