People with higher incomes tend to have higher stress levels than those with lower salaries, latest research has shared.
However, adults with a well paid job are likely to feel more satisfied with life compared to those with lower incomes, a new study from Yale University has found.
First author Karthik Akkiraju said: “Stress is something we all experience or have heard others complain about.
“This is even prevalent among those who would typically be considered affluent. Of course, there were hints from earlier works that stress is unique in its behaviour compared to other positive and negative-affective emotions.”
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Karthik Akkiraju added: “To investigate the relationship between stress, life satisfaction and income, we used the Gallup Daily Poll from the United States.
“What we did differently from previous studies is to use cubic splines instead of linear regression models. What this gave us is the flexibility to model a non-linear relationship between stress and income.”
In the trial, the team of researchers looked at the responses of more than two million adults living in the US.
They discovered that a higher income was associated with higher life satisfaction. However, households that earned an annual income of $63,000 or more also had higher stress levels, according to the findings.
High stress levels among people with higher incomes could be down to a poorer work-life balance and greater responsibilities.
Karthik Akkiraju said: “We found that individuals with lifestyle factors that one could reasonably assume to be desirable have a turning point at a lower income.
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“Predictably, these life conditions have overall lower stress compared to those without these desirable conditions. However, paradoxically, they are also more likely to see their stress levels rise sooner as their incomes grow.”
Karthik Akkiraju continued: “Regarding implications, it is tricky to ascertain whether an earlier turning point is desirable with the data we have.
“Our stress measure is a simple Yes/No question and lacks nuance in the intensity, duration, and desirability of the stress that individuals experience. We do not know if individuals seek such stressful situations (for example, through ambitious goals) or if they inexplicably find themselves in such situations due to their other needs being met.”
Read the study in the journal Communications Psychology.
