Job and family strain linked to major depressive episodes in U.S. workers Job strain and family strain are found to be linked to major depressive episodes and may have different effects on men and women, according to a study from UCLA researchers published in the August edition of the Journal of Psychosomatic Research. A person's situation at home may impact their experience of stress at work, and vice versa." Dr. Wendie Robbins, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health professor of environmental health sciences and co-author of the study Robbins, an RN who also teaches at the UCLA School of Nursing, said the findings demonstrate a role of familial stressors in mental health among modern working families, and helps to clarify previous findings regarding sex differences in associations of job strain and depression. In studies of work stress, it is important to consider the impact of cross-over stress between work and home, researchers said.