Date
8-9-2024
Department
School of Behavioral Sciences
Degree
Doctor of Education in Community Care and Counseling (EdD)
Chair
Pamela Moore
Keywords
long-haul, truck driver, mental health, social media, virtual
Disciplines
Counseling
Recommended Citation
Reyna, Cristal Angela, "A Quantitative Survey Exploring the Types of Internet Accessible Mental Health Resources Recognized by U.S. Long-Haul Truck Drivers" (2024). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 5836.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/5836
Abstract
Long-haul truck drivers (LHTDs) are an important part of the supply chain in the United States. Their work schedules include holidays, weekends, night shifts, and can last anywhere from 60–70 hours for a single 6- to 8-day run to meet the demands of society. Poor work–life balance, high job demands, and poor sleep quality that can be experienced on the job as an LHTD can negatively affect not only their physical health but also their mental health. Depression, anxiety, and stress are three psychological effects that can develop from an unhealthy lifestyle and inability to maintain any healthcare appointments, despite federal regulations that mandate LHTDs to pass a medical exam to work. LHTDs would benefit from mental health care that is easily accessible at any time on any day because of their irregular work schedules. In this study, seven participants answered the DASS-21 to measure levels of depression, anxiety, and stress in U.S. single-team LHTDs. A short survey was also used to examine the internet accessible mental health resources with which LHTDs are familiar with and whether there was a positive relationship between stressors (poor work–life balance, poor sleep quality, and high job demands) and internet accessible mental health resource familiarity. Out of the 16 participants, only seven sets of responses were appropriate for analysis. The DASS-21 results demonstrated the seven participants reported relatively low levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. Due to a design flaw in the survey, it was impossible to assess the relationship of stressors and internet accessible mental health resource familiarity. Instead, a post hoc analysis showed a relationship between anxiety and resource familiarity. The results indicated anxiety was unrelated to familiarity.
