Job Control and Psychological Distress Among IT Professionals in India: An Adaptation of the Whitehall II Framework

Psychosocial working conditions are widely recognized as key determinants of employee mental health. Among these, job control—defined as the degree of autonomy individuals have over the organization and execution of their work tasks—has been consistently associated with psychological well-being in occupational health research. The present study examines the relationship between job control and psychological distress among information technology (IT) professionals in India, a sector characterized by high performance demands and rapidly evolving work environments. The study is theoretically informed by findings from the Whitehall II Study and the Job Demand–Control model, which highlight the role of workplace autonomy in shaping stress-related outcomes. A cross-sectional survey design was employed, with data collected from approximately 100 full-time IT professionals across India. Job control was assessed using the Job Content Questionnaire, while psychological distress was measured using the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation, and multiple regression analysis. Results indicated a significant negative association between job control and psychological distress (r = −.29, p = .022). Regression analysis further revealed that job control significantly predicted psychological distress (β = −.29, p = .022), accounting for 8.6% of the variance. These findings support existing theoretical frameworks and highlight the importance of job autonomy in mitigating psychological distress among IT professionals.