This study further specifies the relationship between injury, self-conceptions, and depression. With the use of path analysis, we look at the direct and indirect effects of pain and work limitation associated with a job-related injury on self-efficacy, self-esteem and depression for a sample of injured workers (N = 1,037). As expected, we found that self-efficacy and self-esteem are negatively associated with depression, while work limitation and pain are positively associated with depression. We also found that work limitation has additional indirect effects on depression through its effect on self-efficacy and self-esteem. Pain has an additional indirect effect on depression via its effect on self-efficacy and work limitation. These findings support our expectation that self-concept significantly mediates the relationship between physical injury and depression.
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