Suicidal behaviors in the entertainment industry: A preliminary exploration of the interplay between work scheduling, social support, and wellbeing in Australia

Objective Workers of the Australian entertainment industry exhibit disproportionately high rates of impaired psychological wellbeing and suicidal behaviors, with such rates being exacerbated by the negative impact of working long and odd hours (Work Scheduling Impact; WSI). Nonetheless, stable and secure social support networks may buffer the risks associated with such systemic difficulties. Methods The responses of 1302 Australian entertainment industry workers (50.3% females, Mage 38.39 years) on the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Short Form Health Survey, WSI, and suicidal behaviors questions were examined via moderation analyses. Results Higher social support and lower WSI appeared to reduce the suicidal ideation of those experiencing poorer mental health, while lower WSI further enhanced social support’s positive effect. Conclusions Findings highlight the likely detrimental effect of WSI regarding the suicidal ideation reported by vulnerable Australian entertainment industry workers and stress the importance of the social support they experience.