No time for people! Family support, loneliness, burnout and meaning in life in skilled foreign workers in Japan

Year 2025, Volume: 12 Issue: 2, 133 - 144

Melih Sever

https://doi.org/10.18394/iid.1627032

Abstract

While Japan's declining population and increasing demand for skilled labor have been widely
researched, little attention has been given to the psychosocial and existential challenges faced by
skilled foreign workers in Japan. This study (N=175) examines the relationships between family
support, loneliness, burnout, and meaning in life among skilled foreign workers in Japan, framed
by existential analysis theory. Results indicate that while participants report strong family support
and do not experience significant loneliness, they face difficulties in forming deep relationships
due to work-life balance challenges. These workers often lack long-term plans to settle in Japan,
citing various factors, and report moderate levels of burnout. Hierarchical regression analysis
reveals that age, gender, loneliness, family support, and burnout significantly impact the
participants' sense of meaning in life. Key challenges identified include language barriers,
loneliness, and work-life balance, while positive aspects of life in Japan include safety and daily
convenience.

Keywords

Skilled foreign workers , Burnout , Meaning in life , Existential analysis , Loneliness , Japan

Ethical Statement

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants conform to the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its subsequent amendments or comparable ethical standards. For this research, Suleyman Demirel University Ethics Committee Approval was obtained from the Scientific Research Ethics Committee with decision number: E-87432956-050.99-428643.

Supporting Institution

This study was supported by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TÜBİTAK), Grant/Award Number: 2219.

Project Number

Tübitak 2219

İnsanlar için zaman yok! Aile desteği, yalnızlık, tükenmişlik ve Japonya'daki vasıflı yabancı işçilerde yaşam anlamı

Abstract

Japonya’nın azalan nüfusu ve nitelikli iş gücüne yönelik artan talebi geniş ölçüde araştırılmış olsa da, Japonya’da yaşayan nitelikli yabancı çalışanların yaşadığı psikososyal ve varoluşsal zorluklara sınırlı düzeyde dikkat gösterilmiştir. Bu çalışma (N = 175), varoluşsal analiz kuramı çerçevesinde, Japonya’daki nitelikli yabancı çalışanlar arasında aile desteği, yalnızlık, tükenmişlik ve yaşamda anlam arasındaki ilişkileri incelemektedir. Bulgular, katılımcıların güçlü aile desteği bildirdiklerini ve belirgin düzeyde yalnızlık yaşamadıklarını, ancak iş-yaşam dengesi sorunları nedeniyle derin ilişkiler kurmakta zorlandıklarını ortaya koymaktadır. Katılımcıların birçoğu, çeşitli bireysel ve yapısal nedenlerle Japonya’da uzun vadeli yerleşim planlarının olmadığını ve orta düzeyde tükenmişlik yaşadıklarını belirtmiştir. Hiyerarşik regresyon analizleri, yaş, cinsiyet, yalnızlık, aile desteği ve tükenmişliğin katılımcıların yaşamda anlam algısı üzerinde anlamlı etkiler oluşturduğunu göstermektedir. Çalışmada belirlenen başlıca zorluklar arasında dil engelleri, yalnızlık ve iş-yaşam dengesi sorunları öne çıkarken; Japonya’daki yaşamın olumlu yönleri olarak güvenlik ve günlük yaşamın pratikliği dikkat çekmektedir.

Keywords

Nitelikli yabancı çalışanlar , Tükenmişlik , Yaşamda anlam , Varoluşsal analiz , Yalnızlık , Japonya

Project Number

Tübitak 2219

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