ISSN: 2222-6990
Open access
Workplace mental health challenges are increasingly prevalent in high-pressure industries, particularly within the information technology (IT) sector. Working women face compounded stressors due to professional demands and socio-cultural expectations, placing them at heightened risk of psychological distress. Mindfulness has been widely recognized as a protective factor that enhances emotional regulation and psychological resilience; however, empirical research focusing on working women in Malaysia’s IT industry remains limited. This study examined mindfulness as a predictor of workplace stress and depression among working women employed in multinational IT companies in Kuala Lumpur. Using a quantitative correlational design, data were collected from 205 participants through standardized instruments measuring mindfulness, workplace stress, and depressive symptoms. Spearman correlation and regression analyses were conducted to examine relationships and predictive effects. The results revealed significant negative relationships between mindfulness and workplace stress (? = ?0.745) and depression (? = ?0.758), indicating that higher mindfulness levels are associated with lower psychological distress. Regression analyses further confirmed mindfulness as a significant predictor of both stress and depression. These findings highlight mindfulness as a protective psychological resource for working women in high-demand professional environments. The study underscores the importance of integrating mindfulness-based strategies into workplace wellness programs and developing gender-sensitive mental health initiatives to support employee well-being in Malaysia’s technology sector.
Aman, A., Rafiq, M., & Dastane, O. (2023). A cross-cultural comparison of work engagement in the relationships between trust climate – Job performance and turnover intention: Focusing China and Pakistan. Heliyon, 9(9), e19534. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e19534
Arunachalam, R., & Venugopal, P. (2023). Does mindfulness practice affect the quality of life of working mothers? An empirical test using SEM analysis. Journal of Law and Sustainable Development, 11(10). https://doi.org/10.55908/sdgs.v11i10.1762
Bolm, S. L., Zwaal, W., & Fernandes, M. B. (2022). Effects of mindfulness on occupational stress and job satisfaction of hospitality and service workers. Research in Hospitality Management, 12(1), 61–70. https://doi.org/10.1080/22243534.2022.2080954
Crego, A., Yela, J. R., Gómez-Martínez, M. Á., Riesco-Matías, P., & Petisco Rodríguez, C. (2021). Relationships between mindfulness, purpose in life, happiness, anxiety, and depression: Testing a mediation model in a sample of women. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(3), 925.
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18030925
Faudziah Yusof, S., Kamarul Arifain, S. M., Aziz, A., Suhaini, N., Mohd, N., & Huda, N. (2022). Social support and psychological well-being among students in higher education institutions. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 12(11). https://doi.org/10.6007/ijarbss/v12-i11/15668
Kabat-Zinn, J. (1994). Wherever you go, there you are: Mindfulness meditation in everyday life. New York: Hyperion.
Kuang, T. Y., Hu, Y., & Lu, Y. (2022). The effect of employee mindfulness in the new media industry on innovative behavior: The chain mediating role of positive emotion and work engagement. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 976504. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.976504
Kavivarshini, K., & Sudhan, R. (2023). European Chemical Bulletin. Work Life Stress of It Sector Employees. https://doi.org/10.31838/ecb/2023.12.s2.308
Khan, T. M., Sulaiman, S. A. S., & Hassali, M. A. (2012). Factors associated with suicidal behaviour among depressed patients in Penang, Malaysia. Archives of Medical Science, 8(4), 697–703. https://doi.org/10.5114/aoms.2012.28601
Langove, N., Javaid, M. U., Ayyasamy, R. K., Ibikunle, A. K., & Sabir, A. A. (2023). Job stressors and turnover intention of IT executives in Malaysia: The mediating role of employee well-being. Work, 77(1), 295–305. https://doi.org/10.3233/wor-230103
Lee, J., Lee, J., Hwang, J., Park, D., Kim, W., & Lee, K. (2024). Role of mindfulness in the effects of organizational culture on Depression in Korean physical therapists. Safety and Health at Work, 15(4), 441–451. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.shaw.2024.08.004 Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation. (n.d.). MDEC. https://www.mdec.my/
Matiz, A., Fabbro, F., Paschetto, A., Cantone, D., Paolone, A. R., & Crescentini, C. (2020). Positive impact of mindfulness meditation on mental health of female teachers during the COVID-19 outbreak in Italy. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(18), 6450. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17186450
Shapiro, S. L., Carlson, L. E., Astin, J. A., & Freedman, B. (2006). Mechanisms of mindfulness. Journal of Clinical Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.20237
Ramani, S. S., Suppramaniam, S., & Dada, M. (2022). AN EXPLORATORY STUDY ON CHALLENGES FACED BY WORKING WOMEN AND THEIR PERCEIVED SUPPORTS TOWARDS REMOTE WORK IN MALAYSIA. Electronic Journal of Business and Management, 7(1), e-ISSN:2550-1380-ISSN. https://ejbm.apu.edu.my/
Rattan, M. K., Sood, M., & Singh, G. P. (2023). Correlation between perceived stress levels and subjective well-being. Journal of Pharmaceutical Negative Results, 14, 628 635.
Shamuni Kunjiapu, & Mageswari Kunasegaran. (2021). Psychological well-being and depression among undergraduates during COVID-19 in Malaysia: A case study. Malaysian Journal of Computer Science, 10(2), 49–67. https://doi.org/10.6993/MJCS.202112_10(2).0004
Weston, G., Zilanawala, A., Webb, E., Carvalho, L. A., & McMunn, A. (2019). Long work hours, weekend working and depressive symptoms in men and women: Findings from a UK population-based study. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 73(5), 465–474. https://doi.org/10.1136/jech-2018-211309
Pandian, G., & Rus, M. F. C. (2026). Mitigating Psychological Distress in the Digital Age: Mindfulness as a Protective Factor among Female IT Professionals in Malaysia. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 16(3), 1726–1736.
Copyright: © 2026 The Author(s)
Published by HRMARS (www.hrmars.com)
This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this license may be seen at: http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode