Beyond the victims
The mental well-being cost of systemic corruption on public sector workers in Ghana
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 6413844 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Mercy Desouza (0000-0002-6682-3806, University of Professional Studies), Erasmus Keli Swanzy (0000-0002-0069-4511, Maastricht University), Anthony Nkrumah Agyabeng (0000-0001-9177-4324, University of Professional Studies) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 47 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 231-251 |
| Publication date | 2025-03-02 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Administrative Theory & Praxis (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1084-1806 • E-ISSN: 1949-0461 |
| Publisher | Taylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/10841806.2025.2465175 |
| OpenAlex | W4408096368 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 52 |
The mental well-being cost of corruption on public sector workers (PSWs) involved in corrupt practices remains a “black box” and is largely under-researched in corruption literature. This study, guided by Ethical Impact Theory, used qualitative vignettes and semi-structured interviews to give voice to the experiences of thirty-two (32) PSWs caught up in the complexity of corruption in Ghana. PSWs reported poor mental well-being symptoms such as restlessness, irritability, sadness, sleeping difficulty, and low self-esteem when engaged in corrupt activities. However, certain factors such as positive social standing, power, self-preservation, survival mechanisms, lack of moral conflict and religion were identified as the reasons for variations in experiences of the influence of corruption on mental well-being among participants. The findings emphasize the significance of the mental well-being cost of engaging in corruption, which may undermine job performance and productivity, ultimately resulting in overall inefficiency within the public service
Business · Economic growth · Economics · Economy · Language change · Public sector · COVID-19 Pandemic Impacts · Islamic Finance and Banking Studies · Leadership, Behavior, and Decision-Making Studies
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| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |