The Complexity of Deep Acting: A Study of Emotional Labor in Frontline Human Service Work

This study examines the mental health impacts of emotional labor using an integrated analytical model that considers both job-level emotional labor requirements (negative and positive display rules) and psychological processes of emotion regulation (deep acting and surface acting). Using data from the 2021 Emotions Matter Survey ( n = 854) of mental health and library workers in Ontario, Canada, we explore the conditions under which emotional labor requirements negatively impact mental health. Our findings reveal that negative display rules significantly increase anxiety, and surface acting exacerbates both anxiety and anger. Contrary to expectations, deep acting did not serve as a protective factor for mental health but showed a complex interaction with negative display rules, worsening psychological states under high negative emotional demands. This research underscores the intricate nature of emotional labor’s impact on mental health, highlighting the need for context-specific strategies to support frontline workers in emotionally intensive roles.