Stress and the Farmer’s Profile: Demographic and Structural Divides

Abstract This study aimed to examine how stressors experienced by farmers varied depending on demographic and structural factors to identify the most vulnerable farmer groups. Such data are essential for developing agricultural policy proposals aimed at strengthening the psychosocial well-being of farmers. The study was conducted in Lithuania, a region in Central and Eastern Europe with a specific historical, social and economic context. The data were collected in 2024 from 288 farmers using the Farmerś Stressors Inventory and processed employing descriptive statistical methods. Uncertainty about the future, financial worries and pressure from agricultural legislation were found to be the greatest stressors for farmers. Depending on groups, factors causing stress (hereafter referred to as stressors) differed significantly: older farmers were more likely to experience physical isolation, younger farmers were more likely to experience financial pressure, longer farming seniority was associated with greater stress related to legislation, and medium-sized farms distinguished themselves by higher stress related to labor intensity, administrative burden, and social conflicts. The results show how stressors can vary even in the context of one country, depending on the social portraits of farmers, and highlight the need to differentiate psychosocial support strategies. The results can be integrated into comparative international studies and enable the development of empirically-based locally sensitive agricultural policies.