Psychological aspects of unemployment: an investigation into the emotional and social adjustment of school leavers

Young people are particularly vulnerable to unemployment and the consequences of this for psychosocial development and mental health are not well understood. This study is an investigation of some of these consequences. The psychological well‐being and mental health of employed and unemployed school‐leavers of both sexes was investigated. Those school‐leavers who were unemployed were found to be more depressed and more anxious than those in work and showed a higher incidence of minor psychiatric morbidity. Unemployed young people had lower self‐esteem than their employed peers and poorer subjective wellbeing. They were also found to be less well socially adjusted. Young women showed poorer psychological well‐being than young men, irrespective of employment status. The psychological impact of unemployment for young people is discussed in relation to individual and sex differences and the question of whether poor mental health is a cause or a consequence of unemployment is considered.