Abstract
A sample of 19% (n401) of people aged 16-24 years registered as seeking full-time employment in Canberra, completed a psychiatric screening instrument. A weighted subsample (n72) was examined by a psychiatrist. The screening instrument showed that 56% were probable cases. By harnessing the results of the psychiatrist's examination to the scores on the screening instrument, the proportion with severe psychiatric disorder was estimated to be 49%. Three-quarters were cases of depression. They had been ill for 10 months on average. In 70% of cases, the onset of their disorder followed unemployment. In more than half of these there was no evidence of any other recent stress apart from unemployment itself. The median time between unemployment and the onset of disorder was five months.