Unemployment and youth: A longitudinal study

Abstract

In order to examine further some of the effects of the experience of unemployment on school leavers of both sexes, measures of self-esteem, depression and locus of control were administered to 57 males and 56 females prior to their leaving school (Time 1), and again 5 months later (Time 2). At Time 2, the subjects had either returned to school, found employment, or were unemployed. The longitudinal nature of the design enabled statements about causality to be made. Group and sex differences at Time 1 and Time 2 were analysed using discriminant analysis and factorial analysis of variance. Results showed a clear effect of the experience of unemployment on the unempoyed, with the unemployed group increasing their scores on depression and external locus of control, and decreasing their self-esteem scores. Sex differences for depression and self-esteem were found at Time 1, and for depression only at Time 2. Significant employment group x sex interactions were found for self-esteem and locus of control at Time 2.