The Psychological Impact of Unemployment

1. Introduction and Overview.- 2. Background Research.- Studies of the Great Depression.- More Recent Studies.- 3. Theoretical Approaches from the Study of Work, Employment, and Unemployment.- Stage Theories.- Jahoda’s Functional Approach.- Job Content and Locus of Control.- Agency Theory.- Warr’s Vitamin Model.- 4. Theoretical Approaches: Some Wider Frameworks.- Self-Concept Theory.- Stress and Coping Models.- Expectancy-Value Theory.- Attribution Theory.- Helplessness Theory.- Self-Efficacy Theory.- Life-Span Developmental Psychology.- Concluding Comments.- 5. Scales and Measures.- Self-Concept Measures.- Value Measures.- Affect and Psychological Well-Being.- Causal Attributions.- External Locus of Control.- Expectation and Valence Measures.- Time Structure.- Action Measures.- Financial Stress and Strain.- Unemployment History.- Social Support.- Conclusion.- 6. Youth Unemployment: Single-Group Studies.- Research with Unemployed Groups.- Research with Student Groups.- Concluding Comments.- 7. Youth Unemployment: Comparison-Group Studies.- Employed Versus Unemployed Groups: General Population.- Employed Versus Unemployed Groups: University Graduates.- Further Research on Time Structure.- Potential Social Action.- 8. Youth Unemployment: Longitudinal Studies.- Longitudinal Study of School-Leavers.- Transitions Between Employment and Unemployment.- Moderating Effects.- Job-Seeking Behavior.- Quality of Employment.- 9. Studies with Older-Age Groups.- Young Versus Middle-Aged Groups.- Reported Behavior Change in Older Men.- Job-Seeking Behavior: Further Findings.- Concluding Comments.- 10. Epilogue.- General Summary.- Some General Conclusions.- Theoretical Issues.- Research with Larger Units.- Final Comments.- References.- Author Index.