“They call you a dole bludger”: Some experiences of unemployment

Abstract

The responses of 100 unemployed people to an open‐ended question about their current experiences were content analyzed to yield assessments of their current experiences. The experiential elements of Set 1 were uncertainty, anxiety, depression, anger (directly and indirectly expressed), good feelings, helplessness, competence, and alienation. Set 2 consisted of an expansion of the anxiety element, and Set 3, of the alienation element. When their scores were compared with those of a relatively low stress group, on the one hand, and a relatively high stress group, on the other, a pattern of emotional reaction to unemployment was identified. They exhibited more anxiety, depression, anger (directly expressed), helplessness but also competence, and alienation (Set 1). They also revealed more loneliness, guilt, and shame than the others (Set 2). Their alienation proved to extend across all types of relationships measured (Set 3). The relevance of demographic factors, financial responsibilities and unemployment‐related variables in predicting patterns of reaction to unemployment was also examined. The reaction of younger unemployed people was dominated by anxiety and directly expressed anger which were not so prominent for older people. Young girls experienced much loneliness and shame, not found in older men. Age and sex proved to be important factors, as did financial responsibilities. Unemployed people with dependent children and greater rental commitments showed much alienation as well as anxiety and anger. Employment‐related factors, such as length of unemployment, did not appear to be related to any particular pattern of reaction.

Afrontamiento y regulación emocional en personas en situación de desempleo

“…Las emociones que surgen ante una situación como el desempleo suelen tener una dimensión afectiva negativa, producen una activación del individuo orientada al aumento de la ansiedad, la depresión o el estrés y su afrontamiento emocional puede manifestarse de diversas maneras, tal como se expone a continuación. Por ejemplo, en una investigación cualitativa sobre el patrón de respuesta emocional en un grupo de personas desempleadas las emociones más frecuentes fueron la depresión, la ira, la impotencia, la tristeza, el aislamiento social y el sentimiento de culpa, todas con una dimensión afectiva negativa (Vine, 1985). Además, en este estudio se encontraron diferencias entre los grupos de edad de los participantes: las personas más jóvenes expresaron más sentimientos de rabia y ansiedad que las personas de más edad (Vine, 1985).…”

“…Por ejemplo, en una investigación cualitativa sobre el patrón de respuesta emocional en un grupo de personas desempleadas las emociones más frecuentes fueron la depresión, la ira, la impotencia, la tristeza, el aislamiento social y el sentimiento de culpa, todas con una dimensión afectiva negativa (Vine, 1985). Además, en este estudio se encontraron diferencias entre los grupos de edad de los participantes: las personas más jóvenes expresaron más sentimientos de rabia y ansiedad que las personas de más edad (Vine, 1985).…”

Consequences of economic distress: the experiences of unemployed Southeast Asian refugees

“…dependents and rental obligations, expressed feelings of alienation, anxiety, and anger. 16 Fry, in a study of stress perceptions in Vietnamese refugees who were 25-35 years old, found that sporadic employment and uncertainty of employment were the primary reasons for stress experienced. He also suggested that his Vietnamese subjects were similar to other depressed individuals in that they tended to over-emphasize the negative effects such as job insecurity and social isolation.…”

The effects of a career transition program on reemployment success in laid-off professionals.

“…Some theorists conceptualize unemployment as a trauma or major loss event that induces psychological reactions similar to bereavement or terminal illness (Middlebrook & Clarke, 1991; Winegardner, Simonetti, & Nikodym, 1984). Documented negative reactions include increased depression, anger, worry, and threats to identity, self-concept, and self-esteem (Goldsmith, Veum, & Darity, 1996; Keefe, 1984; Madonia, 1983; Viney, 1985). Other theorists emphasize the loss of control and learned helplessness that unemployment can evoke, leading to motivational and performance deficits (Baum, Fleming, & Reddy, 1986; Goldsmith & Darity, 1992).…”