Abstract
This study investigates whether the unemployment rate of the area in which an individual lives affects their level of psychological distress, and the extent to which this is dependent on their own labour market status. Data were taken from the British Household Panel Survey (1991–2008) and longitudinal multiple membership multilevel modelling was carried out in order to account for the complex hierarchical structure of the data. The results suggest that living in an area with a high unemployment rate, defined by the claimant count, confers a degree of protection against the negative psychological effects of unemployment. However, psychological distress levels among unemployed people were still significantly and substantially higher than among their securely employed counterparts.
Highlights
Against a backdrop of high unemployment rates and increasing casualisation of labour in the UK and globally, it is of vital importance that we gain a greater understanding of how joblessness and insecure employment affect the psychological wellbeing of populations
This study is concerned with investigating the extent to which the unemployment rate of the area in which an individual lives affects their level of psychological distress, and the extent to which this is dependent on their own labour market status
Other forms of economic inactivity accounted for 16% of labour market status observations over the 17-year study period
Summary
Against a backdrop of high unemployment rates and increasing casualisation of labour in the UK and globally, it is of vital importance that we gain a greater understanding of how joblessness and insecure employment affect the psychological wellbeing of populations. This study is concerned with investigating the extent to which the unemployment rate of the area in which an individual lives affects their level of psychological distress, and the extent to which this is dependent on their own labour market status. Longitudinal studies have generally found that transitions from employment to unemployment are associated with an increase in psychological distress, whereas transitions from unemployment to employment predict improvement (Thomas et al, 2005; Montgomery et al, 1999; Wadsworth et al, 1999; Weich and Lewis, 1998).
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
