Life‐styles and psychological well‐being among unemployed men in Northern Ireland

Abstract

The research aimed at identifying variation in how the unemployed spend their time. One hundred and twenty‐one unemployed men in the 25 to 45 age range completed time diaries, questionnaires and Goldberg's 12‐item GHQ. Cluster analysis carried out on the time diary data revealed four distinct life‐styles, namely Active, Social, Domestic and Passive, with ANOVAS indicating significant differences between time spent on behaviours typical of each cluster. A significant relationship between psychological well‐being (as measured by the GHQ) and life‐style was identified with a progressive decline in mental health being paralleled by decreasing activity and withdrawal into the home. Profiles of men typical of each cluster in terms of personal characteristics such as marital status, age, size and age of family, social support and employment history were outlined. Of such background characteristics only social support was significantly related to GHQ scores. The interrelationship between life‐style, psychological well‐being and background factors is discussed and the implications of the findings outlined.