A longitudinal study of the effects of employment and unemployment on school‐leavers

The effects of employment and unemployment were investigated in a longitudinal study involving large samples of school‐leavers from State high schools in metropolitan Adelaide. The study was also designed to control for possible testing and societal effects. A wide range of variables was investigated that included measures of self‐concept (perceived competence, positive attitude, depressive affect, power, activity, and anger), values (desired skill‐utilization, variety, influence, employment value, and Protestant work ethic), affect (stress symptoms, life satisfaction, unemployment disappointment), job need, job expectancy, external locus of control, unemployment attributions, academic potential, and social class. Results showed that unemployment led to decreases in perceived competence, activity, and life satisfaction and increases in depressive affect. Unemployment also led to an increased tendency to blame youth unemployment on factors relating to economic recession and a decreased tendency to blame it on lack of motivation on the part of the unemployed; employment had the reverse effect on these unemployment attributions. Some differences between the subsequently employed and unemployed were also present when they were at school. Sex differences were obtained on a number of variables. 1986 The British Psychological Society