Unemployment and Social Integration: A Review

Abstract

Reviews literature identifying the loss of work as a stressful life event linked to a number of ensuing psychosocial ills. The loss of social relationships, a major noneconomic cost of unemployment, is discussed as a major contributor to the development of those ills. Unemployment makes social interactions difficult and contributes to a diminution of self-esteem and an increase in psychiatric (e.g., depressive) symptoms. This tendency may result in an increase in hospital admissions and in professional help-seeking. The most consistent intervention suggestion has been the assertion of self-help, support-group strategies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)