Social class and psychological ill-health during unemployment

This study explores psychological health and the experience of being unemployed for between 6 and 11 months in two social class groups: unskilled and semi-skilled workers v. white-collar, managerial and professional workers. The respondents were British married men aged between 25 and 39. Information was obtained through interviews about financial and other problems, perceived threats associated with unemployment, anxiety, depression, general psychological distress and ratings of general health. It was expected that the working-class sample would exhibit poorer psychological health than the middle-class, but this was not confirmed. Medium-term unemployment appeared to have a homogenizing effect, with similarly poor health in both social class samples, although working-class respondents reported significantly greater financial problems and difficulties in filling the time.