Depression and control beliefs in relation to reemployment: what are the directions of effect?

Depressive symptoms, locus of control, and reemployment were assessed over the course of 1 year among 254 recently unemployed men and women. Individual growth curve modeling and discrete-time survival analyses were used to examine (a) whether reemployment resolved depressive symptoms or affected control beliefs, (b) whether depressive symptoms or control beliefs predicted time to reemployment, and (c) if these relationships changed over time. Depressive symptom declines were predicted by reemployment, but initial depression was completely unrelated to time to reemployment. Control beliefs were stable over time and thus not affected by reemployment. Instead, they predicted early reemployment. These processes varied according to reemployment type and time period. Implications for intervention and for stress and coping theory are discussed.