A qualitative investigation of beliefs about work-related crises in the United States

Globalization, technological advancements, and macroeconomic forces have created significant challenges for working in the United States and other countries. Recent crises about working include long-term unemployment/underemployment and the rise of precarious work, which negatively impact individuals' mental health and well-being. To fully understand the nature and impact of these problems, it is essential to give voice to the people whose lives are affected by the work-related crises. In the present study, we used social constructionism and the Psychology of Working Framework/Theory to understand how 42 American adults from diverse backgrounds make meaning of the crises about work. We used modified consensual qualitative research to analyze the participants' responses to a question on their potential solutions to the crises about work in the United States. The data analysis revealed 3 domains: government and corporate policies, social justice, and values. These domains were interwoven with each other through the threads of emotional reactions, locus of causality, and political ideology. Implications for vocational psychology theory, research, policy, and practice are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).