Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 21, 2025

Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Hyperscanning Study in Psychological Counseling
Published on: January 17, 2025
The relationship between precarious employment and subjective well-being in Korean wage workers through the Cantril
Go Choi1,2, Shin-Goo Park1,3, Youna Won1
1Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Inha University Hospital, Incheon, Korea.
Background:
The global labor market is moving towards increasing job instability. Relatively few studies have examined the relationship between precarious employment and subjective well-being using quantitative scales. We evaluated the association between wage workers' employment status and their subjective well-being through the Cantril ladder scale using Korean Welfare Panel Survey data (KOWEPS).
Methods:
This study used KOWEPS data. A total of 4,423 wage workers were divided into permanently employed workers, temporarily employed workers and daily employed workers. The relationship between precarious employment and subjective well-being was analyzed by multiple linear regression adjusted for potential confounding factors.
Results:
The more unstable the employment status, the lower the subjective well-being, which can be expressed by the Cantril ladder scale. The mean score of both temporarily employed and daily employed workers were statistically significantly lower (B = -0.454, p < 0.001; B = -0.994, p < 0.001, respectively) than permanently employed workers. This appeared to be the same when occupational and sociodemographic factors were adjusted (B = -0.153, p = 0.002 for temporarily employed, B = -0.610, p < 0.001 for daily employed).
Conclusions:
The more unstable the employment status, the lower the subjective well-being score according to the Cantril ladder scale.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Self-Discrepancy Theory
Need for Self-Esteem
Sources of Self-Esteem III: Social Comparison
Social Exchange Theory
Social Exchange Theory
Social Relationships and Well-Being

