ABSTRACT

In this chapter Eva Selenko focusses on the psychological consequences of unemployment at a young age (15 years onwards), building on current empirical findings and established theoretical models. Often overlooked by unemployment or school dropout research, very little is known about the experiences of young unemployed people. This chapter makes the case that while unemployment is harmful for people at all ages, young people will be particularly at risk for developing negative consequences. This is partly due simply to their limited experience; younger people might have had less opportunity to accumulate coping capabilities and career resources to help to emotionally cope with and surpass unemployment. Also, there are biological reasons – the negative health effects of unemployment hit young people at an already hormonally and physically turbulent time, probably aggravating effects. Taken together, this chapter argues that unemployment at a young age not only puts people at a competitive knowledge disadvantage to those still in education, training or employment, but it will also negatively affect psychological outcomes, in the form of well-being, self-knowledge and future career beliefs. Further research would be needed to confirm these effects. This chapter concludes on a positive note by suggesting that, with the right kind of support, periods of unemployment could foster the development of resilience. For that to be achieved, support needs to be provided swiftly and from multiple sides. The EU’s Youth Guarantee Programme might be a viable step towards this outcome.