ABSTRACT
The interaction between mental health, employment status and gender has been a well-researched topic, considering the positive social identity, sense of purpose and economic stability that are derived from having a well-designated job. With the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, the concept of ‘normalcy’ was disrupted, instilling a sense of unpredictability, and causing psychological distress. Consequently, the workplace scenario underwent a transformation with many having to work from home and some even experiencing lay-offs, thus, causing heavy mental stress. The implications of such a crisis on the mental health status of the employed and the unemployed due to the distress caused by multilevel stressors becomes meaningful. Data from a sample of 160 youth from Arunachal Pradesh (age range 20-to-35 years) was collected, and Beck’s Depression Inventory and the Satisfaction with Life Scale were utilized to assess their mental health status during the pandemic. The results depicted that both the groups experienced ‘mild mood disturbances’, with the unemployed experiencing slightly higher Satisfaction with Life than their employed counterparts. A significant impact of gender was found wherein females reported higher levels of depression compared to males. The implications of the study are discussed against the happenings and the sense of community in Arunachal Pradesh.
