Nadya A. Fouad University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Nadya A. Fouad University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Overview Role of Work in Life Unemployment, Underemployment and Mental Health Unemployment 1930 s vs 2010 Helping with Involuntary Transitions Practice Guidelines Training to Intervene Advocacy

Role of Work Work is the expenditure of energy, activity, and effort in tasks that contribute to the economic and social welfare of society, including both paid and non-paid work (Blustein, 2006). Work and related vocational activities hold a central role in the lives of most adults and adolescents-documented in many ways

Role of Work Means of survival Often central to identity Most time spent in an activity: (80,000 hours for 40 years of full time work) Job satisfaction is positively related to satisfaction in other areas of life, including family, intimate relationships, and subjective well-being

Psychology of Working (Blustein, 2006) Provides people with a sense of identity Has unique personal meaning to each individual Allows individuals to contribute to the welfare of their social and cultural groups Is a constant that connects us to other human beings

Work and Mental Health Job satisfaction linked to various healthrelated outcomes length of life psychological health physical health Being employed is related to positive indicators of mental health and wellbeing.

What happens when want to work but can t FIND work? Unemployed individuals had significantly lower mental health (d = -.57) and life satisfaction (d = -.48) than those who were employed Unemployment is related to problems with both mental and physical health Depression Anxiety Hopelessness

Unemployment: 25.6% Underemployment 37% May 1933

Unemployment 9.4 % Underemployment 20.4% April 2010

Help for un/underemployed Un/underemployed need both general psychological help and specialized skills in seeking/planning for work But, therapists either don t assess for work issues or aren t prepared to address them

Help for un/underemployed Common myth that work issues are separate from personal issues Demographic differences: race/gender/geographic region/sexual orientation Differences across life span Need to balance life roles: worker/caregiver/leisure/student/citizen

Help with Work Issues Clients wanting help on vocational issues do not differ from those seeking other types of psychotherapy in: types of problems they are experiencing levels of emotional discomfort degree of adjustment Majority seeking vocational counseling reported significant psychological distress.

Mental Health and Recessions Dissatisfaction and distress increased significantly during recessions Public policies made a difference (benefits, etc) Men in trades (or blue-collar ) workers more likely to experience greater mental health concerns than were others, and may be particularly vulnerable to negative mental health outcomes.

Unemployment and Mental Health: Involuntary Transitions Unemployment has a deleterious impact on psychological and physical wellbeing, including mortality Meta-analysis (237 cross-sectional and 87 longitudinal studies) Paul and Moser (2009) --significant mental health consequences of unemployment, Medium effect for depression, anxiety, subjective well-being, and self-esteem Small effect on physical health.

Mental health and underemployment Workers in poor quality jobs had similar rates of mental health problems as those who were unemployed. Young adults symptoms of depression increased when they were employed in low wage or involuntary part-time jobs. In unpredictable economic conditions, workers more likely to work in jobs that lack security, are low wage, and are psychologically debilitating.

Practice Guidelines Guideline #1: Psychologists strive to have an awareness of the pervasive impact of work on an individual s quality of life. Guideline # 2. Psychologists are encouraged to be aware of the influence work has on mental health, as well as the influence of mental health on work.

Practice Guidelines Guideline 3: Psychologists are encouraged to understand the role of work transitions across the lifespan. Guideline # 4: Psychologists strive to understand how socio-culture factors, such as gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, disability status, and urban/rural residence, may influence the pursuit and experience of work.

Practice Guidelines Guideline # 5: Psychologists strive to understand how the individual negotiates multiple life roles, including that of the worker. Guideline # 6: Psychologists strive to understand how economic and social factors (including labor market, access to education, globalization) impact opportunities for and barriers to employment, and subsequently alter one s career trajectory.

Psychological Predictors in Transitions Agency Perceive opportunities for choices Develop a clear and realistic plan Optimistic about the plan Be resilient in the face of obstacles Future orientation Adjust aspirations to reality

Interventions for Involuntary Transitions Attend to individual risks high work-role centrality low levels of personal coping resources high degrees of stress appraisal Upon noting individual risks, interventions may target threats to personal identity, bolster coping resources, and minimize negative appraisal of job loss.

Advocacy Nearly 1 in 10 are unemployed Nearly 1 in 5 are underemployed This is not predicted to change in the near future MUST train students to effectively address significant mental health concerns

Thank you! Questions? Requests for slides? Request for the Society of Vocational Psychology Practice Guidelines Draft? Nadya@uwm.edu