Unemployed young people who do not study anywhere are more likely to suffer from mental disorders, scientists have come to this conclusion after analyzing many years of studies of twins.
It is often more difficult for young people today to find work compared to previous generations. The reason for this is the global financial crisis that has affected the job prospects of young people. Many have long wanted to go to work, but can not find it. Among the unemployed, there are also many who suffer from mental disorders, which only aggravates their situation.
A team of researchers from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King’s College London (UK), Duke University (USA), and the University of California (USA) used data from a multi-year study of twins to assess work motivation, mental health problems, and substance dependence in two thousands of 18-year-old Britons who completed their compulsory secondary education. 12% of them were not students and did not work anywhere.
Not being able to find a job causes stress that affects mental balance
Among young people who were not working or studying at the time of the study, there were frequent cases of mental disorders and alcohol or drug abuse. But the survey showed that they want to get a job and are actively looking for it.
About 60% of young people in this group had some kind of mental problem during childhood or puberty. 35% of the unemployed suffered from depression, and 14% from generalized anxiety disorder. The group of young people, which included students or young people with a permanent job, showed different results. Mental disorders in childhood were recorded in only 35%, and only 18 and 6% suffered from depression and anxiety disorder, respectively.
The researchers found that unemployed young people lack leadership skills and the ability to organize their own time, they are worse at solving any tasks and problems. It turns out that they have poorly developed skills, which are often more important for competitiveness in the labor market than education or professionalism.
The transition from school to employment becomes critical and young people need support
“We believe that mental health problems often accompany the lack of work and school for several reasons. First, the inability to find a job causes stress, which affects mental balance. Secondly, employers are attracted to candidates who appear to be completely healthy. In some cases, the refusal to work and study in itself is associated with early manifestations of serious mental illness, ”says Terry Moffitt, one of the authors of the study, professor at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King’s College London.
“It is often believed that young people who do not work and do not study simply do not want to do this. Research results show that they are no less motivated than their peers. But many of them do suffer from psychological problems that prevent them from effectively positioning themselves in the labor market.
The transition period from school to employment becomes critical and they especially need the support of professional psychologists or psychiatrists. It is also important to train them in various work and life skills necessary for any job, ”adds his colleague, professor at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Louise Arceno.