Degree

BS (Social Sciences & Liberal Arts)

Faculty / School

School of Economics and Social Sciences (SESS)

Department

Department of Social Sciences & Liberal Arts

Date of Award

Spring 2023

Date of Submission

2023-09-07

Advisor

Dr. Ayesha Zia, Assistant Professor, Department of Social Sciences

Project Type

SSLA Culminating Experience

Access Type

Restricted Access

Abstract

Unemployment has profound psychological consequences, affecting an individual’s well-being and sense of self (Richter et al., 2020). While pre-existing literature has established the negative impact of unemployment, a more holistic and culturally relevant understanding is required to reveal the nuanced reasons behind its multifaceted implications. This qualitative study explores gender differences in the psychological impact of unemployment. Data was gathered using semi-structured interviews with an equally divided gender sample of eight participants, recruited via purposive and referral sampling from the Institute of Business Administration (IBA). All participants had been unemployed for at least six months after completing their master’s degree. Thematic analysis of interview data yielded results that showcased an adverse impact on identity, self-worth, and overall lifestyle, ultimately exacerbating the psychological distress. While both genders reported experiencing these negative consequences, the results rendered a noteworthy gender disparity. Male participants exhibited more pronounced adverse effects than females across all themes, suggesting their heightened vulnerability to the psychological repercussions of unemployment. These findings necessitate the importance of providing gender-specific tailored interventions to address the psychological challenges of unemployment and facilitate integration into the workforce. Further research should explore the intersectionality of gender and underlying factors contributing to this disparity to provide a holistic overview of the long-term consequences of unemployment on psychological well-being. Additionally, a structured combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches should be utilized on a more extensive and diverse sample to analyze the extent of the gender disparity objectively.

Pages

79

Notes

N/A

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