Young people are another seriously disadvantaged group. Three articles in consecutive issues of the Journal will highlight the health problems faced by unemployed people. 7 Satisfactory employment has many benefits that unemployed people are denied. These benefits are firstly financial, but equally important are the assignment of identity and status, the increased social contact, being part of a collective purpose and joint effort, and being able to engage in regular activity. The substantial cuts to income that most unemployed people face are associated with real and relative deprivation that, in itself, can be psychologically destructive.
Poverty clearly affects physical and psychological well-being.
It also reduces confidence and restricts personal agency and empowerment. 9 Loss of income and resulting poverty can be especially psychologically destructive for adults, as they are likely to have financial and family commitments. For young people, failure to find satisfactory employment may adversely affect their psychological development and have negative long term consequences. Furthermore, lack of confidence also means that low levels of commitment, motivation and effort will be brought to bear, perseverance will be low, and, in particular, the capacity to persist with an activity in the face of setbacks or adversity will be greatly reduced. Unemployed people with poor self-confidence will timidly pursue occupational possibilities, and are likely to desist altogether in the face of repeated failures.