A follow-up study of longterm effects of unemployment on children: loss of self-esteem and self-destructive behavior among adolescents

Abstract

A sample of children of longterm unemployed parents were interviewed as 25-year olds. Their present living conditions and their experiences during childhood were com pared with a simple random sample of the same cohort born in 1967. Results revealed that violence, separation from parents (in care according to files), and parents' addiction problems during childhood were significantly more common in the risk group than in the control group. Their present situation also differed decisively in vocational training, unemployment and psychological problems (lack of self-confidence, sleeping problems, anxiety, and considerations of suicide). The logistic regression model revealed that the factors which statistically could explain the loss of self-esteem were partly due to experi ences during childhood and partly to their present situation. Parental unemployment, violence in the home, being bullied in school seems to drain self-esteem. Present unem ployment and no vocational training have a statistical effect on their self-esteem, as well as lack of support from a spouse.