Effects of unemployment and factors of activism in re-employment

Abstract

On the sample of 187 unemployed people in Serbia it has been carried out a preliminary study of the level of psycho-physical health, as well as an analysis of certain psychological factors significant for the level of activism with which unemployed are seeking new jobs. The results uncover symptoms of deteriorated psycho-physical health among unemployed, primarily symptoms of an increased anxiety and social dysfunctionality. SEM modeling reveals that declining psycho-physical health is most probably an effect of a job loss but, also, that bad health does not affect the level activism in finding a new job. The final model clearly shows that the higher work centrality in the value system of unemployed is the main factor which significantly contributes to the greater frequency of psycho-physical health disorder symptoms, to the perception of the financial situation as harsher, and to a higher level of flexibility in re-employment. Finally, this model reveals that only flexibility in re-employment has a significant impact on the total level of activism with which unemployed individuals look for a new job.