Affiliations: Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany | Jülich/Aachen Research Alliance (JARA),
Jülich/Aachen, Germany
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Ingo Vernaleken, Department of
Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, RWTH Aachen University,
Pauwelsstrasse 30; 52074 Aachen, Germany. Tel.: +49 241 80 89654; Fax: +49 241
80 33 89654; E-mail: ivernaleken@ukaachen.de
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Unemployment is known to be associated with higher
levels of depressive symptoms. However, there is ambiguity about the direction
of this association. OBJECTIVE: Different to large surveys, the present pilot-study
focuses on a detailed characterization of unemployed and strictly matched
employed subjects. Besides depressive symptoms and personality factors, their
level of social and communicative skills was determined by an experimental
behavioral paradigm. PARTICIPANTS: Ninety-two subjects were screened; 62 showed relevant
exclusion criteria or failed the matching procedure. Finally, 30 subjects (15
employed, 15 unemployed) participated. METHODS: The experimental group-paradigm consisted of a complex
standardized challenge situation, which demands communicative and social skills
for a successful solution. This was followed by an individualized video-based
behavioral analysis. RESULTS: Expectedly, unemployed subjects showed more depressive
symptoms than employed subjects but did not show higher levels of susceptible
personality traits. There were no differences between employed and unemployed
subjects in social and communicative competencies; these skills however
correlated positively with the level of depression. CONCLUSION: Unemployment is an important stressor, affecting mental
health. The absence of susceptible traits and skills deficits suggests that
depressive syndromes are rather resulting than cause of unemployment. Social
skills do not prevent depressive reactions during unemployment.
