The study was carried out on 548 subjects (307 women, 244 men) between the ages of 21 and 26, who had all obtained secondary school certificates. The survey was conducted in two contrasting areas, one showing a high rate of unemployment, the other a rate below the national average. The sample was divided into three groups according to occupational status: employed persons, students and persons seeking their first employment. The subjects were given five questionnaires: a demographic form, the General Health Questionnaire, the Beck Depression Inventory, the Beck Hopelessness Scale and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Our findings revealed that unemployed women experience greater psychological distress while men are more subject to marked depressive states. There were no significant differences between the two areas surveyed.
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