Sociological explanation of the employment's impact upon mental health (an empirical study of employed and unemployed in Tehran)

One of the distinctive features of labor market in Iran is the issue of unemployment. In addition to economic and social costs, unemployment has serious effects on the health of individuals. This study aimed to investigate the mental health status of the economically active population (employed and unemployed) in the city of Tehran trying to give an account of the social and cultural parameters affecting the mental health of the population studied. For this purpose, a deductive approach was adopted and a causal theoretical framework was developed from Jahoda’s latent deprivation model.
The research method was survey and questionnaire technique was used for data collection. The statistical population of the study included the economically active residents of Tehran among whom 400 individuals were selected through multi-stage cluster sampling using Cochran’s sample size formula. The General Health Questionnaire and employment latent and manifest benefits scale were used to measure the mental health, the components of latent deprivation of employment.
T-test results showed that the employed individuals had a better mental health status than the unemployed. Employed individuals had more benefit of the manifest and latent benefits of employment than the unemployment individuals. The results of multiple regression analysis also showed that employment impact with a beta coefficient of (0.327), latent benefits (0.345) and manifest benefit (-0.215) were, respectively, the strongest predictors of mental health among the employed and unemployed individuals..