The Psychological Characteristics of the Unemployed, and the Negative Emotions and Behavioral Changes in Their Children

실직자의 심리적 특성과 자녀의 부정적 정서 및 행동 변화

The purpose of this study was to find out the psychological characteristics of the unemployed, and their children's negative emotions and behavioral changes in the context of the increasing family dysfunction caused by the IMF economic crisis. The subjects were 184 public labor workers in Busan. They answered the questions about the psychological characteristics of themselves and their children, and their children's behavioral changes. Frequency analysis, $\chi$$^2$ test and logistic regression were used for data analyses. The results were as follows. The unemployed showed high levels of negative emotions and perceived their social supports as low. As well, they interpreted their quality of life as poor. They perceived their economic difficulty as high and the perception was influenced by negative emotions as well as the economic situation. Children of the unemployed showed middle levels of negative emotions, and positive and negative behavioral changes. These changes were influenced by their parent's psychological characteristics. In light of these results, psychological counseling services from social welfare centers are needed to be more actively supporting the families of the unemployed.