Psykiskt välbefinnande och subjektiv hälsa hos arbetslösa

The purpose of this study was to gain knowledge about and to understand the difference between the two genders as regards well-being and subjective health among unemployed immigrants, living in Sweden. The central aspect that is studied is, how family and social relations on the one hand, and the relation to the labour market on the other, influence immigrants and how they manage their situation. The subjects were 80 unemployed immigrants (40 women and 40 men), who participated in different unemployment measures or were the members of immigrant societies. Scales measuring trait anxiety, attributional style, attachment and subjective well-being have been used as well as the ways of coping checklist. The study shows that there is no difference between the genders as regards well-being and subjective health. Both groups are low as compared to Swedish students, but this is little influenced by family and social relations or the relation to the labour market. Significant relationships were found between the well-being and subjective health of the immigrants and psychological factors, such as attributional style and destructive coping. The regression model, while significant (p < .0005), predicts better for women than for men. The results are discussed in terms of the chronic nature of the unemployment of this group, and special characteristics of the female subjects