Investigating the relationship between mental health, resilience and self-compassion among Greek unemployed people

INTRODUCTION: Unemployment is considered to be one of the most stressful life events that a person may experience. There are a plethora of studies that highlighted the negative effects of unemployment on people’s overall mental health and well-being. Yet, psychological resilience and self-compassion contribute positively in coping with stressful situations and seem to be particularly supportive mechanisms when one is confronted with unemployment. OBJECTIVES: This study intended to investigate the relationships between resilience, self-compassion and mental health in Greek unemployed people and the contribution of specific sociodemographic characteristics in this ‘equation’. METHODS: The study followed a survey design where a sample of 345 Greek unemployed participants completed an online questionnaire, examining the variables under study. RESULTS: According to the findings, people who reported being unemployed for more than six months showed decreased levels of mental health. Also, the unemployed with higher levels of resilience and self-compassion reported statistically significant higher levels of mental health and vice versa. Finally, self-compassion and psychological resilience were found to be statistically positive related to each other and are predictive factors of mental health with which they are statistically negative related. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study may contribute to the implementation of interventions aiming at improving mental health and the overall well-being of people affected by long-term unemployment. DISCLOSURE: No significant relationships.