Young people who cannot get into work or education are highly vulnerable to mental health issues, according to researchers in London.
The study rejects the idea that these young people do not want to work – finding they make great efforts to find employment.
The researchers say the youngsters – known as NEET or Not in Education, Employment or Training – may develop mental health problems through being unable to find a career. But they may also be young people with existing problems, rejected by potential employers and struggling to complete educational courses.
The study was conducted by the Institute of Psychiatry at King’s College, London, UK, and involved more than 2,000 18-year-olds. Some 18.12% of these were NEET.
The project also involved academics from the University of California and Duke University in North Carolina, USA.
They found that nearly 60% of these had experienced at least one mental health problem already – compared with 35% of the others.
About 35% of the NEET young people suffered from depression compared with 18% of the others. Some 14% had generalised anxiety disorder compared with 6% of the others.
The study also found the NEET youngsters were poorly equipped for the job market and tended to be weak in skills such as problem-solving and time management.
Researcher Professor Terrie Moffitt said: "Our findings indicate that while the struggle to find work appears to take its toll on the mental health of young people, this does not appear to be an issue of motivation. The majority of 18-year-olds we spoke to were endeavouring to find jobs and committed to the idea of work, although they are perhaps hampered by a lack of skills that would serve them well in the job market.
"Compared to their peers, NEET young people are also contending with substantial mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, substance abuse and aggression control."
Fellow researcher Professor Louise Arseneault said: "It is crucial that young people are better supported by mental health services as they make this challenging transition from school to employment, and that they be trained in professional soft skills which could help them in the search for employment."
Leave a Reply