What Is the Impact of Unemployment as an Adverse Experience? Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Meta-Analysis

Marcelo Nvo-Fernandez, Valentina Miño-Reyes, Carlos Serrano, Hedy Acosta-Antognoni, Fabiola Salas, Claudio Vásquez Wiedeman (), Francisco Ahumada-Méndez and Marcelo Leiva-Bianchi
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Marcelo Nvo-Fernandez: Laboratory of Methodology, Behavioural Sciences and Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Universidad de Talca, Talca 3460000, Chile
Valentina Miño-Reyes: Laboratory of Methodology, Behavioural Sciences and Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Universidad de Talca, Talca 3460000, Chile
Carlos Serrano: Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Talca 3460000, Chile
Hedy Acosta-Antognoni: Research Team on Organizational Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Universidad de Talca, Talca 3460000, Chile
Fabiola Salas: Laboratory of Methodology, Behavioural Sciences and Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Universidad de Talca, Talca 3460000, Chile
Claudio Vásquez Wiedeman: Laboratory of Methodology, Behavioural Sciences and Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Universidad de Talca, Talca 3460000, Chile
Francisco Ahumada-Méndez: Laboratory of Methodology, Behavioural Sciences and Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Universidad de Talca, Talca 3460000, Chile
Marcelo Leiva-Bianchi: Laboratory of Methodology, Behavioural Sciences and Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Universidad de Talca, Talca 3460000, Chile

IJERPH, 2025, vol. 22, issue 5, 1-18

Abstract: This meta-analysis examined how unemployment, a psychosocial stressor, influences post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex PTSD (CPTSD). It specifically explores unemployment as a risk factor for trauma, with emphasis on CPTSD, and investigates economic variables, including the GINI coefficient, as potential moderators. A systematic search in Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed yielded 33 studies comprising more than 57,000 participants. Odds ratios (OR) were computed, and a random-effects model was used to synthesize the findings. Meta-regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the effects of economic inequality (GINI) and nominal gross domestic product (NGDP), but neither moderator reached statistical significance; this is addressed in detail in the Discussion. The results revealed that unemployment significantly elevated the risk for PTSD (OR = 1.500; logOR = 0.3826; PI: 0.457–4.702) and CPTSD (OR = 2.180; logOR = 0.7430; PI: 0.501–8.808), with a stronger impact on CPTSD. These findings emphasize unemployment as a pivotal predictor of trauma, especially CPTSD, broadening the traditional focus on interpersonal factors. They also highlight the importance of integrating psychosocial and economic variables into clinical assessments and public health policies. Addressing both unemployment and economic inequality could be critical for effective interventions and prevention efforts, underscoring the need for further multidisciplinary research.

Keywords: unemployment; PTSD; CPTSD; risk factors; meta-analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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