Chile study identifies four psychological profiles of the unemployed

Researchers in Chile validated the PSIUS (Psychosocial Impact of Unemployment Scale) to measure the emotional and social effects of job loss. The study, published in Acta Psychologica, surveyed 402 unemployed residents of Cauquenes in the Maule region and identified four distinct psychological profiles: resilient, traumatic, paradoxical and witness. Lead author Carlos Serrano of the Universidad Autónoma de Chile worked with colleagues Carlos Mena, Yony Ormazábal and Marcelo Leiva‑Bianchi of the Universidad de Talca. Funded by ANID/FONDECYT, the research also used geospatial analysis to show that severe emotional suffering is not randomly distributed across cities. With Chile’s unemployment rate at 9.4% – the highest in almost five years – the findings highlight how joblessness affects identity, self‑esteem and stability differently for each profile.