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

This meta-analysis examines 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 65,000 participants. Odds Ratios (OR) were computed, and a random-effects model synthesized finding. Meta-regression examined the effects of economic inequality and nominal gross domestic product (NGDP). Results revealed that unemployment significantly elevated risk for PTSD (OR = 1.49, 95% CI: 1.18–1.88) and CPTSD (OR = 2.17, 95% CI: 1.35–3.47), with a stronger impact on CPTSD. Additionally, economic inequality, measured via the GINI coefficient, moderated unemployment’s effect on CPTSD, reducing this association in nations with higher inequality. No similar moderation was detected for PTSD. 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.