Quality of Life of Employed and Unemployed Adults

Description

Page: 194-199

Bharti and Poonam Malik (Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, Haryana)

The current research study was conducted to assess and compare the quality of life employed and unemployed adults; and to identify the factors contributing to it. A sample of 160 adults (80 employed & 80 unemployed) was taken from Shri Muktsar Sahib, Punjab and Hisar, Haryana. For data collection, Quality of Life Scale (Sharma & Nasreen, 2014) Family Environment Scale (Bhatia & Chadha, 2002) and a self-structured schedule were used. The findings revealed that the unemployed adults enjoyed a comparatively better quality of life indicating that employment is not a determinant of Quality of Life. Besides, quality of life of employed adults was significantly associated with factors like education, marital status, occupation, exposure to mass media and family environment. On the other hand, the Quality of Life of unemployed adults was significantly associated with their education, type of family, physical health, engagement in recreational activities, level of peer interaction, social participation, and exposure to mass media and family environment. Quality of Life is a subjective term as different individuals have different perceptions and attitudes toward life. As per the results of this study, it may be concluded that employment does not guarantee experiencing a better quality of life. The findings point toward the need for improving work conditions and providing better job opportunities to adults so that they can enjoy a better life.