The Measurement of Self‐Esteem, Stress‐Related Life Events, and Locus of Control Among Unemployed and Employed Blue‐Collar Workers

The purpose of this study was to measure the self‐esteem, stress of life events, and locus of control among unemployed and employed blue‐collar workers. It was hypothesized that (a) being unemployed decreases an individual's self‐esteem, (b) being unemployed increases an individual's stress level by experiencing significant life changes, and (c) being unemployed increases an individual's external locus of control orientation. The study was conducted in a production/manufacturing organization, utilizing a systematic random sampling procedure that yielded 562 subjects. The results from the collected data did not support Hypothesis A or C. A significant change with stress in conjunction with life events was found but was mediated by several factors, including age and a nonsignificant correlation between time laid‐off and stress levels. The study suggests that an individual's reaction to unemployment does not appreciably affect their self‐esteem and locus of control when compared to the employed.