Do Attitudes Toward Work Moderate Unemployment-Related Changes in Subjective Well-Being and Depression?

Unemployment is an important life event that generally affects well-being and mental health negatively. However, there is substantial interindividual variation in the size and direction of the impact. We examined this variation by investigating the potential moderation effects of attitudes toward work such as subjective significance of work and willingness to exert. We used a sample of initially employed German job seekers who participated in a longitudinal app-based study for up to 2 years. A dynamic structural equation model was utilized to explore the moderating effects of five attitudes toward work on unemployment-related changes in life satisfaction, happy mood, and depression. We found no significant moderation effects for any of the dimensions, contrary to theoretical considerations. Attitudes toward work neither buffer nor amplify the negative effects of becoming unemployed on the examined outcomes.