Psychological capital and mental health problems among the unemployed in the post-COVID-19 era: Self- esteem as a moderator

Introduction: Since the coronavirus pandemic outbreak, unemployment has become a widespread phenomenon in society, with notable consequences including the emergence of mental health problems. This study examined the influence of psychological capital on mental health issues among unemployed people in Vietnam as well as the moderating role of self-esteem in this relation. Methods: The study adopted a quantitative, cross-sectional approach with 468 recently unemployed office workers in 2023. The participants ranged from ages 22 to 49 years and worked in different fields including technology, finance, consumer services, and infrastructure services. Result: The results indicated severe to extremely severe mental health symptoms, with 54.5%, 50.9%, and 38.9% of respondents reporting symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress, respectively. Our results have shown that psychological capital can significantly predict mental health issues including depression, anxiety, stress, and suicidal ideation. Self-esteem was found to play a moderating role in the relation between psychological capital and stress, depression, and suicidal ideation but not anxiety. Conclusions: Businesses or government agencies should provide mental health support for unemployed workers. Employees should realize that they must improve their psychological capital and self-esteem to propose mental well-being in the post-pandemic period.