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Can Active Labour Market Programmes Emulate the Mental Health Benefits of Regular Paid Employment? Longitudinal Evidence from the United Kingdom

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  • Senhu Wang

    (University of Cambridge, UK; National University of Singapore, Singapore)

  • Adam Coutts

    (University of Cambridge, UK)

  • Brendan Burchell

    (University of Cambridge, UK)

  • Daiga KamerÄ de

    (University of Salford, UK)

  • Ursula Balderson

    (University of Cambridge, UK)

Abstract

Active Labour Market Programmes (ALMPs), which form important components of employment support policies around the world, have been found to improve mental health and wellbeing of participants. However, it remains unclear how these health effects compare with the effects of different types of employment for men and women. Using 1991–2019 panel data in the UK, we find that unemployed women derive similar mental health benefits from ALMPs compared with employment. Unemployed men also benefit from ALMPs but obtain significantly more health benefits from formal employment. Such benefits are particularly pronounced in full-time, permanent and upper/middle-status jobs. Further analyses reveal that programmes that deliver human capital training have larger mental health benefits than employment assistance ALMPs. These findings provide a more nuanced understanding of the mental health impacts of ALMPs compared with different types of employment, and highlight the need for a more gender-sensitive design in labour market interventions.

Suggested Citation

  • Senhu Wang & Adam Coutts & Brendan Burchell & Daiga KamerÄ de & Ursula Balderson, 2021. "Can Active Labour Market Programmes Emulate the Mental Health Benefits of Regular Paid Employment? Longitudinal Evidence from the United Kingdom," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 35(3), pages 545-565, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:woemps:v:35:y:2021:i:3:p:545-565
    DOI: 10.1177/0950017020946664
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Senhu Wang & Lambert Zixin Li, 2023. "Double Jeopardy: The Roles of Job Autonomy and Spousal Gender Ideology in Employed Women’s Mental Health," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 18(1), pages 473-490, February.
    3. Lu, Zhuofei & Wang, Senhu & Ling, Wanying & Guo, Ya, 2023. "Gig work and mental health during the Covid-19 pandemic: A gendered examination of comparisons with regular employment and unemployment," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 337(C).
    4. Senhu Wang & Zhuofei Lu, 2023. "Is Paid Inflexible Work Better than Unpaid Housework for Women’s Mental Health? The Moderating Role of Parenthood," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 18(1), pages 393-409, February.

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