Analyzing Stress Trajectories by the Type of Labor Market Transition Initially Experienced by South Korean Youth

The mental health of South Korean youth has been deteriorating, with young people accounting for 34% of depression cases in the South korea in 2021. To better understand this phenomenon, we address the limitations of previous studies. Specifically, we examine labor market transition in depth by categorizing it into four types and analyzing changes in stress trajectories by the type of labor market transition initially experienced by South Korean youth. A total of 977 young individuals were tracked for five years after graduation using data from the Youth Panel Survey (2011–2020). Young peoples’ experiences of labor market transition were classified using the group-based trajectory model and stress trajectories were analyzed using the multilevel growth curve model. The results revealed four types of labor market transition: “rapid entry into regular” (RER), “delayed entry into regular” (DER), “maintain non-wage” (MNW), and “non-entry into the labor market” (NEL). The relatively stable RER group exhibited lower initial stress levels than the others, with the gaps remaining constant over time. Significant stress level differences were observed among the RER, MNW, and NEL groups. Policy recommendations are provided to mitigate the gap in stress levels associated with the labor market transition among young people.