Emotional climate and economic crisis in Portugal: A comparative study between employees and unemployed people

Abstract

This study assessed the emotional climate among Portuguese people as regards their family, working place, and country. The effects of this climate upon individual emotional state, subjective well-being, positive and negative emotions and perceived stress were also evaluated. The sample was 295 participants, 117 of whom were unemployed. A negative emotional climate was found at all levels and similar types were pointed by the two groups in family context (hopelessness, sadness), work context (fear, preoccupation) and country (revolt). However, employees pointed insecurity and unemployed pointed uncertainty as predominant emotions in work and country level. Significant differences were found between employees and unemployed people: in well-being, comfort and enthusiasm (higher in employees), anxiety, depression, perceived stress and negative emotions (higher in unemployed people). Emotional climate valence are a predictor of Well Being, Perceived stress, Positive emotions, negative emotions, anxiety, depression, enthusiasm and comfort.