Economic recession, parental unemployment and adolescents’ health-related quality of life and mental health outcomes in Greece

ABSTRACT This study examines whether an association exists between parental unemployment and health-related quality of life and mental health for adolescents aged 15–18 in Athens, Greece. The gathered dataset covers the same upper high schools in two periods, 2011–2013 and 2017–2019. The study finds that parental unemployment bears an association with decreased health-related quality of life and increased adverse mental health symptoms for adolescents. Moreover, the 2011–2013 period, a period of increased parental unemployment, saw a decrease in health-related quality of life and increased adverse mental health symptoms for adolescents. In addition, parental unemployment proved more detrimental to adolescents’ health-related quality of life and mental health in 2011–2013 than in 2017–2019. The present research ranks among the first studies to examine whether parental unemployment could be associated with worse health-related quality of life and mental health for adolescents during periods of increased parental unemployment.