Stevens, GarthSavahl, S2021-02-052026-06-102021-02-052026-06-102000https://hdl.handle.net/10566/24249Magister Psychologiae - MPsych30% of the country's population are currently unemployed and this statistic is increasing steadily. Further deterioration of the South African economy and increased unemployment, is likely to increase social instability and continue to marginalise a major proportion of society. Global economic downturn as well as the crash of the Asian economies in the mid-1990's resulted in job losses for both the working class and middle class sectors of society. The literature however suggests that the effects of unemployment are likely to be experienced differently by working and middle class individuals. This reiterates the argument that the unemployed should not be perceived as a homogenous group. The study utilises a broad epistemological framework of social constructionism and employs the theoretical assumptions of Marxism as the theoretical basis for the research.enSouth African economyMarxismPsychological distressUniversity of the Western Cape