Background: Knowledge of the associations between labour market position and sense of coherence (SOC) comes mainly from cross-sectional studies. We investigated whether change in employment status is associated with change in SOC and whether such an association varies when young (<30 years) and older employees are compared.
Methods: Data were derived from two studies: a cohort of initially non-permanent employees (n = 1898) was followed up for four years, and a cohort representing the national workforce (n = 9623) was followed up for five years. Labour market position at baseline and at follow-up (permanent/fixed-term job/unemployed) was used to locate the participants into six or nine different employment trajectories depending on the cohort. SOC was measured with a 13-item questionnaire. Associations of the employment trajectories with changes in SOC were analysed with general linear models.
Results: In both cohorts the change of SOC was significantly associated with type of employment trajectory. The results supported the hypothesis of more favourable development of SOC among those whose trajectories were directed upward: the associations of poor SOC with unemployment are indisputable, whereas the effects of fixed-term employment seem to be neutral or even positive. The analysis by age revealed that the effects of employment trajectory on SOC are particularly strong among individuals aged below 30 years.
Conclusion: This longitudinal study provided evidence for the interpretation that stabilisation of SOC associates with stabilisation of the labour market position. Moreover, the fluctuations of SOC seem to depend on the type of trajectory throughout adult life.