Social Sciences (Apr 2022)

Multicomponent Intervention Associated with Improved Emotional and Cognitive Outcomes of Marginalized Unemployed Youth of Latin America

  • Cristina Crespo-Andrade,
  • Ana Francisca Trueba,
  • María Sol Garcés,
  • Graham Pluck

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci11040155
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 4
p. 155

Abstract

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Mass migration and people seeking political refuge are critical social issues facing Latin America. Ecuador has the largest population of recognized refugees in the region. Youths from a migration background have an increased risk of becoming NEET (Young people not in employment, education, or training). Such youths struggle more with mental health problems than non-NEET peers. Being a refugee, NEET further increases the risk of having mental health problems and may be linked to lower cognitive functioning, which could maintain exclusion and unemployment. This intervention study was performed with a group of young people of different nationalities who were refugees or belonged to other vulnerable groups attending a six-week employability-support intervention in Ecuador. In order to assess the impact of the intervention, a range of measures of executive cognitive function, mental health, and the potential for positive change were used. We found that post-intervention, the group reported significantly less psychological distress and better self-esteem, self-efficacy, and cognitive response inhibition than before the intervention. We conclude that multicomponent interventions may effectively improve the psychological functioning of vulnerable NEET groups in the Latin American context.

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