Correlates of employment among welfare recipients: Do psychological characteristics and attitudes matter?

This study examines whether and how a wide range of potential barriers to w ork, including psychological characteristics and attitudes, are associated with current employment in a recent sample of welfare recipients in Michiga n (N = 672). Psychological factors include measures of depressive symptoms, work attitudes, and perceived risks associated with leaving welfare. Over and above demographic, economic, and contextual factors, positive psycholog ical characteristics and attitudes were found to be moderately associated w ith currently being employed. Implications for welfare-to-work programs and policy are discussed.