The master's thesis addresses the field of youth employment and the stress it causes. In the thesis, I explored what causes stress to students in the process of job seeking and how they cope with it. I undertake this through a quantitative research approach. In the theoretical part, I first present young people from psychological and sociological perspectives, transitions of young people into adulthood, and the position of young people in Slovenia. Furthermore I discuss the current employment policy and finally, the areas of stress and coping strategies. In the empirical part, I conducted an online survey on a sample of 123 students. Findings indicate that employment is quite stressful for students. Despite a relatively low registered youth unemployment rate (6.2%), more than half of the respondents (53.66%) are concerned about employment. Students attribute the causes of their employment-related stress more to societal circumstances than individually derived circumstances. In stressful situations, they more often employ problem-focused coping strategies than emotion-focused strategies, indicating an active approach to problem resolution. Results show that despite a desire for independence, young people are still emotionally connected to their parents, who serve as a safe space for them from the uncertain external world. The research findings contribute insight into the challenges of students related to employment and provide greater understanding of the causes of stress in this area. The findings offer considerations for planning support in the field of employment and, more broadly, for the better mental health care of young people.
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