Future Anxiety and Career Uncertainty among Educated Unemployed Youth in Balochistan: The Role of Hopelessness, Self-Esteem, and Psychological Distress

Abstract

Educated youth unemployment has emerged as an important socio-economic and psychological challenge in Balochistan, where limited employment opportunities, weak private-sector development, skills mismatches, and uncertainty regarding career prospects affect a growing number of young people. Although unemployment is commonly examined from economic and development perspectives, its psychological consequences among educated youth in Balochistan remain comparatively underexplored. This study aims to examine future anxiety and career uncertainty among educated unemployed youth in Balochistan, with particular attention to hopelessness, self-esteem, and psychological distress. It will investigate how prolonged unemployment and perceived uncertainty about career opportunities influence young people's expectations about their future and overall psychological well-being. The study will further examine the relationships among career uncertainty, future anxiety, hopelessness, self-esteem, and psychological distress and identify the major psychological predictors of future anxiety. A quantitative cross-sectional research design will be employed, using a structured questionnaire administered to educated unemployed youth from selected districts of Balochistan. Standardized psychological scales will be used to measure future anxiety, hopelessness, self-esteem, and psychological distress, while demographic and employment-related information will capture educational background, duration of unemployment, job-search experiences, and perceptions of available career opportunities. Data will be analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and multivariate regression. The study expects to find that greater career uncertainty and hopelessness are associated with higher levels of future anxiety and psychological distress, while self-esteem may serve as a protective psychological factor. The findings will contribute to the limited psychological literature on educated unemployment in Balochistan and provide evidence for policymakers, universities, career counselling services, and youth employment programmes. The study argues that educated unemployment should be addressed not only as an economic and labour-market issue but also as an important psychological and social challenge affecting young people's well-being, confidence, and future orientation.