Why now? Causal attributions for unemployment in older people, based on their life experiences

Abstract

In a society marked by commerce and competitiveness, age has become an exclusion factor in employment, which affects people aged over 45 years. Based on the voices of the affected individuals in the Spanish context, this study explores the perceived causal attributions for their unemployment situation along with their experiences of job success. We conducted a multi-case study from an autobiographical perspective with ten participants, using indepth interviews and reflective dialogue around life experiences. The results reveal, from a relational approach, the main attributions that emerged during the discourse. In spite of their singularities, the results indicate that the discourses generate shared identity traits, although there is an agreement in indicating age discrimination as one of the main determinants.