Introduction

There is a vast body of knowledge regarding the interrelation between mental health and unemployment, which predominantly shows that mental health problems increase during states of unemployment. A high level of work commitment and frequent states of jobseeking increase the risk for mental health problems among the unemployed (Warr and Jackson, 1985; Winefield and Tiggerman, 1994; Hanish, 1998; Kessler et al, 1998; Nordenmark, 1999). Generally, studies have demonstrated that women tend to adjust to unemployment better than men, and this has been explained by lower levels of work commitment, an increased commitment to the domestic role, more extensive social networks and the higher levels of activity that women have when they are unemployed (Lahelma, 1989; Mannila, 1993; Gershuny, 1994; Vähätalo, 1998). Nevertheless, recent studies have also shown that unemployed women value work as highly as men do, and that they have more negative experiences when they are unemployed compared with young unemployed men. The experiences however, have been shown to vary cross-culturally (Gallie and Alm, 2000; Russell and Barbieri, 2000; Julkunen, 2001; Malmberg-Heimonen and Julkunen, 2002).

In recent years, a growing number of studies have focused on comparing the situation of women's employment across countries (see Stier and Lewin-Epstein, 2001). These studies document cross-country variations and emphasise the importance of the institutional context within which women operate, for the purpose of understanding gender differences in labour market outcomes on an individual and societal level. Traditionally, there has been a distinction made between the male-breadwinner and the dual-breadwinner models. Lewis (1992), for instance, distinguishes between strong, weak and modified breadwinner welfare state systems, in order to highlight the extent to which policies encourage or inhibit women in terms of working when they are wives or mothers.

Scandinavian countries are prominent examples of weak male-breadwinner models, where the majority of adults of working age are employed or seeking a job. Taxation and benefit systems are individually based in the Scandinavian countries, although welfare benefits involve household means-testing, once an individual's entitlements are exhausted. The various forms of family support have dramatically transformed family life, and very few women are entirely dependent on their husband's incomes anymore (Palme, 1999).