EXPLORATION OF PSYCHOSOCIAL CHALLENGES FACED BY CHILD LABORERS IN PAKSITAN

This research examines the long-term psychosocial challenges faced by young adults in Pakistan who were involved in child labor during their early years. Child labor deprives children of education, emotional growth, and healthy development, yet its impact on mental health is often overlooked. Many former child laborers experience depression, low self-esteem, stress, guilt, and difficulties in forming stable identities, which can be explained through disruptions in Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development. Existing studies mainly focus on children currently in labor and provide limited information about psychological effects or hazardous working conditions. This study addresses these gaps by exploring how early labor experiences continue to affect individuals’ mental health and daily functioning in adulthood. It also investigates the coping strategies former child laborers used to manage emotional distress. By highlighting these long-term effects, the research aims to support better mental health interventions, inform policy reforms, and contribute to ongoing efforts to reduce child labor in Pakistan.