Introduction Young people who are Not in Employment, Education, or Training (NEET) are exposed to multiple risks, including social exclusion, poor mental health, and long-term unemployment. Previous research has identified stress and behaviour problems as correlates of the NEET status. Nevertheless, evidence on the role played by social support and quality of life remains scarce. The present study examined psychosocial factors associated with NEET status in Portuguese youth. Method The participants were 586 young people (aged 18–29) from the Metropolitan Area of Porto, Portugal, who completed self-report measures of perceived stress, behavioural problems, social support, and quality of life. Two serial mediation models (PROCESS Model 6) were tested, with NEET status as the outcome variable. Results The findings indicated that stress and behavioural problems were not directly associated with NEET status. However, significant indirect associations were observed through reduced perceived social support and lower quality of life. Among psychosocial variables examined, quality of life showed the most consistent association with NEET status. Conclusion These findings emphasise the importance of moving beyond deficit-oriented perspectives and highlight the value of promoting psychosocial resources when designing interventions and policies to reduce youth disengagement.

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NEET,Psychological factors,Risk and psychosocial resources,Perception of stress,Behavioural problems