Why is it difficult to distinguish between frictional, structural, seasonal and cyclical unemployment? multiple choice 2 The total unemployment rate and the sum of frictional, seasonal, and structural unemployment are always changing. Because of this it is difficult to isolate the individual contribution of cyclical unemployment, which is also always changing, to the total rate. There is no difference between frictional and stuctural unemployment. It is only possible to measure cyclical unemployment when the economy is undergoing a recession. People often mis-report the type of unemployment they are suffering in order to avoid embarrasment