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Socioeconomic status and adolescent mental disorders

Author

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  • McLaughlin, K.A.
  • Costello, E.J.
  • Leblanc, W.
  • Sampson, N.A.
  • Kessler, R.C.

Abstract

Objectives. Although previous research has shown that low socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with mental illness, it is unclear which aspects of SES are most important. We investigated this issue by examining associations between 5 aspects of SES and adolescent mental disorders. Methods. Data came from a national survey of US adolescents (n = 6483). Associations among absolute SES (parental income and education), relative SES (relative deprivation, subjective social status), and community level income variation (Gini coefficient) with past-year mental disorders were examined. Results. Subjective social status (mean 0, variance 1) was most consistently associated with mental disorder. Odds ratios with mood, anxiety, substance, and behavior disorders after controlling for other SES indicators were all statistically significant and in the range of 0.7 to 0.8. Associations were strongest for White adolescents. Parent education was associated with low risk for anxiety disorder, relative deprivation with high risk for mood disorder, and the other 2 indicators were associated with none of the disorders considered. Conclusions. Associations between SES and adolescent mental disorders are most directly the result of perceived social status, an aspect of SES that might be more amenable to interventions than objective aspects of SES.

Suggested Citation

  • McLaughlin, K.A. & Costello, E.J. & Leblanc, W. & Sampson, N.A. & Kessler, R.C., 2012. "Socioeconomic status and adolescent mental disorders," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 102(9), pages 1742-1750.
    • Handle: RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2011.300477_2
    DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2011.300477
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    1. Bachler Egon & Nickel Marius & Bachler Herbert, 2018. "The Relationship between Peer Victimization, Perceived Parental Support, Family Characteristics and Internalizing Symptoms. A Cross-Sectional Study," The Open Family Studies Journal, Bentham Open, vol. 10(1), pages 9-20, April.
    2. Roman Pabayo & Daniel M. Cook & Gregory Farmer & Beth E. Molnar, 2021. "Neighborhood Income Inequality and Alcohol Use among Adolescents in Boston, Massachusetts," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-13, August.
    3. Chang, Qingsong & Peng, Chenhong & Guo, Yingqi & Cai, Ziyi & Yip, Paul S.F., 2020. "Mechanisms connecting objective and subjective poverty to mental health: Serial mediation roles of negative life events and social support," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 265(C).
    4. David G. Weissman & Mark L. Hatzenbuehler & Mina Cikara & Deanna M. Barch & Katie A. McLaughlin, 2023. "State-level macro-economic factors moderate the association of low income with brain structure and mental health in U.S. children," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-13, December.
    5. Tormod Bøe & Eric Dearing & Kjell Morten Stormark & Henrik Daae Zachrisson, 2018. "Subjective Economic Status in Adolescence: Determinants and Associations with Mental Health in the Norwegian Youth@Hordaland Study," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 39(2), pages 323-336, June.
    6. Ross D. Whitehead & Alina Cosma & Jo Cecil & Candace Currie & Dorothy Currie & Fergus Neville & Jo Inchley, 2018. "Trends in the perceived body size of adolescent males and females in Scotland, 1990–2014: changing associations with mental well-being," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 63(1), pages 69-80, January.
    7. Winnie S Chow & Jan Schmidtke & Adrian Loerbroks & Thomas Muth & Peter Angerer, 2018. "The Relationship between Personality Traits with Depressive Symptoms and Suicidal Ideation among Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Study at One Medical School in Germany," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-11, July.
    8. Kyoung Min Kim & Dohyun Kim & Un Sun Chung, 2020. "Investigation of the Trend in Adolescent Mental Health and its Related Social Factors: A Multi-Year Cross-Sectional Study For 13 Years," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(15), pages 1-14, July.
    9. Steare, Thomas & Evans-Lacko, Sara & Araya, Mesele & Cueto, Santiago & Dang, Hai-Anh h & Ellanki, Revathi & Garman, Emily & Lewis, Gemma & Rose-Clarke, Kelly & Patalay, Praveetha, 2024. "Economic inequalities in adolescents’ internalising symptoms: longitudinal evidence from eight countries," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 125777, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    10. Sarah E. Johnson & David Lawrence & Francisco Perales & Janeen Baxter & Stephen R. Zubrick, 2019. "Poverty, Parental Mental Health and Child/Adolescent Mental Disorders: Findings from a National Australian Survey," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 12(3), pages 963-988, June.
    11. Karen M. Davison & Shen (Lamson) Lin & Hongmei Tong & Karen M. Kobayashi & Jose G. Mora-Almanza & Esme Fuller-Thomson, 2020. "Nutritional Factors, Physical Health and Immigrant Status Are Associated with Anxiety Disorders among Middle-Aged and Older Adults: Findings from Baseline Data of The Canadian Longitudinal Study on Ag," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-19, February.
    12. Dominic Weinberg & Gonneke W. J. M. Stevens & Elisa L. Duinhof & Catrin Finkenauer, 2019. "Adolescent Socioeconomic Status and Mental Health Inequalities in the Netherlands, 2001–2017," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(19), pages 1-18, September.
    13. Jianmei Ye & Dawei Huang & Yuelin Li & Lei Liu & Mengwei Shi, 2022. "Subjective Social Status of High School Freshmen in the Transitional Period: the Impact of Extraversion," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 17(2), pages 971-983, April.
    14. Sweeting, Helen & Hunt, Kate, 2014. "Adolescent socio-economic and school-based social status, health and well-being," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 121(C), pages 39-47.

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