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Childhood and adulthood risk factors for socio-economic differentials in psychological distress: evidence from the 1958 British birth cohort

Author

Listed:
  • Power, C.
  • Stansfeld, S. A.
  • Matthews, S.
  • Manor, O.
  • Hope, S.

Abstract

Social inequalities in psychological status have been attributed to health selection and to social causation. We used data from the 1958 British birth cohort, followed over three decades, to identify causes of inequality in adulthood. Psychological status prior to labour market entry influenced inter-generational mobility, but selection effects were weaker for intra-generational mobility, between age 23 and 33. However, selection failed to account for social differences in risk of distress of approximately threefold in classes IV&V compared with I&II. Both childhood and adult life factors appeared to contribute to the development of inequalities. The principal childhood factors were ability at age 7 for both sexes and adverse environment (institutional care for men and low class for women). Adult life factors varied, with stronger effects for work factors (job strain and insecurity) for men and qualifications on leaving school, early child-bearing and financial hardship for women. Gradients in psychological distress reflect the cumulative effect of multiple adversities experienced from childhood.

Suggested Citation

  • Power, C. & Stansfeld, S. A. & Matthews, S. & Manor, O. & Hope, S., 2002. "Childhood and adulthood risk factors for socio-economic differentials in psychological distress: evidence from the 1958 British birth cohort," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 55(11), pages 1989-2004, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:55:y:2002:i:11:p:1989-2004
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    Cited by:

    1. Riccardo Borgoni & Ann Berrington & Peter Smith, 2012. "Selecting and fitting graphical chain models to longitudinal data," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 46(3), pages 715-738, April.
    2. Kumakech, Edward & Cantor-Graae, Elizabeth & Maling, Samuel & Bajunirwe, Francis, 2009. "Peer-group support intervention improves the psychosocial well-being of AIDS orphans: Cluster randomized trial," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 68(6), pages 1038-1043, March.
    3. Gustafsson, Per E. & Hammarström, Anne, 2012. "Socioeconomic disadvantage in adolescent women and metabolic syndrome in mid-adulthood: An examination of pathways of embodiment in the Northern Swedish Cohort," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 74(10), pages 1630-1638.
    4. Butterworth, Peter & Rodgers, Bryan & Windsor, Tim D., 2009. "Financial hardship, socio-economic position and depression: Results from the PATH Through Life Survey," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 69(2), pages 229-237, July.
    5. Grossmann, Volker & Strulik, Holger, 2021. "Illicit drugs and the decline of the middle class," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 183(C), pages 718-743.
    6. Stefanie Sperlich & Sonja Arnhold-Kerri & Siegfried Geyer, 2011. "What accounts for depressive symptoms among mothers? The impact of socioeconomic status, family structure and psychosocial stress," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 56(4), pages 385-396, August.
    7. Ambugo, Eliva A., 2014. "Cross-country variation in the sociodemographic factors associated with major depressive episode in Norway, the United Kingdom, Ghana, and Kenya," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 154-160.
    8. Anderson, Lewis Robert, 2018. "Adolescent mental health and behavioural problems, and intergenerational social mobility: A decomposition of health selection effects," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 197(C), pages 153-160.
    9. Elovainio, Marko & Kivimäki, Mika & Ek, Ellen & Vahtera, Jussi & Honkonen, Teija & Taanila, Anja & Veijola, Juha & Järvelin, Marjo-Riitta, 2007. "The effect of pre-employment factors on job control, job strain and psychological distress: A 31-year longitudinal study," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 65(2), pages 187-199, July.
    10. Quesnel-Vallée, Amélie & Taylor, Miles, 2012. "Socioeconomic pathways to depressive symptoms in adulthood: Evidence from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 74(5), pages 734-743.
    11. Strand, B.H. & Kunst, Anton, 2006. "Childhood socioeconomic status and suicide mortality in early adulthood among Norwegian men and women. A prospective study of Norwegians born between 1955 and 1965 followed for suicide from 1990 to 20," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 63(11), pages 2825-2834, December.
    12. Myer, Landon & Stein, Dan J. & Grimsrud, Anna & Seedat, Soraya & Williams, David R., 2008. "Social determinants of psychological distress in a nationally-representative sample of South African adults," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 66(8), pages 1828-1840, April.
    13. Sanna Tiikkaja & Sven Sandin & Christina M Hultman & Bitte Modin & Ninoa Malki & Pär Sparén, 2016. "Psychiatric disorder and work life: A longitudinal study of intra-generational social mobility," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 62(2), pages 156-166, March.

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