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Does education buffer the impact of disability on psychological distress?

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  • Mandemakers, Jornt J.
  • Monden, Christiaan W.S.

Abstract

This paper investigates whether education buffers the impact of physical disability on psychological distress. It further investigates what makes education helpful, by examining whether cognitive ability and occupational class can explain the buffering effect of education. Two waves of the 1958 British National Child Development Study are used to test the hypothesis that the onset of a physical disability in early adulthood (age 23 to 33) has a smaller effect on psychological distress among higher educated people. In total 423 respondents (4.6%) experienced the onset of a physical disability between the ages of 23 and 33. We find that a higher educational level cushions the psychology impact of disability. Cognitive ability and occupational class protect against the effect of a disability too. The education buffer arises in part because individuals with a higher level of education have more cognitive abilities, but the better social position of those with higher levels of education appears to be of greater importance. Implications of these findings for the social gradient in health are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Mandemakers, Jornt J. & Monden, Christiaan W.S., 2010. "Does education buffer the impact of disability on psychological distress?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(2), pages 288-297, July.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:71:y:2010:i:2:p:288-297
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    2. Anne Marie Kavanagh & Zoe Aitken & Lauren Krnjacki & Anthony Daniel LaMontagne & Rebecca Bentley & Allison Milner, 2015. "Mental Health Following Acquisition of Disability in Adulthood—The Impact of Wealth," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(10), pages 1-13, October.
    3. David W. Johnston & Claryn S. J. Kung & Michael A. Shields, 2021. "Who is resilient in a time of crisis? The importance of financial and non‐financial resources," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(12), pages 3051-3073, December.
    4. Franziska Reiss & Ann-Katrin Meyrose & Christiane Otto & Thomas Lampert & Fionna Klasen & Ulrike Ravens-Sieberer, 2019. "Socioeconomic status, stressful life situations and mental health problems in children and adolescents: Results of the German BELLA cohort-study," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(3), pages 1-16, March.
    5. Tami Saito & Naoki Kondo & Koichiro Shiba & Chiyoe Murata & Katsunori Kondo, 2018. "Income-based inequalities in caregiving time and depressive symptoms among older family caregivers under the Japanese long-term care insurance system: A cross-sectional analysis," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(3), pages 1-13, March.

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