Authors:

Molly Heaney

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About Paper:

Socioeconomic inequality is a major determinant of pediatric health, with family income playing a central role in shaping mental health. Children from lower-income families face greater exposure to stress, instability, and limited resources, increasing risks of emotional and behavioral difficulties. While the income-mental health gradient has been documented across countries, less is known about its persistence into adolescence—a stage of heightened vulnerability to psychological problems—or whether it differs for males and females across multiple aspects of mental health. This study investigates associations between family income and adolescent mental health at age 14 using data from the UK Millennium Cohort Study (MCS), a nationally representative longitudinal study of over 18,000 children born between 2000 and 2002. Analyses focused on approximately 7,500 adolescents (3,780 males; 3,736 females) who participated in the age-14 survey. Mental health was assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), measuring total difficulties, conduct, hyperactivity, emotional, and peer problems. Family income, reported at multiple sweeps of childhood, was averaged into permanent family income (PFI), and adolescents were classified into five income quantiles. Multivariable regression models tested associations between PFI and SDQ scores, adjusting for demographic and early-life factors, with analyses stratified by sex. Results revealed an inverse relationship between PFI and adolescent mental health difficulties. Higher income predicted lower total difficulties and fewer problems across all SDQ scales. For males, associations were strongest for hyperactivity (-0.74 vs. -0.58 for females) and conduct problems (-0.52 vs. -0.49), whereas for females they were strongest for emotional (-0.67 vs. -0.56 for males) and peer problems (-0.75 vs. -0.55). These findings contribute to research in developmental psychology and social epidemiology by clarifying how socioeconomic resources shape adolescent mental health and inform efforts to reduce mental health disparities.

Source:

Northwestern University

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Co-authors:

Molly Heaney