Cover Longitudinal and Life Course Studies
Longitudinal and Life Course Studies
An international journal

Developmental relationships between socio-economic disadvantage and mental health across the first 30 years of life

Authors: Meredith O’Connor1, Shuaijun Guo2, Primrose Letcher3, Ann Sanson4, Sharon Goldfeld2, and Craig A. Olsson5
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  • 1 Royal Children’s Hospital and University of Melbourne, Australia
  • | 2 University of Melbourne and Royal Children’s Hospital, Australia
  • | 3 Deakin University, University of Melbourne and Royal Children’s Hospital, Australia
  • | 4 University of Melbourne, Australia
  • | 5 Deakin University and Royal Children’s Hospital, Australia
Article Category:
Research Article
Copyright:
© Authors 2022
Online Publication Date:
01 Apr 2022
Pages:
432–453
Publisher:
Bristol University Press
Volume/Issue:
Volume 13: Issue 3
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1332/175795921X16459587898770
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Understanding of how socio-economic disadvantage experienced over the life course relates to mental health outcomes in young adulthood has been limited by a lack of long-term, prospective studies. Here we address this limitation by drawing on data from a large Australian population cohort study that has followed the development of more than 2,000 Australians (and their families) from infancy to young adulthood since 1983. Associations were examined between prospective assessments of socio-economic position (SEP) from 4–8 months to 27–28 years and mental health problems (depression, anxiety, stress) and competence (civic engagement, emotional maturity, secure intimate relationship) at 27–28 years. The odds of being socio-economically disadvantaged in young adulthood were elevated eight- to tenfold in those who had experienced disadvantage in the family of origin, compared with those who had not (OR 8.1, 95% CI 4.5–14.5 to 10.1, 95% CI 5.2–19.5). Only concurrent SEP was associated with young adult mental health problems, and this effect was limited to anxiety symptoms (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.1–3.9). In contrast, SEP had more pervasive impacts on young adult competence, particularly in the civic domain where effects were evident even from early infancy (OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.26–0.81). Findings suggest that one potentially important mechanism through which disadvantage compromises mental health is through limiting the development and consolidation of key psychosocial competencies needed for health and well-being in adulthood.

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Supplementary Materials

    • Supplementary_AppendixS1.pdf (PDF 76.8 KB)
Meredith O’Connor1, Shuaijun Guo2, Primrose Letcher3, Ann Sanson4, Sharon Goldfeld2, and Craig A. Olsson5
  • 1 Royal Children’s Hospital and University of Melbourne, Australia
  • | 2 University of Melbourne and Royal Children’s Hospital, Australia
  • | 3 Deakin University, University of Melbourne and Royal Children’s Hospital, Australia
  • | 4 University of Melbourne, Australia
  • | 5 Deakin University and Royal Children’s Hospital, Australia

meredith.oconnor@mcri.edu.au
jun.guo@mcri.edu.au
primrose.letcher@mcri.edu.au
annvs@unimelb.edu.au
sharon.goldfeld@rch.org.au
craig.olsson@rch.org.au

Joint senior authors.

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