Longitudinal predictors of adult socioeconomic attainment: The roles of socioeconomic status, academic competence, and mental health

AbstractEducational attainment and occupational status are key markers of success in adulthood. We expand upon previous research that focused primarily on the contributions of academic competence and family socioeconomic status (SES) by investigating the role of mental health in predicting adult SES. In a longitudinal study spanning 30 years, we used structural equation modeling to examine how parental mental health in early childhood and family SES, offspring academic competence, and offspring mental health in adolescence relate to occupational and educational attainment at age 30. Results were that adolescent academic competence predicted adult educational attainment, and that educational attainment then predicted occupational attainment. The pathways between academic competence and occupational attainment, family SES and educational attainment, and family SES and occupational attainment were not significant. In contrast, adolescent mental health not only predicted educational attainment, but was also directly related to adult occupational attainment. Finally, early maternal mental health was associated with offspring's adult socioeconomic attainment through its relations with adolescent academic competence and mental health. These results highlight the importance of mental health to adult socioeconomic attainment.

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Maternal Mental Health Mediates the Relationship Between Household Food Insecurity and Early Child Development in Brazil

Food and Nutrition Bulletin ◽

10.1177/0379572120987815 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 42 (1) ◽

pp. 77-90

Author(s):

Jéssica Pedroso ◽

Fernando José Herkrath ◽

Gabriela Buccini ◽

Sonia Isoyama Venancio ◽

Rafael Pérez-Escamilla ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Structural Equation Modeling ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Maternal Mental Health ◽

Unwanted Pregnancy ◽

Equation Modeling ◽

Early Child Development ◽

Household Food Insecurity ◽

Household Food ◽

The Relationship

Background: Optimal early child development (ECD) is fundamental for every child to achieve their developmental potential and thrive. Household food insecurity (HFI) is a risk factor for suboptimal development, but there is still a need to better understand the pathways that explain this relationship. Objective: To evaluate whether maternal mental health and infant’s diet mediate the association between HFI and ECD using structural equation modeling. Methods: Cross-sectional study with 474 mother–infant dyads. Mothers answered a questionnaire that evaluated variables through validated instruments. Structural equation modeling analyses were conducted to obtain standardized effects (β) and bias-corrected 95% CI, enabling comparisons between the magnitude of the effects. The following observed variables were included: HFI, ECD, consumption of a healthy and diverse diet, the presence of a partner in the household, wanted pregnancy, and current breastfeeding. Latent variables were included to evaluate mental health, poverty, and neonatal health. Results: Poor maternal mental health mediated the relationship between HFI and ECD (β = −.05), but a healthy and diverse diet was not a mediator in this relationship. Poverty was related to lower development scores directly (β = .21) and indirectly (β = .02). Not having a partner (β = .05) and having an unwanted pregnancy (β = .02) predicted indirectly lower development scores. Conclusions: Poor maternal mental health mediates the relationship between HFI and ECD, and ECD is influenced by poverty, single motherhood, and unwanted pregnancy through different pathways. Therefore, public policies and interventions that aim to promote an optimal ECD should also approach these aspects.

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Perceived Employability Moderates Burnout and Depression Among Bank Employees

Social Behavior and Personality An International Journal ◽

10.2224/sbp.2016.44.7.1123 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 44 (7) ◽

pp. 1123-1132 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Haishu Qiao ◽

Yue Xia ◽

Ying Li

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Structural Equation Modeling ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Moderating Effect ◽

Equation Modeling ◽

Hierarchical Regression ◽

Negatively Associated ◽

Perceived Employability ◽

Bank Employees ◽

The Relationship

Because bank employees have been found to be especially susceptible to burnout and depression, we explored the relationship between these variables, and examined the moderating effect of perceived employability on the burnout–depression relationship in a sample of Chinese bank employees. As we expected, burnout and perceived employability were, respectively, positively and negatively associated with depression. The results of hierarchical regression and structural equation modeling indicated that perceived employability moderated the relationship between burnout and depression; higher perceived employability was associated with a weaker relationship between burnout and depression. Interventions aimed at developing the perceived employability of Chinese bank employees may help to improve mental health in this group.

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Can Supportive Siblings Protect against the Risk that Stress from Feelings of Alienation with Parents and Peers Poses to Mental Health in Emerging Adulthood?

Journal of Family Issues ◽

10.1177/0192513x21993859 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 0192513X2199385

Author(s):

Muna Osman ◽

Dave Miranda

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Emerging Adulthood ◽

Emerging Adults ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Protective Factor ◽

Moderated Mediation ◽

Equation Modeling ◽

Moderated Mediation Model ◽

Two Samples

Feelings of alienation with parents and peers can lead to psychological distress, possibly because such feelings are stressful. Supportive siblings are known to foster mental health in youth, but research in emerging adulthood is limited. We hypothesized supportive sibling climate as a protective factor in the risks that stress from parent and peer alienation poses to psychological distress among emerging adults. A proposed moderated-mediation model was tested, across three samples, using latent moderated mediation structural equation modeling. Results indicated that parental and peer alienation were associated with more psychological distress, and stress partially mediated the link between parental (but not peer) alienation and psychological distress in two samples. However, a supportive sibling climate was not protective as it did not moderate the links among alienation, stress, and psychological distress. In sum, siblings seem beneficial, but perhaps it is not sufficient to protect emerging adults’ mental health against stress from parent and peer alienation.

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Acculturation Stress, Satisfaction, and Frustration of Basic Psychological Needs and Mental Health of Chinese Migrant Children: Perspective from Basic Psychological Needs Theory

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18094751 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (9) ◽

pp. 4751

Author(s):

Qiang Ren ◽

Shan Jiang

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Psychological Needs ◽

Need Satisfaction ◽

Basic Psychological Needs ◽

Migrant Children ◽

Equation Modeling ◽

Acculturation Stress ◽

Children’S Depression ◽

Needs Theory

Acculturation stress is prevalent among migrant populations. The current study examines whether acculturation stress influences migrant children’s mental health through the mediators of the satisfaction and frustration of basic psychological needs for autonomy, relatedness, and competence. A sample of 484 migrant children is obtained in Kunming, China using a multi-stage cluster random sampling. Data are analyzed through structural equation modeling in Mplus 8.0. Results indicate that acculturation stress has a direct impact on children’s depression but no significant direct effect on children’s happiness. Acculturation stress also has indirect effects on depression and happiness via the mediators of need satisfaction and frustration. Acculturation stress is negatively associated with need satisfaction and positively associated with need frustration, which is further significantly predictive of children’s happiness and depression. Overall, this study validates the basic psychological needs theory in the context of China’s internal migration. Findings contribute to the understanding of the mechanisms that underlie the relationship between acculturation stress and psychological outcomes and provide practical implications for future interventions.

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Fuel to the fire: The escalating interplay of attachment and maltreatment in the transgenerational transmission of psychopathology in families living in refugee camps

Development and Psychopathology ◽

10.1017/s0954579420000516 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-14

Author(s):

Florian Scharpf ◽

Getrude Mkinga ◽

Frank Neuner ◽

Maregesi Machumu ◽

Tobias Hecker

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Child Psychopathology ◽

Child Outcomes ◽

Parental Psychopathology ◽

Insecure Attachment ◽

Model Fit ◽

Equation Modeling ◽

Refugee Camps ◽

Attachment Representations

Abstract Maltreatment by parents can be conceptualized as pathogenic escalations of a disturbed parent–child relationship that have devastating consequences for children's development and mental health. Although parental psychopathology has been shown to be a risk factor both for maltreatment and insecure attachment representations, these factors` joint contribution to child psychopathology has not been investigated. In a sample of Burundian refugee families living in refugee camps in Western Tanzania, the associations between attachment representations, maltreatment, and psychopathology were examined by conducting structured interviews with 226 children aged 7 to 15 and both their parents. Structural equation modeling revealed that children's insecure attachment representations and maltreatment by mothers fully mediated the relation between maternal and child psychopathology [model fit: comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.96; root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.05]. A direct association between paternal and child psychopathology was observed (model fit: CFI = 0.96; RMSEA = 0.05). The findings suggest a vicious cycle, wherein an insecure attachment to a mother suffering from psychopathology may be linked to children's risk to be maltreated, which may reinforce insecure representations and perpetuate the pathogenic relational experience. Interventions targeting the attachment relationship and parental mental health may prevent negative child outcomes.

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Mental Health of Refugees and Migrants during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Experienced Discrimination and Daily Stressors

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18126354 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (12) ◽

pp. 6354

Author(s):

Eva Spiritus-Beerden ◽

An Verelst ◽

Ines Devlieger ◽

Nina Langer Primdahl ◽

Fábio Botelho Guedes ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Descriptive Analysis ◽

Health Impact ◽

Equation Modeling ◽

Daily Stressors ◽

Health Crisis ◽

The Impact ◽

Migrant Groups

The COVID-19 pandemic is a defining global health crisis of our time. While the impact of COVID-19, including its mental health impact, is increasingly being documented, there remain important gaps regarding the specific consequences of the pandemic on particular population groups, including refugees and migrants. This study aims to uncover the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of refugees and migrants worldwide, disentangling the possible role of social and daily stressors, i.e., experiences of discrimination and daily living conditions. Descriptive analysis and structural equation modeling were used to analyze the responses of N = 20,742 refugees and migrants on the self-reporting global ApartTogether survey. Survey findings indicated that the mental health of refugees and migrants during the COVID-19 pandemic was significantly impacted, particularly for certain subgroups, (i.e., insecure housing situation and residence status, older respondents, and females) who reported experiencing higher levels of increased discrimination and increases in daily life stressors. There is a need to recognize the detrimental mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on particular refugee and migrant groups and to develop interventions that target their unique needs.

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Effects of Socioeconomic Status and Social Support on Violence against Pregnant Women: A Structural Equation Modeling Analysis

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0170469 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. e0170469 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Marizélia Rodrigues Costa Ribeiro ◽

Antônio Augusto Moura da Silva ◽

Maria Teresa Seabra Soares de Britto e Alves ◽

Rosângela Fernandes Lucena Batista ◽

Cecília Cláudia Costa Ribeiro ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Support ◽

Socioeconomic Status ◽

Structural Equation Modeling ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Equation Modeling ◽

Modeling Analysis ◽

Structural Equation Modeling Analysis

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Explanation of Children’s Health through Parents’ Mental Health and Job Satisfaction by Structural Equation Modeling

Global Journal of Health Science ◽

10.5539/gjhs.v9n2p166 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. 166

Author(s):

Majid Golzarpour ◽

Meroe Vameghi ◽

Homeira Sajjadi ◽

Gholamreza Ghaedamini Harouni

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Job Satisfaction ◽

Structural Equation Modeling ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Goodness Of Fit ◽

General Health Questionnaire ◽

Children's Health ◽

Children’S Health ◽

Equation Modeling ◽

Health Questionnaire

BACKGROUND: Worldwide, much evidence exists on the influence of parents’ socioeconomic conditions, including employment, on children’s health. However, the mechanisms for this affect are still being investigated. Few studies have been conducted in Iran to investigate this issue. This study investigated working conditions, job satisfaction, and mental health of employed people and the association between these variables and their children’s health.MATERIALS & METHODS: In this correlational work, 200 male and female staff of the official part of Educational Organization and the schools of Mashhad with children aged 5-18 years was randomly selected. The data were gathered using a demographic questionnaire, the 20-item Minnesota Job Satisfaction Questionnaire, the 28-item General Health Questionnaire, and the 28-item Child Health Questionnaire. The data were then analyzed using SPSS. The associations under study were investigated by structural equation modeling in AMOS.RESULTS: Approximately 17% of the variation in the parents’ job satisfaction could be explained by the parents’ insurance, income, and work hours; 6% of the variation in their mental health was explained by job satisfaction, and 26% of the variation in children’s health was directly explained by the parents’ job satisfaction and mental health. However, approximately 32.2% of the variation in children’s health could be explained in the light of the direct effect of the parents’ mental health and direct and indirect effects of the parents’ job satisfaction. The goodness of fit index was 0.94.CONCLUSION: Parents’ job satisfaction was associated with and considerably explained children’s health. Although this finding may be partially related to the job satisfaction effect on mental health, the reasons for the affect of job satisfaction on children’s health and the potential mechanisms of this association require further studies.

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Effect of early determinants on adolescent fat-free mass

Revista de Saúde Pública ◽

10.11606/s1518-8787.2020054002229 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 54 ◽

pp. 113

Author(s):

Raina Jansen Cutrim Propp Lima ◽

Rosângela Fernandes Lucena Batista ◽

Cecília Claudia Costa Ribeiro ◽

Vanda Maria Ferreira Simões

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Socioeconomic Status ◽

Birth Weight ◽

Physical Activity Level ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Activity Level ◽

Fat Free Mass ◽

Equation Modeling ◽

Adolescent Physical Activity ◽

Negative Effect

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the effects of early determinants on adolescent fat-free mass. METHODS: A c ohort s tudy w ith 5 79 a dolescents e valuated a t b irth a nd a dolescence i n a birth cohort in São Luís, Maranhão. In the proposed model, estimated by structural equation modeling, socioeconomic status (SES) at birth, maternal age, pregestational body mass index (BMI), gestational smoking, gestational weight gain, type of delivery, gestational age, sex of the newborn, length and weight at birth, adolescent socioeconomic status, “neither study/nor work” generation, adolescent physical activity level and alcohol consumption were tested as early determinants of adolescent fat-free mass (FFM). RESULTS: A higher pregestational BMI resulted in higher FFM in adolescence (Standardized Coefficient, SC = 0.152; p < 0.001). Being female implied a lower FFM in adolescence (SC = -0.633; p < 0.001). The negative effect of gender on FFM was direct (SC = -0.523; p < 0.001), but there was an indirect negative effect via physical activity level (SC = -0.085; p < 0.001). Women were less active (p < 0.001). An increase of 0.5 kg (1 Standard Deviation, SD) in birth weight led to a gain of 0.25 kg/m2 (0.106 SD) in adolescent FFM index (p = 0.034). Not studying or working had a negative effect on the adolescent’s FFM (SC = -0.106; p = 0.015). Elevation of 1 SD in the adolescent’s physical activity level represented an increase of 0.5 kg/m2 (0.207 SD) in FFM index (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The early determinants with the greatest effects on adolescent FFM are gender, adolescent physical activity level, pregestational BMI, birth weight and belonging to the “neither-nor” generation.

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Factors Related to Mental Health During the COVID-19 Lockdown in Spain

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.715792 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Ruth Pinedo ◽

Isabel Vicario-Molina ◽

Eva González Ortega ◽

Andrés Palacios Picos

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Latent Variables ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Online Survey ◽

Psychological Impact ◽

Well Being ◽

Vulnerable Groups ◽

Equation Modeling ◽

Healthy Habits ◽

And Gender

The COVID-19 disease has forced governments to adopt exceptional measures. The lockdown decreed in Spain in 2020 required citizens to stay confined at home, which might have affected their mental health. The objective is to identify factors that influenced adults' mental health during this period. A sample of 3,508 adults from the Spanish general population completed an online survey that collected sociodemographic data and information about daily planning and activities, healthy habits, loneliness, coping humor and mental health. Data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling. According to the results, the proposed model showed good fit values, and latent variables explained 30% of the variance in mental health. Loneliness, coping humor, healthy habits, age and gender had a significant weight in the prediction of mental health during lockdown. Area of residence, number of days of confinement and number of people in the household were not related to mental health. This study addresses the effect of COVID-19 and social distancing measures by identifying risk and protective factors for the development of mental health difficulties. There is a need to target specific and early interventions aimed at mitigating the psychological impact of the pandemic while increasing well-being, especially in more vulnerable groups.

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