<p>Unemployment and mental health in the German population: the role of subjective social status</p>

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the explanatory role of negative affect in the relation between subjective social status and anxiety/depressive disorders, suicidality symptoms, and disruption in life domains (i.e. disability; work/school, social life, and family life/home responsibilities) among Latinos seeking health services at a primary healthcare facility. Design/methodology/approach An experiment was designed using participants including 205 adult Latinos (Mage=39.2; SD=11.4) with annual incomes of less than $30,000. The sample was mostly female (85.9 percent) with a majority (98.5 percent) indicating Spanish as their first language. Findings Results indicated that subjective social status was indirectly related to the mental health variables through negative affect. Notably, these observed effects were evident above and beyond the variance accounted for by gender, age, marital status, educational status, employment status, and number of years in the USA. Research limitations/implications The present findings suggest that there is merit in focusing further scientific attention on the interplay between subjective social status and negative affect to better understand and possibly intervene to reduce anxiety/depressive vulnerability and disability among Latinos in primary care settings. Originality/value The current study sheds light on the relationship between social status and negative affect in the Latino population. Elucidating mental health in a minority population such as the Latino population provides insight into the mental health needs among minorities that have yet to be addressed.

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College Selectivity, Subjective Social Status, and Mental Health in Young Adulthood

Society and Mental Health ◽

10.1177/2156869319869401 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 257-275 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Jeremy E. Uecker ◽

Lindsay R. Wilkinson

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Social Status ◽

College Graduates ◽

Subjective Social Status ◽

Adult Health ◽

Selective College ◽

College Selectivity ◽

National Longitudinal Study ◽

Using Data

Research on education and mental health has focused primarily on the benefits of higher levels of educational attainment. Other aspects of education, such as college selectivity, may also be associated with mental health, and higher subjective social status (SSS) is a potential pathway through which college selectivity and mental health could be linked. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, this study (a) examines whether college selectivity influences mental health independent of objective measures of socioeconomic status and (b) assesses the role of SSS in this relationship. Among college graduates, attending a more selective college is associated with higher ratings of SSS, which in turn are associated with fewer depressive symptoms and lower perceived stress and anxiety. These findings contribute to our understanding of the role of college selectivity and SSS in the mental health of young adults.

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Subjective Social Status (SSS) as an Important Mediator in the Association between Socioeconomic Status (SES) and Mental Health

10.21203/rs.3.rs-779522/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Fatemeh Mehravar ◽

Abbas Rahimi Foroushani ◽

Mohammad Ali Vakili ◽

Saharnaz Nedjat

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Socioeconomic Status ◽

Social Class ◽

Social Status ◽

Direct Effect ◽

Subjective Social Status ◽

Path Coefficient ◽

Mediating Role ◽

The Relationship

Abstract Background: Socioeconomic status (SES) has often been considered a major predictor of mental health-related outcomes such as depression, anxiety, and stress. However, little is known about the mediating role of subjective social status (SSS) — an individual perception of relative position in the social hierarchy—in the relationship between SES and health outcomes. This study aimed to determine the mediating role of SSS in the relationship between SES and mental health among the employees of Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS).Methods:The data from the enrolment phase of a cohort study on TUMS employees (n = 4461) were used in this cross-sectional study. Household SES was the main independent variable. SES was first entered into the mediation model as a composite index (a combination of wealth index, social class, and education), and then each indicator was entered separately. Stress, anxiety, and depression scores were measured using the DASS-42 Scale as a latent outcome variable for mental health status. SSS was evaluated as a potential mediator variable using the MacArthur scale which was converted to a five-point Likert item. The mediation analysis was carried out using a two-step structural equation modeling (SEM) approach in STATA version 14.0 with maximum likelihood (ML) estimation. Finally, the direct and indirect effects of SES indices on mental health were investigated, considering SSS's mediating role.Results: The data showed that 2706 participants (60.65%) were female and the mean age of all participants was 42.21±8.72 years. The standardized path coefficient for the direct effect of SES on SSS was --0.50 (SE=0.013), whereas the standardized path coefficient for the direct effect of SSS on mental health was 0.10 (SE=0.018). The standardized indirected effect of the composite SES-index on mental health through the SSS is -0.05 (lower SSS and mental health scores and higher SES scores indicate improvements in the status of these variables). Contribution of SSS in association between composite SES-index and the mental health of TUMS employees is 27.78% (27.27% in male and 22.23% in female). In addition, contribution of SSS for the association between the indices of wealth, education, social class and mental health is 41.67%, 36.36%, and 28.57%, respectively.Conclusions:The Findings of this study showed that a poorer SSS may influence the pathology of mental health disorders. It seems to be as a mediator in the association between SES and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. Individuals' mental health may thus be improved by intervening in their subjective social status in relation to SES, which is relatively more stable.

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Subjective social mobility, quality of life and mental health of asylum seekers/refugees in Germany

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckaa165.832 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽

Author(s):

D Costa ◽

L Biddle ◽

C Mühling ◽

K Bozorgmehr

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Mental Health ◽

Social Status ◽

Social Mobility ◽

Asylum Seekers ◽

Country Of Origin ◽

Subjective Social Status ◽

Downward Mobility ◽

Asylum Seekers And Refugees

Abstract Background Changes in the subjective social status (SSS) of migrants, specifically between the pre- and post-migratory movement, can be a relevant determinant of their mental health condition. This study analyzed the effect of downward subjective social mobility to the mental health of asylum seekers and refugees (ASR) in Germany. Methods Through a random sampling procedure, 560 adult ASR (18+ years) were recruited across 58 collective accommodation centers in Germanys' 3rd largest state (2018). SSS was assessed with the MacArthur social ladder (10-rungs), in reference to the participants' position in the country of origin and in Germany. Quality of Life (QoL, measured with EUROHIS-QOL), anxiety (General Anxiety Disorder-2) and depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire-2), were considered as mental health outcomes. Generalized linear regression models were fitted to measure associations between changes in SSS and each outcome. Results A loss of 3 or more steps in SSS from origin to Germany (compared to no-change) was significantly associated with poorer scores in QoL (B, standardized coefficient= -2.679, standard error, se = 1.351, p = 0.047), with more symptoms of depression (B = 1.156, se = 0.389, p = 0.003) and anxiety (B = 0.971, se = 0.432, p = 0.025), in models adjusted for SSS in the country of origin. The strength and direction of associations was unaltered after further adjusting for sex, age, educational level and time since arrival, although the coefficient for QoL was non-significant for those declaring a 3-step downward mobility (B= -2.494, se = 1.351, p = 0.066 for QoL; B = 1.048, se = 0.393, p = 0.008 for depression; and B = 1.006, se = 0.438, p = 0.022 for anxiety). Discussion The results suggest that interventions should focus on those experiencing social downward mobility and not only prioritize individuals with low social status. Early integration efforts and intersectoral measures to counter social downward mobility could prevent poor mental health among ASR. Key messages We analysed the impact to the quality of life and mental health of asylum seekers and refugees, of a change in subjective social status from country of origin to Germany. Asylum seekers and refugees residing in Germany, who perceived a downward social status mobility following their migration process, are at risk for poorer mental health.

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