SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC AND PSYCHOSOCIAL FACTORS IN CHILDHOOD AS PREDICTORS OF ADULT MORTALITY

Objectives. Childhood sociodemographic, psychosocial, and environmenta l factors are often assumed to affect adult health and longevity. Thes e relationships were prospectively tested by using the 7-decade Terman Life Cycle Study of Children With High Ability (n = 1285). Methods. P arental socioeconomic status, childhood health, objective childhood st ressors (e.g., death or divorce of parents), and childhood personality were considered as potential predictors in hazard regression analyses of longevity through 1991. Results. Parental divorce during childhood predicted decreased longevity, with sex controlled. Other potential s ocial predictors failed to show significant associations with longevit y. Three dimensions of childhood personality-conscientiousness, lack o f cheerfulness, and permanency of mood (males only)-predicted increase d longevity. The effects of parental divorce and childhood personality were largely independent and did not account for any of the gender di fference in mortality. Conclusions. A small number of childhood factor s significantly predicted mortality across the life span in this sampl e. Further research should focus on how these psycho-social factors in fluence longevity.