Low socioeconomic status and mental disorders: A longitudinal study of selection and causation during young adulthood

This article examines low socioeconomic staus (SES) as both a cause and a c onsequence of mental illnesses by investigating the mutual influence of men tal disorders and educational attainment, a core element of SES. The analys es are based on a longitudinal panel design and focus on four disorders: an xiety, depression, antisocial disorder, and attention deficit disorder. The article shows that each disorder has a unique relationship with SES, highl ighting the need for greater consideration of antisocial disorders in the s tatus attainment process and for further theoretical development in the soc iology of mental disorders to account for disorder-specific relations with SES.