Correlation between social class and neurotic impairment in long term course

Using the data basis of the Mannheim Cohort Study the present paper investi gates the correlation between socio-economic status and psychogenic impairm ent due to predominantly psychosocially influenced ("psychogenic") disorder s (neurotic spectrum disorders, personality disorders, stress reactions and somatoform disorders) in a representative adult community sample. The peri od of observation amounted up to 11,1 years. Subjects investigated within o ur follow-up study for this interval (n=301) were drawn from an representat ive adult community population sample (N=600). Within the three step class model members of the lower class were at all investigation time points sign ificantly stronger impaired compared to the members of the middle- and uppe r class. Investigating the clinical impairment related to the intragenerati ve class mobility those subjects, which could achieve a social rise between two points of investigation were even prior, to the first investigation ti me point, less affected compared to the ones remaining in their social clas s. Vice versa subjects in the process of an social decline presented a stro nger psychogenic impairment Drier to their decline compared to those, which remained stable in their social class. These dynamic correlations offer ev idence for the effect of the socalled "drift-hypothesis", which postulates, that persons due to their disease decline in their social status respectiv ely after improving rise to a higher social class.