Inter-generational longitudinal study of social class and depression: a test of social causation and social selection models

Background Generations of epidemiologists have documented an association be tween low socio-economic status (SES) and depression (variously defined), b ut debate continues as to which is the causative factor. Aims To test the extent to which social causation (low SES causing depressi on) and social selection (depression causing low SES) processes are in evid ence in an inter-generational longitudinal study. Method Participants (n=756)were interviewed up to four times over 17 years using the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (SADS). Results Low parental education was associated with increased risk for offsp ring depression, even after controlling for parental depression, offspring gender and offspring age. Neither parental nor offspring depression predict ed later levels of offspring occupation, education or income. Conclusion There is evidence for an effect of parental SES on offspring dep ression (social causation) but not for an effect of either parental or offs pring depression on offspring SES (social selection). Declaration of interest No conflict of interest. Funding is detailed in Ack nowledgements.