The relationship between social class and mental disorder
Abstract
The inverse relationship between social class and rates of mental disorders was first documented in early mental hygiene studies at the beginning of this century and similar findings have been demonstrated in numerous contemporary studies. Interpretations of this persistent relationship include a downward drift explanation that posits that a decline in social status occurs as a result of precipitating mental illness, and a social causation model that emphasizes the importance of psychosocial stressors in the onset of mental disorders. A wealth of evidence supporting the social causation model is reviewed, drawing on mental health epidemiology, women's mental health, unemployment and physical health research. Political and economic origins of the downward drift hypothesis are also discussed.
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Higher rates of mental illness occur in groups with lower socioeconomic status.
“The relationship between income status and mental health has been well-documented as there are higher rates of mental illness in groups with lower socioeconomic status [53–55].”
From Mental Health Impact of COVID-19 among Children and College Students: A Systematic Review (2023) · cites this paper as [54]
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- Authors
- Perry, M. J.
- Affiliations
- University of Vermont (US)
- Corresponding author
- Perry, Melissa J.
- ORCID
- Perry, Melissa J.
- Venue
- The Journal of Primary Prevention
- Published
- 1996-09
- Volume
- 17
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 17-30
- ISSN
- 0278-095X (ISSN-L)
- 1573-6547
- OpenAlex
- W2043503750
- Cited by
- 59
- References
- 33
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 4 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 1.46
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- The Journal of Primary Prevention (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Health › Health disparities and outcomes
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Employment and Welfare Studies
- Keywords
- social class, mental illness, psychosocial stressors, social status, psychiatric epidemiology, women's mental health, unemployment, socioeconomic status, mental hygiene
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