Intergenerational patterns of mental health problems: the role of childhood peer status position

Evelina Landstedt,Ylva B Almquist

doi:10.1186/s12888-019-2278-1

Abstract

BackgroundPast research has established the intergenerational patterning of mental health: children whose parents have mental health problems are more likely to present with similar problems themselves. However, there is limited knowledge about the extent to which factors related to the child’s own social context, such as peer relationships, matter for this patterning. The aim of the current study was to examine the role of childhood peer status positions for the association in mental health across two generations.MethodsThe data were drawn from a prospective cohort study of 14,608 children born in 1953, followed up until 2016, and their parents. Gender-specific logistic regression analysis was applied. Firstly, we examined the associations between parental mental health problems and childhood peer status, respectively, and the children’s mental health problems in adulthood. Secondly, the variation in the intergenerational patterning of mental health according to peer status position was investigated.ResultsThe results showed that children whose parents had mental health problems were around twice as likely to present with mental health problems in adulthood. Moreover, lower peer status position in childhood was associated with increased odds of mental health problems. Higher peer status appeared to mitigate the intergenerational association in mental health problems among men. For women, a u-shaped was found, indicating that the association was stronger in both the lower and upper ends of the peer status hierarchy.ConclusionsThis study has shown that there is a clear patterning in mental health problems across generations, and that the child generation’s peer status positions matter for this patterning. The findings also point to the importance of addressing gender differences in these associations.

Highlights

Past research has established the intergenerational patterning of mental health: children whose parents have mental health problems are more likely to present with similar problems themselves
The corresponding results for women in Model 1 looks similar, with a clearer peer status gradient in mental health problems: here, those in medium-status positions have increased odds (OR = 1.07) for mental health problems compared to women in high-status positions, whereas women in low-status and marginalised positions show estimates of Odds ratios (OR) = 1.35 and OR = 1.57, respectively
This study shows that there is a clear patterning in mental health problems across generations, and that the child generation’s peer status positions matter for this association

Summary

Introduction

Past research has established the intergenerational patterning of mental health: children whose parents have mental health problems are more likely to present with similar problems themselves. The mechanisms behind the intergenerational patterns of mental health reflect a complex web of genetic and environmental factors [11, 14, 19]. Landstedt and Almquist BMC Psychiatry (2019) 19:286 approach is supported by previous research concluding that the intergenerational transmission of poor mental health cannot solely be explained by genetic factors and that environmental influences are salient [14, 15, 20]. Environmental circumstances include family factors such as conflicts and parenting [17] or, in studies looking at mental health outcomes in adulthood, the social reproduction of educational pathways and occupational choices [2, 21]. Others argue that health selection fails to provide a complete picture since life circumstances in childhood (reflecting conditions related to the parents) are crucial to later mental health. The importance of the child’s experience of social contexts outside the family, such as social relationships with peers, has received little attention in this line of research

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