Abstract
There is a growing amount of evidence indicating increased levels of psychological distress, suicide rates and decreased well-being in midlife (age 45-55). We refer to this phenomenon as the ‘midlife mental health crisis’. As there is little empirical evidence or theoretical grounds to explain the midlife mental health crisis, we propose a research agenda. In order to facilitate further research, we consulted members of public, mental health professionals and researchers on potential reasons for the midlife mental health crisis. Subsequently, we translated those into research questions testable with the British birth cohorts. We propose a series of studies using three statistical modelling approaches: descriptive (what is the midlife mental health crisis?), predictive (who is at increased risk of experiencing the midlife mental health crisis?) and explanatory (what are the processes leading to the midlife mental health crisis?).
Highlights
Common mental disorders are the leading cause of non-fatal disease burden, measured by years lived with disability (Whiteford et al 2013), and their prevalence has increased over the last three decades across high-income countries (GBD 2015).There is a growing amount of evidence showing that they tend to increase in prevalence from early-30s—with some studies indicating an increase already from early-20s—to mid-40s or mid-50s (Blanchflower and Oswald 2008, Spiers et al 2012, Blanchflower 2020, Bell 2014, Sacker and Wiggins 2002, Gondek et al in press)
Processes underlying the midlife mental health crisis are unclear, with overall little theory or empirical evidence to draw on when explaining mental health trajectory in adulthood
Mental health professionals and members of public, we identified a list of variables that may be associated with the midlife mental health crisis and can be operationalised by information captured in National Child Development Study (NCDS) and BCS70
Summary
Common mental disorders (including depression and anxiety) are the leading cause of non-fatal disease burden, measured by years lived with disability (Whiteford et al 2013), and their prevalence has increased over the last three decades across high-income countries (GBD 2015).There is a growing amount of evidence showing that they tend to increase in prevalence from early-30s—with some studies indicating an increase already from early-20s—to mid-40s or mid-50s (Blanchflower and Oswald 2008, Spiers et al 2012, Blanchflower 2020, Bell 2014, Sacker and Wiggins 2002, Gondek et al in press). The NCDS and BCS70 include rich information from birth up to mid-adulthood, among those born in 1958 and 1970 respectively, on factors that tend to be associated with mental health: socioeconomic circumstances, health, employment, education or family life (Power and Elliott 2006, Elliott and Shepherd 2006). To guide future research on midlife mental health crisis, we propose a series of studies using three statistical modelling approaches: descriptive, predictive and explanatory (Shmueli 2010).
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