Effect Of Childhood Socioeconomic Status Research Articles

The effect of childhood socioeconomic status on youth investment risk tolerance: Based on the life history theory perspective

This study based on the life history theory discusses how childhood socioeconomic status (SES)11Socioeconomic status is referred as SES hereafter. affects youth investment risk tolerance and proposes a moderated mediation model to examine the mediating role of life history strategies and the moderating effect of financial literacy. Based on a survey of Chinese youth, we found that childhood SES has a significant positive effect on youth investment risk tolerance and life history strategies mediate the relationship between childhood SES and investment risk tolerance. Furthermore, financial literacy not only moderates the positive relationship between childhood SES and investment risk tolerance but also moderates the indirect effect of childhood SES on investment risk tolerance through life history strategies. Specifically, the positive effect of childhood SES on investment risk tolerance through life history strategies is weakened in youth with greater financial literacy.

How childhood socioeconomic status (childhood SES) could influence scope of trust: The mediating role of neuroticism and uncertainty aversion

According to life history theory, trusting others is an investment where great benefits go with substantial risks. Then, choosing to trust a wide range of people or only a small circle of people could implicate different risk-and-benefit trade-offs, and have different influence on individuals' survival and development. Such trade-offs could be reflected by scope of trust, a well-studied concept in sociological research, being defined as “the width of one's circle of trusted people”. Integrating this concept into the life history framework, the current study explored the effects of childhood socioeconomic status (childhood SES) on scope of trust and the possible mediating mechanisms. Study1 found the associations between disadvantaged childhood SES and a narrower scope of trust with a large-scale nationally representative sample (N = 29,798) from China Family Panel Studies (CFPS). Study 2 (N = 437) further found that neuroticism traits and uncertainty aversion could mediate the proposed relationship between childhood SES and scope of trust. In conclusion, the current results showed that the relationship between childhood SES and one's scope of trust could be mediated by maladaptive personality traits. The current findings enriched our understandings of the effects of childhood resource availability on social trust from the perspective of life history theory.

Preference for utilitarian or hedonic value options during a pandemic crisis: The moderation effects of childhood socioeconomic status and sensation-seeking

This research investigated hospitality consumers’ relative preferences for utilitarian or hedonic value under COVID-19 pandemic conditions. A series of four experiments and one secondary data analysis showed that the salience of the infectious disease threat increased consumers’ preferences for hospitality options that provide relatively more utilitarian than hedonic value. Additionally, we identified two individual differences (i.e., childhood socioeconomic status (SES) & sensation-seeking) that moderated the effect of the infectious disease threat on the preferred hospitality consumption value. Specifically, the higher the childhood SES, the higher was the preference for the utilitarian value option, and the lower the level of sensation-seeking, the greater was the preference for the utilitarian value option. This research extends our understanding of the influence of the infectious disease threat on preference changes in hospitality decisions.

The effect of childhood socioeconomic status on depressive symptoms in middle-old age: the mediating role of life satisfaction

BackgroundSome studies have shown that childhood socioeconomic status (SES) can influence the development and progression of depression in adulthood. This study aimed to analyze the effects of childhood SES on depressive symptoms in individuals of middle-old age and examine the potential mediating role of life satisfaction based on national data in China.MethodsData were derived from the 2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) data. A total of 17,129 individuals who were aged 45 years and older were included. The dependent variable was depressive symptoms in middle-old age. Childhood SES was the independent variable, and life satisfaction was the mediator. This study controlled four factors: general demographic characteristics, adult SES, childhood adversity and health and living status. Pearson correlations and hierarchical multiple regression analysis were performed, and the Baron and Kenny method was used to test the mediating role.ResultsThe score of depressive symptoms among all participants was 7.88 ± 6.65. Gender, age, adult SES, childhood adversity and health and living status all affected the development of depression symptom in middle-aged and elderly individuals in China. After adjusting for all covariates, the higher the childhood SES, the lower the depressive symptom score (β = − 0.422, P < 0.001). Life satisfaction had a partial mediating effect between childhood SES and depressive symptoms. Low childhood SES may improve life satisfaction (β = 0.051, P < 0.001) and life satisfaction indirectly decreases depressive symptom scores (β = − 0.403, P < 0.001).ConclusionsLife satisfaction was a partial mediator between childhood SES and depressive symptoms in middle and old age. Improving life satisfaction may serve as an intervention to reduce the incidence of depression symptoms in the future.

The impact of socioeconomic status on preferences for sustainable luxury brands

AbstractAs consumers become more aware of and concerned about the environmental impact of their consumption choices, an increasing number of luxury brands are now engaging in sustainability practices. This study examines factors influencing the effectiveness of embedding sustainability in luxury brands. Specifically, the research focus is the effect of childhood socioeconomic status on moderating consumer preferences for sustainable (vs. regular, nonsustainable) luxury brands. Four experimental studies using different product categories and luxury brands show that preferences for sustainable (vs. regular, nonsustainable) luxury brands are stronger among consumers with relatively low (vs. high) childhood socioeconomic status (Studies 1–4). Notably, these preference patterns are driven by differences in the perceived importance of cooperation in the community among consumers with low versus high childhood socioeconomic status (Study 3). However, these divergent patterns are attenuated when consumption involves the nonluxury brand category (Study 2), and when consumers experience a high‐threat environment (e.g., the COVID‐19 pandemic; Study 4). As such, the findings of this study contribute to the literature by shedding light on the conditions under which consumers show preferences for sustainable (vs. regular, nonsustainable) luxury brands, establishing a theoretically grounded mediator (importance of cooperation in the community) and moderator (perceived environmental threat).

The long arm of childhood socioeconomic deprivation on mid- to later-life cognitive trajectories: A cross-cohort analysis.

IntroductionEarlier studies of the effects of childhood socioeconomic status (SES) on later‐life cognitive function consistently report a social gradient in later‐life cognitive function. Evidence for their effects on cognitive decline is, however, less clear.MethodsThe sample consists of 5324 participants in the Whitehall II study, 8572 in the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), and 1413 in the Kame Project, who completed self‐report questionnaires on their early life experiences and underwent repeated cognitive assessments. We characterized cognitive trajectories using latent class mixed models, and explored associations between childhood SES and latent class membership using logistic regressions.ResultsWe identified distinct trajectories classes for all cognitive measures examined. Childhood socioeconomic deprivation was associated with an increased likelihood of being in a lower trajectory class.DiscussionOur findings support the notions that cognitive aging is a heterogeneous process and early life circumstances may have lasting effects on cognition across the life‐course.

The Effect of Childhood Emotional Adversity and Later Life Friend Solidarity on Cognition

Early life experiences can influence later life outcomes such as physical, mental, and cognitive health. Previous research investigated the effect of childhood socioeconomic status in relation to mid-to-later life cognition (Liu & Lachman, 2019); however, the effects of childhood emotional adversity on cognition have not been examined. Controlling for age, education, sex, and race, the current study investigated the influence of childhood emotional adversity and later life friend solidarity on change in later life episodic memory, executive functioning, and subjective memory (i.e., perceived memory compared to others same age). Utilizing the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) database, we studied 2,752 participants (50-75 years, M=60.09, SD=6.97, 53% female, 84% White) with completed measures on MIDUS 1 retrospective childhood adversity, MIDUS 2 friend solidarity, and MIDUS 2/3 cognition. Multilevel modeling (Mplus) was used. Higher friend solidarity was associated with higher executive functioning (b=0.122, p<.01) and higher subjective memory (b=0.267, p<.001), suggesting the positive impact of supportive friendships. Higher childhood emotional adversity was associated with lower perceived subjective memory (b=-0.037, p<.05). There was no significant friend solidarity by emotional adversity interaction. Together, these findings suggest that later life friend solidarity may be important for objective and subjective cognition; whereas, childhood emotional adversity may play a role in subjective cognition. Given the associations in prior research between lower perceptions of memory and lower mental well-being and quality of daily life, experiencing childhood emotional adversity may increase risk of lower perceptions of well-being, including cognitive functioning.

Childhood Socioeconomic Status and Depressive Symptoms of Young Adults: Mediating Role of Childhood Trauma.

Background: Studies have shown that low childhood socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with a high prevalence of depressive symptoms. Childhood trauma, as a potential consequence of low SES, may play an important part, but the mediation effect of childhood trauma remains to be elucidated.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1,807 university students. The MacArthur Scale of Subjective Social Economic Status—Youth Version, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, and Beck Depression Inventory were used to measure childhood SES, childhood trauma, and current depressive symptoms, respectively. A structural equation model (SEM) was employed to demonstrate the mediating role of childhood trauma on the association between childhood SES and depressive symptoms.Results: The SEM demonstrated that childhood SES had significant indirect effects upon depressive symptoms via childhood trauma. Childhood trauma accounted for 89.3% of the total effect, indicating a profound mediation effect.Conclusions: The effect of childhood SES on the depressive symptoms of young adults was mediated by childhood trauma, which emphasizes the importance of early prevention and intervention of child neglect/abuse.

Do Mediators Linking Childhood Conditions to Late-Life Chronic Inflammation Vary by Race?

Recent findings suggest that childhood exposures can lead to chronic inflammation decades later, but the mechanisms underlying this relationship are relatively unknown. We investigate how childhood exposures influence adult chronic inflammation (measured by C-reactive protein) and examine five potential mediators comprising two midlife domains: socioeconomic status (SES) and health lifestyles. Using a sample of 8,891 adults aged 51 and older from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), the analysis tests whether these life course mediators operate differently for Black, White, and Hispanic Americans. Among the six childhood domains examined, low SES and risky parental behaviors predict adult chronic inflammation, but adult health lifestyles mediate the effects of childhood SES and parental behavior. Adult SES also mediates the effect of childhood SES. Smoking and wealth exert stronger direct and indirect effects on adult inflammation for White Americans compared to Black Americans whereas BMI and exercise exert stronger direct and indirect effects for White Americans compared to Hispanic Americans. Although education mediated the effect of childhood SES on adult chronic inflammation, its effects did not vary by race. These results demonstrate that the physiological consequences of childhood exposures are carried into late-life via adult lifestyle factors and SES. In addition, the life course antecedents of chronic inflammation are distinct for Black, White, and Hispanic Americans. Future research investigating the early origins of adult health should consider not only multiple midlife mechanisms but also how resource mediation varies by race and ethnicity.

Childhood Socioeconomic Status and Depressive Symptom Trajectories in the Transition to Adulthood in the United States and Canada

PurposeWe examined whether young people in the U.S. and Canada exhibit similar depressive symptom trajectories in the transition to adulthood and compared the effect of childhood socioeconomic status on trajectory membership. MethodsWe used the American National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 Child/Young Adult (n = 6,315) and the Canadian National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (n = 3,666). Depressive symptoms were measured using five items from the Center for Epidemiological Studies on Depression scale. Latent trajectories of depressive symptoms from ages 16–25 years were identified using growth mixture models. We estimated the effect of childhood family income, parental education, and parental unemployment on trajectory membership using multivariable Poisson regression models with robust variances. ResultsWe identified four similar trajectories in the two countries: (1) low stable; (2) mid-peak; (3) increasing; and (4) decreasing. Relatively more Americans were in the low-stable trajectory group than Canadians (77.6% vs. 64.9%), and fewer Americans were in the decreasing group (7.1% vs. 19.1%). In the U.S., childhood family income in the bottom two quartiles was related to higher rates of increasing trajectory membership compared with income in the top quartile (incidence rate ratios: 1.59–1.79, p < .05), but not in Canada. In the U.S., parental education at a high school level was associated with higher rates of decreasing trajectory membership compared with higher education (incidence rate ratio = 1.45, confidence interval: 1.10–1.91; p = .01), but not in Canada. ConclusionsDepressive symptoms may take a similar course in the transition to adulthood within these two countries. Country differences may modify the degree to which childhood socioeconomic status determines trajectory membership.

Scarcity of Choice: The Effects of Childhood Socioeconomic Status on Consumers’ Responses to Substitution

Consumers’ choices are often restricted due to either product scarcity or resource scarcity, prompting consumers to seek substitutes. Yet substitution can be difficult because consumers value the ability to make choices and often react negatively when scarcity limits their ability to choose. In this article, we examine the lasting effects of childhood socioeconomic status (SES) on the ability of adult consumers to “let go” of an unattainable initial choice. We find that consumers with lower childhood SES are more likely to actively devalue an initially chosen alternative after learning that it is unavailable than consumers with higher childhood SES, and they also demonstrate higher motivation to perform subsequent tasks. These results suggest that consumers who grew up in conditions of resource scarcity (vs. abundance) may demonstrate more adaptive responses to product scarcity.

Early-Life Adversities and Recalcitrant Smoking in Midlife: An Examination of Gender and Life-Course Pathways.

Little is known about life-course factors that explain why some individuals continue smoking despite having smoking-related diseases. We examined (a) the extent to which early-life adversities are associated with the risk of recalcitrant smoking, (b) psychosocial factors that mediate the association, and (c) gender differences in the associations. Data were from 4,932 respondents (53% women) who participated in the first and follow-up waves of the Midlife Development in the U.S. National Survey. Early-life adversities include low socioeconomic status (SES), abuse, and family instability. Potential mediators include education, financial strain, purpose in life, mood disorder, family problems/support, and marital status. We used sequential logistic regression models to estimate the effect of early-life adversities on the risk of each of the three stages on the path to recalcitrant smoking (ever-smoking, smoking-related illness, and recalcitrant smoking). For women, low SES (odds ratio [OR] = 1.29; 1.06-1.55) and family instability (OR = 1.73; 1.14-2.62) are associated with an elevated risk of recalcitrant smoking. Education significantly reduces the effect of childhood SES, yet the effect of family instability remains significant even after accounting for life-course mediators. For men, the effect of low SES on recalcitrant smoking is robust (OR = 1.48; 1.10-2.00) even after controlling for potential mediators. There are noteworthy life-course factors that independently affect recalcitrant smoking: for both genders, not living with a partner; for women, education; and for men, family problems. The findings can help shape intervention programs that address the underlying factors of recalcitrant smoking.

The effect of childhood socioeconomic status on patience

In this research, we examine the effect of childhood socioeconomic status on patience, which is operationalized as willingness to wait for a chosen alternative. Because decision makers socialized in low (high) socioeconomic status environments learn a model of agency that emphasizes exerting self-control (vs. exerting environmental control), we predict that they will exhibit greater (less) willingness to wait for a chosen alternative. In three studies in which participants of various ages chose an alternative and then learned that it was not immediately available, lower childhood socioeconomic status consistently predicted greater willingness to wait and less negative emotional reactions to waiting. We discuss implications of this effect in organizational settings.

CHILDHOOD CONDITIONS AND ARTHRITIS AMONG MIDDLE-AGED AND OLDER ADULTS IN CHINA: THE MODERATING ROLES OF GENDER

This study examined the moderating effect of gender on the relationship between childhood conditions and arthritis among middle-aged and older adults in China. The data were derived from the 2015 wave and the life history module of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal study. The sample included 19800 respondents age 45 and over. Multiple imputation was used to handle the missing data. A multilevel logistic regression was used to test the proposed models. Childhood socioeconomic status, mother’s education, subjective health, access to health care and medical catastrophic event were found to be significant factors associated with arthritis in later life, after controlling for adulthood and older age conditions. Furthermore, the effects of childhood socioeconomic status on arthritis were found to be higher among men than women. The findings highlight the important role of childhood conditions that affect the onset of arthritis in later life. Policy and intervention implications are discussed.

Childhood Socioeconomic Status Predicts Cognitive Outcomes Across Adulthood Following Traumatic Brain Injury

Abstract Objective To examine the association between childhood socioeconomic status (SES) and the level and rate of change in intelligence scores throughout adulthood following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Methods In this longitudinal study we tested 186 patients with TBI and 54 healthy controls from the Vietnam Head Injury Study. Childhood SES was determined for each participant based on parental educational attainment and occupational prestige. General intelligence was initially assessed pre-injury upon induction into the military, and again 15, 35 and 40+ years post-injury. We examined whether childhood SES, total brain volume loss and lesion laterality can predict post-injury intelligence scores and the rate of change in those scores between study phases. Results For both participants with and without TBI, childhood SES accounted for a significant portion of the variance in intelligence scores pre-injury and in all three post-injury evaluations, however, it was not associated with the rate of cognitive change. Lastly, childhood SES predicted cognitive outcome among patients with left hemisphere damage better than it did for right hemisphere damage patients. Conclusions These findings provide the first evidence indicating the persistent effects of childhood SES on intelligence scores later in adulthood following a TBI. Childhood SES should be considered when predicting and assessing cognitive recovery following TBI, even when the injury occurred in adulthood.

The Effect of Childhood Socioeconomic Status on Depression among Middle-Aged Adults in the Life Course Perspective

The Effect of Childhood Socioeconomic Status on Depression among Middle-Aged Adults in the Life Course Perspective

An uncertainty management perspective on long-run impacts of adversity: The influence of childhood socioeconomic status on risk, time, and social preferences

While there has been a recent increase in focus on the role of early life socioeconomic status (SES) on preferences and decision-making, there is still debate surrounding the proper theoretical framework for understanding such effects. Some have argued that early life SES can fundamentally shift time preferences per se, such that those from low SES backgrounds favor current rewards over future rewards. Others have argued that, while early life SES has lasting effects on behavior, such effects are only observable in the presence of salient cues to mortality. Here, we propose an alternative framework that centers on environmental uncertainty. In this uncertainty management framework, early life deprivation promotes the development of strategies that minimize the downside costs of uncertainty across domains. We argue that this focus on managing uncertainty results in greater risk-aversion, present-orientation, and prosociality. Furthermore, these effects need not be dependent on salient cues to mortality. Across four large samples of participants (total N = 4714), we find that childhood deprivation uniquely predicts greater risk-aversion (both incentivized and hypothetical) and greater prosociality in economic games. Childhood deprivation also predicts greater present-orientation, but not above-and beyond current SES. We further find that mortality cues are not necessary to elicit these differences. Our results support an uncertainty management perspective on the effects of childhood SES on risk, time, and social preferences.

Effects of Childhood Socioeconomic Status on Neuroimaging and Functional Outcomes in Patients with MS (P4.347)

Effects of Childhood Socioeconomic Status on Neuroimaging and Functional Outcomes in Patients with MS (P4.347)

Mediators of the Effect of Childhood Socioeconomic Status on Late Midlife Cognitive Abilities: A Four Decade Longitudinal Study.

Background and ObjectivesChildhood socioeconomic status (cSES) is found to predict later-life cognitive abilities, yet the mechanisms underlying these associations remain unclear. The objective of this longitudinal study was to examine the direct and indirect paths through which cSES influences late midlife cognitive outcomes.Research Design and MethodsParticipants were 1,009 male twins in the Vietnam Era Twin Study of Aging (VETSA). At mean ages 20 and 62, participants completed a standardized test for general cognitive ability (GCA). The age 62 cognitive assessment also included in-person tests of processing speed, episodic memory, abstract reasoning, working memory, verbal fluency, visual-spatial ability, and executive functions. At mean age 56, participants were interviewed regarding their own and their parents’ education and occupation, and completed questionnaires about cognitive leisure activities and sociodemographic information. Multiple mediation analyses were conducted to examine the direct path effects and indirect path effects of cSES through age 20 GCA, adult SES, and cognitive leisure activities on seven cognitive outcomes at age 62, adjusting for age, ethnicity, and non-independence of observations.ResultsTotal (direct plus indirect) effects were significant for all measures with the exception of executive functions. Men from lower cSES backgrounds had poorer cognitive functioning in late midlife. The direct effect of cSES was partially mediated for abstract reasoning, and was fully mediated for the remaining six cognitive outcomes. Total indirect effects accounted for at least half of the total effects in each model, with paths through age 20 GCA explaining most of the total indirect effects.Discussion and ImplicationscSES predicted cognitive functioning in late middle age Using multiple mediation models, we show that lower cSES predicts poorer cognition in late midlife primarily through young adult cognitive ability and to a lesser extent through SES in adulthood and engagement in cognitively stimulating activities.

Association of Socioeconomic Status in Childhood With Left Ventricular Structure and Diastolic Function in Adulthood

Increased left ventricular (LV) mass and diastolic dysfunction are associated with cardiovascular disease. Prospective data on effects of childhood socioeconomic status (SES) on measures of LV structure and function are lacking. To examine whether family SES in childhood was associated with LV mass and diastolic function after adjustment for conventional cardiovascular disease risk factors in childhood and adulthood. The analyses were performed in 2016 using data gathered in 1980 and 2011 within the longitudinal population-based Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study. The sample comprised 1871 participants who reported family SES at ages 3 to 18 years and were evaluated for LV structure and function 31 years later. Socioeconomic status was characterized as annual income of the family and classified on a 3-point scale. Left ventricular mass indexed according to height at the allometric power of 2.7 and the E/e' ratio describing LV diastolic performance at ages 34 to 49 years. The participants were aged 3 to 18 years at baseline (mean [SD], 10.8 [5.0] years), and the length of follow-up was 31 years. Family SES was inversely associated with LV mass (mean [SD] LV mass index, 31.8 [6.7], 31.0 [6.6], and 30.1 [6.4] g/m2.7 in the low, medium, and high SES groups, respectively; differences [95% CI], 1.7 [0.6 to 2.8] for low vs high SES; 0.8 [-0.3 to 1.9] for low vs medium; and 0.9 [0.1 to 1.6] for medium vs high; overall P = .001) and E/e' ratio (mean [SD] E/e' ratio, 5.0 [1.0], 4.9 [1.0], and 4.7 [1.0] in the low, medium, and high SES groups, respectively; differences [95% CI], 0.3 [0.1 to 0.4] for low vs high SES; 0.1 [-0.1 to 0.3] for low vs medium; and 0.2 [0 to 0.3] for medium vs high; overall P < .001) in adulthood. After adjustment for age, sex, and conventional cardiovascular disease risk factors in childhood and adulthood, and participants' own SES in adulthood, the relationship with LV mass (differences [95% CI], 1.5 [0.2 to 2.8] for low vs high SES; 1.3 [0 to 2.6] for low vs medium; and 0.2 [-0.6 to 1.0] for medium vs high; P = .03) and E/e' ratio (differences [95% CI], 0.2 [0 to 0.5] for low vs high SES; 0.1 [-0.1 to 0.4] for low vs medium; and 0.1 [0 to 0.3] for medium vs high; P = .02) remained significant. Low family SES was associated with increased LV mass and impaired diastolic performance more than 3 decades later. These findings emphasize that approaches of cardiovascular disease prevention must be directed also to the family environment of the developing child.