Measures Of Social Status Research Articles

Occupational prestige and sickness absence inequality in employed women and men in Sweden: a registry-based study

ObjectivesSocioeconomic position has been linked to sickness absence (SA). However, less is known about the role of occupational prestige, a measure of social status afforded by one’s occupation, in SA....

Is Social Status Linked to Pain Sensitivity Responses for Latinx-Americans? The Role of Social Mobility

Latinx Americans within the United States (U.S.) disproportionately experience significant chronic pain severity and lower social status. However, little is known about how social status interacts with pain sensitivity mechanisms to contribute to later pain severity for Latinx Americans. Therefore, the current study examined the relationship between social status and pain sensitivity among Latinx adults. Self-identified U.S. native Latinx and non-Hispanic White (NHW) university students without acute or chronic pain were recruited from a larger study examining Latinx American pain sensitivity. Participants completed self-report objective and subjective (i.e., perceived social standing in the U.S.) social status measures during adulthood and childhood. Social mobility was also calculated (i.e., change in social status across the lifespan). Participants completed an ascending thermal-heat laboratory pain assessment involving four heat pulses at low, moderate, and high intensities, verbally rating their pain on a 11-point numerical rating scale after each pulse. Among Latinx Americans, analyses revealed that neither income nor subjective social status during childhood or adulthood were significantly associated with pain responses. However, increases in subjective social mobility (i.e., upward changes in subjective social status across the lifespan from childhood to present day) correlated with lower pain responses to moderate and high intensity heat among Latinx Americans. No significant relationships were observed among NHWs. This study adds to the developing work bringing awareness to social status’ complexity and its role in chronic pain inequities. The current findings suggest that increases in subjective social mobility may be protective, while decreases in subjective social mobility may be a risk factor for future chronic pain severity. Though replication and longitudinal assessment is warranted, the present findings highlight the merit of focusing further attention on the interplay between social status, social mobility, and pain sensitivity to better understand and inform interventions to reduce pain severity concerns among Latinx Americans.

Racial and socioeconomic disparities in the efficacy of a family-based treatment programme for paediatric obesity.

Family-based behavioural weight loss treatment (FBT) is an evidence-based intervention for paediatric overweight/obesity (OV/OB), but little research has examined the relative efficacy of FBT across socioeconomic status (SES), and racial groups. A total of 172 youth (7-11 years; 61.6% female; 70.1% White, 15.7% Black; child percent OV=64.2 ± 25.2; 14.5% low-income) completed 4months of FBT and 8months of additional intervention (either active social facilitation-based weight management or an education control condition). Parents reported family income, social status (Barratt simplified measure of social status) and child race at baseline. Household income was dichotomized into < or >50% of the area median family income. Race was classified into White, Black or other/multi-race. Treatment efficacy was assessed by change in child % OV (BMI % above median BMI for age and sex) and change in child BMI % of 95th percentile (BMI % of the 95th percentile of weight for age and sex). Latent change score models examined differences in weight change between 0 and 4months, 4 and 12 months and 0 and 12 months by income, social status and race. Black children had, on average, less weight loss by 4months compared to White children. Low-income was associated with less weight loss at 4months when assessed independent of race. No differences by race, social status or income were detected from 4 to 12-months or from 0 to 12 months. FBT is effective at producing child weight loss across different SES and racial groups, but more work is needed to understand observed differences in initial efficacy and optimize treatment across all groups.

Risk and Time Preferences, Subjective Social Status, and Smoking Behaviors.

Objectives: In the context of rapidly developing economies, socioeconomic changes bring about increased inequality, lower perceived social status, stress, and depression, all of which contribute to the high incidence of smoking. In this study, we investigate the linkages between social status and smoking behaviors. Methods: Using data from Indonesia, we use regression analysis to study the roles of socioeconomic factors and individual risk and time preferences in determining smoking behaviors. Results: We find that both objective and perceived social status matter, but the role of perceived social status is orders of magnitude larger than that of objective social status measures, such as income or education. Conclusions: Whereas traditional policies focused on income or education can be effective in reducing smoking, our results suggest that much more can be achieved through policies that target inequality and socioeconomic stress.

Undermatching and Noncognitive Development during the First Year of College: A Longitudinal Study of College Students in the Netherlands

The study focuses on the phenomenon of “undermatching” in relation to the development of noncognitive attributes during the first year of college. Particular attention is paid to examining the role of first-generation college student status in moderating these relationships. The analyses utilize longitudinal data from the Netherlands (N = 14,540), to test whether undermatching is associated with noncognitive development, based on measures of academic motivation, college satisfaction, and academic self-efficacy. Results indicate among first-generation students, undermatching predicts positive development of satisfaction with college and academic self-efficacy, net of other social status, demographic, and educational measures. Alternatively, among continuing-generation students, undermatching does not affect noncognitive development. The results were found to be robust to model selection. The discussion and conclusion suggest that undermatching may, in fact, promote positive development of noncognitive attributes for socially mobile students (i.e., students from families with less educational attainment).

Social Status in Student Networks and Implications for Perceived Social Climate in Schools

We investigate how adolescents’ social status in their peers’ eyes shapes the way they view their social climate in secondary schools. Utilizing novel data on over 10,000 students, we construct comprehensive measures of social status and perceived social climate for each student, including a sense of belonging, perceived behavioral norms, and bullying experience. We show that while central and well-connected students are positive about their social environment, less central and socially isolated students view it as hostile. Our results highlight the importance of improving the relational dynamics of adolescents in disadvantaged schools to create better learning environments for all.

Attitudes of Smartphone User SMP and its Implications in Guidance and Counseling

This research is motivated by the phenomenon of students trying to open pornographic sites via smartphones, students seeing how expensive smartphones are owned as a measure of social status, and there are students who are not happy when the use of smartphones is limited by teachers. This study aims to: (1) describe the attitudes of students using smartphones from the cognitive components, (2) to describe the attitudes of students using smartphone users from the affective component, and (3) to describe the attitudes of students using smartphone users from the conative component. This research is a type of quantitative research with descriptive methods. The subjects of this study were all students of SMPN 4 Lembah Melintang West Pasaman Regency who were actively registered in the 2019/2020 school year. The number of subjects was 32 students with the criteria of students using smartphones. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistical techniques. The results of the study revealed that (1) the attitudes of smartphone users in terms of cognitive components were in the low category, (2) the attitudes of smartphone users in terms of the affective components were in the medium category, and (3) the attitudes of smartphone users in terms of the components. conative is in the low categoryBased on the research findings, it is suggested that BK teachers or school counselors be able to provide guidance and counseling services, information services, individual counseling services, group guidance services to students, in order to help and minimize students falling into the wrong attitude towards smartphone use.

Dignity in ‘the streets’: a comment on Gilabert

ABSTRACT These comments focus on Part II of Pablo Gilabert's, Human Dignity and Human Rights. They make three main points. First, they stress the helpfulness of Gilabert's distinction between so-called “status” and “condition” dignity. Second, they raise doubts about Gilabert's understanding of the grounds of human dignity – in particular, whether these must include “valuable” features of human beings. And third, they ask whether Gilabert's account of dignity (as a measure of moral status) is not too distant from the everyday understanding of dignity (as a measure of social status).

Air pollution and social deprivation as the risk factors of cardiovascular diseases in Poland

Abstract Background The prevalence of cardiovascular diseases (I00-I99; ICD-10) is known to be higher in deprived and polluted areas. This Polish district-level study focuses on a possible synergistic effect of deprivation and PM-10 concentration on mortality and hospitalised morbidity due to I00-I99 in 2015-2017. Methods This study concerns all 141 districts where PM-10 has been monitored by the Chief Inspectorate of Environmental Protection. The Generalized Linear Model method was used to assess the contribution of PM-10 concentration, the deprivation index (DI, a published synthetic measure of district's social status), the percentage of urban dwellers in the district, and their interactions with PM-10 to age-standardised mortality and hospitalisation rates. Demographic data come from Statistics Poland, and the hospitalisation ones from NIPH-NIH. The analysis was conducted for males, females, their 65+ aged subcohorts, and general population. Results For all cohorts, PM-10 pollution significantly contributes to the increase in both hospitalisation and mortality rates (e.g. for males 7% [95%CI: 2-12%] and 12% [3-21%] per 10μg/m3, respectively). The deprivation impact is also significant (e.g. for males p = 0.004 and 0.006), the DI standardised regression coefficients exceed 2-3-fold these of PM-10. The PM-10 effect was found stronger in rural areas than in the urban ones. In the case of hospitalisation, no synergy was found between PM-10 and DI, while negative synergy effect was observed for mortality (e.g. p = 0.030 for males, 0.011 for males aged 65+). Conclusions Both deprivation and PM-10 concentration increase hospitalised morbidity and mortality due to I00-I99, however, only for hospitalisation is the effect additive. Unexpectedly, the impact of air pollution on mortality is lower in deprived areas. This effect is even stronger for older population. Key messages The impact of social status on mortality and hospitalised morbidity due to cardiovascular diseases in Poland exceeds that of the environmental factor (PM-10 concentration). The negative synergic effect of deprivation index and PM-10 concentration on mortality was identified - the impact of air pollution is lower in deprived areas.

Factors associated with health-related quality of life in Chinese patients with heart failure: a cross-sectional study

<h2>ABSTRACT</h2><h3>Background</h3> In order to develop effective interventions targeting improvement in poor HRQOL, it is necessary to understand the factors that influence HRQOL and the relationships in patients with heart failure. <h3>Aim</h3> The purpose of this study was to examine factors associated with HRQOL and the relationships in patients with heart failure. <h3>Methods</h3> A cross-sectional survey design was utilised to survey 301 heart failure patients in a hospital. Participants completed measures of social support, symptom status, functional status, HRQOL, demographic and disease characteristics. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesised model. <h3>Results</h3> Structural equation modeling revealed that symptom status, functional status, NYHA, age, residence, marital status, monthly income, number of hospitalizations, LVEF, disease duration, and social support are factors that influence HRQOL. The hypothesised model showed reasonably adequate fit (χ² = 11.941 (df = 14, <i>P</i> = 0.611), RMSEA=0.000, CFI=1.000, AGFI=0.963; GFI=0.993, NFI=0.988). Functional status played a mediating role in the association between symptom status and HRQOL and Physical Component Summary (PCS). <h3>Conclusions</h3> To enhance HRQOL, doctors and caregivers should take these influential factors, especially symptom status and functional status, into account. Interventions focused on reinforcement of symptom management and assessment of functional status may promote HRQOL in patients with HF directly and indirectly.

Cognitive reserve is a determinant of social and occupational attainment in patients with pediatric and adult onset multiple sclerosis

There is limited information on socio-professional attainment in pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis (POMS) compared with adult-onset MS (AOMS). To assess socio-professional outcomes in POMS and AOMS and variables influencing these outcomes. One-hundred-fifteen AOMS and 111 POMS patients underwent neuropsychological testing (Brief Repeatable Battery, Stroop test), assessment of cognitive reserve (CR) (education, National Adult reading Test -NART, Barratt Simplified Measure of Social Status), fatigue (Fatigue Severity Scale), depression (Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale), socio-professional performance (Work and Social Adjustment Scale -WSAS). Prognostic factors were assessed using logistic and linear multivariable regression analyses. 34.5% of patients showed CI without significant differences between AOMS and POMS. Cognitively impaired patients were older (p=0.024), had higher EDSS scores (p=0.041) and lower IQ (p<0.001) compared with cognitively preserved patients. Better WSAS scores were associated with younger age (p=0.007), lower EDSS (p<0.001) and higher educational levels (p=0.001). Fourteen POMS (13%) and six AOMS (5%) achieved a lower educational level compared with their parents (p=0.06). POMS exhibiting a lower than expected educational level, had a lower median IQ compared with the remaining subjects (101 vs 106.5; p=0.03). Unemployment rate was predicted by higher disability (p=0.044) and lower educational levels (p<0.001). Occupational complexity was positively correlated to educational level (<0.001) and NART scores (<0.040). This study underscores the complex relationships between cognition and educational, socioeconomic and professional attainment in MS and supports a protective role of CR in both POMS and AOMS.

Objective and subjective socioeconomic status associated with metabolic syndrome severity among African American adults in Jackson Heart Study

PurposeTo assess independent associations between objective socioeconomic status (OSS) and subjective social status (SSS) with metabolic syndrome (MetS) severity and indicators among African American (AA) adults in the Jackson Heart Study (JHS) at baseline (2000–2004) and eight-year follow-up (2009–2013). MethodsParticipants included 1724 AA adults from the JHS cohort (64.4 % women; mean age 53.4 ± 11.8). Associations of OSS (annual household income and school years completed) and SSS (measured with MacArthur Scales) with sex- and race/ethnic-specific MetS severity Z-score were examined after adjustment for demographics and MetS risk factors (i.e., nutrition, physical activity, smoking status, alcohol consumption, and depressive symptoms) at baseline and eight-year follow-up. Principal resultsIndependent of OSS, demographic, psychosocial, and lifestyle factors, individuals with lower US-society SSS had more severe MetS at baseline. A significant interaction existed between sex and US-society SSS such that women with lower perceived social status had more severe MetS severity at baseline, and for every one unit increase in US-society SSS, MetS severity Z-score is estimated to decrease by 0.04. Components of MetS driving the relationship between US-society SSS and MetS severity at baseline were the inverse associations of SSS with glucose levels and the positive associations of SSS with HDL-C. Physical activity was independently associated with MetS severity at baseline, but not at eight-year follow-up. Major conclusionsThough subjective and objective measures of social status are independently associated with cardiometabolic risk factors and MetS severity among AA adults, SSS may be a stronger predictor of MetS severity than OSS, particularly among women. SSS should be considered in conjunction with OSS when exploring social determinants of cardiometabolic health.

Maladaptive Social Consequences of Emotional Clarity Deficits in Early Adolescence

This study examined whether compromised emotional clarity prospectively contributes to maladaptive social behavior (aggression, anxious solitude) and adverse social experiences (low social status, victimization) in early adolescence; gender differences in these effects also were explored. Youth ( N = 636, [Formula: see text] age = 10.94, SD = 0.37) completed a self-report measure of emotional clarity in fifth grade, and their teachers completed measures of youth aggression, anxious solitude, social status, and victimization in fifth and sixth grades. Prospective path analyses revealed that emotional clarity deficits predicted anxious solitude and low social status in both girls and boys, and predicted aggression and victimization in girls but not boys. These findings provide support for theoretical models of emotional and affective social competence, and indicate some gender differences in the social consequences of emotional clarity deficits. More broadly, this research implicates emotional clarity as a target for socioemotional learning programs in early adolescence.

Objective and Subjective Measures of Socioeconomic Status Are Associated with Metabolic Syndrome Severity Among African American Adults in the Jackson Heart Study (P18-006-19)

ObjectivesIn this study, data from the Jackson Heart Study (JHS) were used to assess the independent associations between objective socioeconomic status (OSS) and subjective social status (SSS) with metabolic syndrome (MetS) severity and MetS indicators in African American (AA) adults at baseline and eight years later. MethodsParticipants included 3870 AA participants (63.1% women; mean age 53.8 ± 13.0, age range 35–84 years). OSS was assessed using annual household income and years of school completed. SSS was measured with the MacArthur Scale, using two 10-rung “ladders” with U.S. society and the individual’s community as referent groups for their perceived social rank. Associations of OSS and SSS with a sex- and race/ethnic-specific MetS severity Z-score were examined after adjustment for demographics and MetS risk factors (i.e., nutrition, physical activity, smoking status, and alcohol consumption) at baseline and 8-year follow-up. ResultsIndependent of OSS, demographic, and lifestyle factors, individuals who placed themselves on lower rungs of a visual ladder depicting relative social standing in society had more severe metabolic syndrome at baseline but not 8-years later (P = 0.0123 and P = 0.3248, respectively). The components of MetS driving the relationship between US-level SSS and MetS severity at baseline were waist circumference and triglyceride levels, as waist circumference and triglycerides at baseline were inversely associated with US-level SSS (P = 0.0124 and P = 0.0074, respectively). OSS components, including measures of income and education, were both independently associated with MetS severity at baseline (P < 0.05) but not at 8-year follow-up. Community-level SSS was not associated with MetS severity at baseline or 8-year follow-up. ConclusionsThese data indicate that both subjective and objective measures of social status are independently associated with cardiometabolic risk factors and the severity of MetS among AA adults and should be considered in adjunct when exploring the role of social determinants of cardiometabolic health. Funding SourcesThis work was supported by the National Institutes of Health National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (R01HL120960 R25HL126146 and K01HL141535) and the National Center For Advancing Translational Sciences of the National Institutes of Health (UL1TR001427).

Social status and demographic effects of the kappa opioid receptor: a PET imaging study with a novel agonist radiotracer in healthy volunteers.

Kappa opioid receptors (KORs) have been characterized as an aversive system in the brain and implicated in social behavior in preclinical models. This work investigated the effect of social status on the KOR system in humans using positron emission tomography (PET) imaging with the novel KOR agonist radiotracer [11C]EKAP. Eighteen healthy participants (mean age 41.2 ± 9.3) completed the Barratt Simplified Measure of Social Status (BSMSS), an MRI and an [11C]EKAP PET scan on the High Resolution Research Tomograph. Arterial blood sampling and metabolite analysis were conducted to obtain the input function. Regions of interest were based upon an MR template and included the reward/aversion areas of the brain. The multilinear analysis-1 (MA1) method was applied to the regional time-activity curves (TACs) to calculate [11C]EKAP regional volume of distribution (VT). Mixed models and Pearson correlation coefficients were used for body mass index (BMI), gender and age, with age being dropped in subsequent analyses because of nonsignificance. An overall effect of primary ROIs (F7, 112 7.43, p < 0.0001), BSMSS score (F1, 13 7.45, p = 0.02), BMI (F1, 13 23.5, p < 0.001), and gender (F1, 13 23.75, p < 0.001), but not age (F1, 13 1.12, p = 0.35) was observed. Regional [11C]EKAP VT and BSMSS were found to be negatively correlated in the amygdala (r = -0.69, p < 0.01), anterior cingulate cortex (r = -0.56, p = 0.02), caudate (r = -0.66, p < 0.01), frontal cortex (r = -0.52, p = 0.04), hippocampus (r = -0.60, p = 0.01), pallidum (r = -0.59, p = 0.02), putamen (r = -0.62, p = 0.01), and ventral striatum (r = -0.66, p < 0.01). In secondary (non-reward) regions, correlations of [11C]EKAP VT and BSMSS were nonsignificant with the exception of the insula. There was an inverse correlation between social status and KOR levels that was largely specific to the reward/aversion (e.g., saliency) areas of the brain. This finding suggests the KOR system may act as a mediator for the negative effects of social behaviors in humans.

A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of a computer-based Interpretation Bias Training for youth with severe irritability: a study protocol

BackgroundSevere, chronic, and impairing irritability is a common presenting clinical problem in youth. Indeed, it was recently operationalized as disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD) in the DSM-5. However, to date, there are no evidence-based treatments that were specifically developed for DMDD. The current randomized controlled trial assesses the efficacy of a computer-based cognitive training intervention (Interpretation Bias Training; IBT) in youth with DMDD. IBT aims to reduce irritability by altering judgments of ambiguous face-emotions through computerized feedback. IBT is based on previous findings that youth with irritability-related psychopathology rate ambiguous faces as more hostile and fear producing.Methods/designThis is a double-blind, randomized controlled trial of IBT in 40 youth with DMDD. Participants will be randomized to receive four IBT sessions (Active vs. Sham training) over 4 days. Active IBT provides computerized feedback to change ambiguous face-emotion interpretations towards happy interpretations. Face-emotion judgments are performed pre and post training, and for 2 weeks following training. Blinded clinicians will conduct weekly clinical ratings. Primary outcome measures assess changes in irritability using the clinician-rated Affective Reactivity Index (ARI) and Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement (CGI-I) scale for DMDD, as well as parent and child reports of irritability using the ARI. Secondary outcome measures include clinician ratings of depression, anxiety, and overall impairment. In addition, parent and child self-report measures of depression, anxiety, anger, social status, and aggression will be collected.DiscussionThe study described in this protocol will perform the first RCT testing the efficacy of IBT in reducing irritability in youth with DMDD. Developing non-pharmacological treatment options for youth suffering from severe, chronic irritability is important to potentially augment existing treatments.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, ID: NCT02531893. Registered on 25 August 2015.

Does Facial Width-to-Height Ratio Predict Aggressive Behavior in Association Football?

A growing body of research has emphasized the role of facial structures in affecting human social behavior. In particular, the facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR) was found to predict aggressive behavior, most notably in men of low social status. The current study aimed at broadening the insights into the role of fWHR in sports regarding the indicators of aggressive behavior and performance. We questioned the impact of fWHR in association football by analyzing fouls committed by players, their (yellow and red) cards received, and their goals scored and assists in the German ( n = 278) and Austrian ( n = 194) first division in the 2016–2017 season (306/180 matches). The market values of players were used as a measure of social status. Generalized estimating equation models taking negative binomial distribution into account did not reveal any significant impact of fWHR on fouls committed, yellow and red cards received, or assists and goals scored. Even the consideration of players’ field positions, players’ body mass index (BMI), their market value, and the interactional term of players’ fWHR and players’ market value did not affect the results. The analyses refuted any impact of fWHR in association football both on parameters of aggressive behavior (fouls and cards received) and performance (goals and assists). Merely, players’ market value was found to predict players’ goals and assists. The current study adds to the empirical evidence encouraging a critical assessment and discussion of fWHR research in sports.

Low status rejection: How status hierarchies influence negative tie formation

Scholarship investigating how social status patterns negative ties has yielded contradictory findings. Three likely sources for these differences are: different measures of social status, measures of negative ties (perceived versus dyadic), and structural factors. This study uses multiple measures of social status, sociometrically-measured negative ties, and multiple analytic approaches – MRQAP to control for structure and within-individual to control for heterogeneity – to help resolve this debate. We find: negative ties travel down status hierarchies and target low status individuals, and a negative tie between two people becomes more likely as their status difference increases. These results suggest a low-status rejection mechanism.

Review of measures of social status in experimental studies in behavioral sciences and neurosciences

Social status (SS) has been exhaustively investigated in the field of social psychology, but are recent the contributions of economics and neuroscience to her study in experimental situations. The SS has been operationalized in different ways and this has derived in contradictions within the disciplines involved in her study. In this study we review techniques that used the ability and the chance to generate ES in experimental studies. Our review indicates that in the studies analyzed the use of deception prevails. Amongst the most frequent limitations were highlighted the inappropriate use of feedback and the lack of evaluation of the difficulty of the tasks. Among the strengths were identified aspects that provide more realism the task and using different measurement levels SS. Finally, we propose a technique that seeks to overcome these limitations while integrating the strengths identified in the research conducted.

Rising above It: Status Ambivalence in Older Adults

Background: Social status is the standing of a person or group in the social hierarchy, and is perceived to change across the life span from low social status in early life, to peak in midlife, and to a decline thereafter. As threats to subjective social status are known to be detrimental to individuals’ health, it is important to better understand how older adults perceive themselves and others in terms of age-related social status. Objective: We examined status ambivalence – the potential discrepancy between how older adults’ perceive social status for themselves compared to older adults in general. Method: Study 1 used qualitative data from 37 semi-structured interviews with older adults to assess perceptions of social status. Study 2 used quantitative survey data from 114 older adults who completed explicit and implicit measures of social status. Results: Study 1 (n = 37, mean_age = 71.72, SD_age = 5.69; 81.1% women) provided preliminary evidence for status ambivalence such that older adults reported unequivocal low social status for other older adults but a more ambivalent perception of their own social status. Study 2 (n = 114, mean_age = 64.32, SD_age = 8.98, 57.9% women) compared implicit and explicit measures of social status revealing that older adults consistently perceive older adults to have low social status but again show a more ambivalent perception of their own social status. Conclusion: We discuss status ambivalence as a potential protective mechanism in the context of negative societal perceptions of age-related social status that may be important for well-being in later life.