Country-level meritocratic beliefs moderate the social gradient in adolescent mental health: a multilevel study in 30 European countries

Dominic Weinberg*, Gonneke W.J.M. Stevens, Candace Currie, Katrijn Delaruelle, Maxim Dierckens, Michela Lenzi, Gill Main, Catrin Finkenauer

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

14 Citations (Scopus)
142 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Purpose: Adolescents with higher socioeconomic status (SES) report better mental health. The strength of the association—the “social gradient in adolescent mental health”—varies across countries, with stronger associations in countries with greater income inequality. Country-level meritocratic beliefs (beliefs that people get what they deserve) may also strengthen the social gradient in adolescent mental health; higher SES may be more strongly linked to adolescent's perceptions of capability and respectful treatment. Methods: Using data from 11–15 year olds across 30 European countries participating in the 2013/2014 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study (n = 131,101), multilevel regression models with cross-level interactions examined whether country-level meritocratic beliefs moderated the association between two individual-level indicators of SES, family affluence and perceived family wealth, and three indicators of adolescent mental health (life satisfaction, psychosomatic complaints, and aggressive behavior). Results: For family affluence, in some countries, there was a social gradient in adolescent mental health, but in others the social gradient was absent or reversed. For perceived family wealth, there was a social gradient in adolescent life satisfaction and psychosomatic complaints in all countries. Country-level meritocratic beliefs moderated associations between SES and both life satisfaction and psychosomatic complaints: in countries with stronger meritocratic beliefs associations with family affluence strengthened, while associations with perceived family wealth weakened. Conclusions: Country-level meritocratic beliefs moderate the associations between SES and adolescent mental health, with contrasting results for two different SES measures. Further understanding of the mechanisms connecting meritocratic beliefs, SES, and adolescent mental health is warranted.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)548-557
Number of pages10
JournalJournal of Adolescent Health
Volume68
Issue number3
Early online date25 Jul 2020
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Mar 2021

Keywords

  • Adolescent mental health; Socioeconomic status; Health inequalities; Europe; International comparison; Meritocratic beliefs
  • Socioeconomic status
  • Europe
  • Meritocratic beliefs
  • Health inequalities
  • International comparison

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
  • Psychiatry and Mental health
  • Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health

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