Does education matter? Income inequality and mental health among young adult men

Abstract

The impacts of income and education on mental health have been understudied among young adult men. This study aims to explore the association between income and depression among young adult men, to examine how educational attainment influences depression, and to investigate how educational attainment moderates the relationship between income and depression among young adult men. We used the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 79 for Children and Young Adults (NLSY79 CY). A total of 1084 young adult men were selected for the final sample. The PROCESS macro 3.4 for Statistical Product and Service Solutions was used for analysis. Both income and educational attainment were negatively related to depression among young adult men. We found a significant interaction effect, indicating that educational attainment moderated the relationship between income and depression among young adult men. The effect of educational attainment on depression was greater for young adult men who earned a lower income compared to those who earned a higher income. Job training programs and other employment assistance should be provided to young adult men to help them to gain employment and job security, as well as to indirectly reduce their levels of depression. Increased access to higher education may also help men attain higher-paying jobs, which may buffer against depression. We suggest that men who have not received higher education receive access to job training programs and programs for job searching and career development to bolster their earnings potential, which thus may reduce depression.

Sociodemographic characteristics related to inequality in depression treatment in Peruvian adults: a concentration index decomposition approach

“…Furthermore, there is an association between lower educational levels, lower wealth quintiles, and a decreased likelihood of looking for treatment for depressed symptoms (11,39,40). In this situation, sociodemographic characteristics, especially wealth, intricately connected with education (41)(42)(43). The research's discovery of a concentration of Peruvian adults with depressive symptoms receiving treatment in the wealthiest quintiles reinforces this observation.…”

Financial Capability as a Predictor of Financial Satisfaction among Catholic Higher Education Employees: A Sequential Explanatory Mixed Method Inquiry

“…Also, additional educational attainment beyond lower secondary education has been shown to lead to higher returns, indicating that higher education plays a significant role in increasing individuals' income levels [68]. Furthermore, individuals with higher educational attainment tend to earn higher incomes compared to those with lower levels of education, highlighting the importance of education in influencing earning potential [92].…”