Mind the Gap: How A Mother’s Mental Health Shapes Socioeconomic Disparities in their Children

Abstract

This paper studies the long-term effect of exposure to maternal mental distress during childhood on socioeconomic outcomes of as young adults. Three waves of the Panel Study of Income Dynamics are used to create intergenerational linkages between adult offspring and mothers. Mothers’ depression and anxiety is measured during the offspring’s childhood via a validated distress screener, and the socioeconomic outcomes of their adult offspring (aged 26 to 35) are measured in 2019. Results show that exposure to severe maternal psychological distress during childhood is associated with $12,000 lower annual income. Similarly, repeat exposures to a mother’s psychological distress during childhood is associated with a 10-percentage point decrease in the probability of graduating a four-year college. This is the first study of the intergenerational socioeconomic effect of parental distress and sets the stage for future research in this area.