ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we review research on socioeconomic inequalities in mental health in adulthood, adolescence, and childhood in the United States and cross-nationally. We consider three broad classes of explanation: selection, exposure and vulnerability to stressors, and social evaluation processes. We then introduce life course considerations, focusing on the socioeconomic sequelae of childhood mental health problems, the relevance of childhood socioeconomic conditions for adult mental health, and mental health trajectories. Our review reveals consistent evidence that socioeconomic position and mental health are associated in mutually reinforcing ways. We identify new research opportunities that follow from the increasing availability of long-term, prospective, longitudinal data, as well as the challenges that remain for future research.
