ABSTRACT
To adolescents, socioeconomic circumstances are another piece of the complex identity puzzle they’re working to piece together. Adolescents use their family’s socioeconomic status to gauge who they are, where they and their families or communities fit, and how they measure up against their peers. Understanding that socioeconomic disparities can create tensions among students, some schools take steps to “level the playing field” on campus. As with race and culture, socioeconomic status is more salient for students who are in the non-majority group. Activities and opportunities that many of their peers take for granted are simply off-limits to students from poorer families. After all, it costs money to do things, to participate, and to take advantage of opportunities such as special field trips, unpaid internships, high-school sports, or even getting pizza with friends after school. Just as with racial and cultural identities, people from different socioeconomic classes often have different opinions of and familiarity with mental health care.
