How Does Parent-Child Relationship Moderate the Effect of Childhood Socioeconomic Status on Adult Health?

Kiwoong Park, University at Albany, State University of New York (SUNY)

How Does Family Closeness in Childhood Moderate the Association between Family Income and Young Adult Depression? The goal of this study is to examine the association between childhood family income and young adult’s mental health outcomes, and to investigate whether family closeness moderates the family income in childhood effects on mental health in adult. Using Add-Health, I first demonstrated the effect of family income on respondent’s depressive symptoms. Second, the association between family income and adult depression significantly depends on the family closeness in childhood. Even though childhood family income is identical, those who had closer family relationship in childhood are less likely to report depression in adult With the increase in income, the probability of having depression increased for those who had low family closeness. These results imply the protective effects of children's family relationship on the negative linking low family economic conditions and adult health.