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Echoes of Distress: Maternal Malaise and the Pathways of Intergenerational Socioeconomic Outcomes

Solari, Giacomo LU (2025) EKHS42 20251
Department of Economic History
Abstract (Swedish)
This study investigates how early exposure to maternal mental distress shapes offspring’s long‐
term socioeconomic pathways by leveraging the 1970 British Cohort Study. Maternal distress
was measured when the cohort members were aged 5, 10, and 16 years via the 24-item Malaise
Inventory. Structural Equation Modeling is employed to estimate (1) the direct effect of
maternal malaise on offspring’s academic achievement and adult earnings, (2) indirect
trajectories through three latent constructs—early cognitive development, household
socioeconomic context, and offspring’s own mental distress—and (3) gender-divergent
impacts. Findings highlight how greater maternal mental distress results in measurably lower
academic attainment and... (More)
This study investigates how early exposure to maternal mental distress shapes offspring’s long‐
term socioeconomic pathways by leveraging the 1970 British Cohort Study. Maternal distress
was measured when the cohort members were aged 5, 10, and 16 years via the 24-item Malaise
Inventory. Structural Equation Modeling is employed to estimate (1) the direct effect of
maternal malaise on offspring’s academic achievement and adult earnings, (2) indirect
trajectories through three latent constructs—early cognitive development, household
socioeconomic context, and offspring’s own mental distress—and (3) gender-divergent
impacts. Findings highlight how greater maternal mental distress results in measurably lower
academic attainment and predicted earnings (H1), with the bulk of the total effect beared
indirectly via the mediators (H2). Gendered sub-samples unveil nuanced divergence but no
consistent evidence that daughters carry worse penalties than sons (H3). Results underline the
relevance of dimensional, continuous, life-course methods and advice for early interventions
targeting the household and cognitive domains. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Solari, Giacomo LU
supervisor
organization
course
EKHS42 20251
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
language
English
id
9208100
date added to LUP
2025-08-18 10:45:29
date last changed
2025-08-18 10:45:29
@misc{9208100,
  abstract     = {{This study investigates how early exposure to maternal mental distress shapes offspring’s long‐
term socioeconomic pathways by leveraging the 1970 British Cohort Study. Maternal distress
was measured when the cohort members were aged 5, 10, and 16 years via the 24-item Malaise
Inventory. Structural Equation Modeling is employed to estimate (1) the direct effect of
maternal malaise on offspring’s academic achievement and adult earnings, (2) indirect
trajectories through three latent constructs—early cognitive development, household
socioeconomic context, and offspring’s own mental distress—and (3) gender-divergent
impacts. Findings highlight how greater maternal mental distress results in measurably lower
academic attainment and predicted earnings (H1), with the bulk of the total effect beared
indirectly via the mediators (H2). Gendered sub-samples unveil nuanced divergence but no
consistent evidence that daughters carry worse penalties than sons (H3). Results underline the
relevance of dimensional, continuous, life-course methods and advice for early interventions
targeting the household and cognitive domains.}},
  author       = {{Solari, Giacomo}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Echoes of Distress: Maternal Malaise and the Pathways of Intergenerational Socioeconomic Outcomes}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}