Social Status and Psychological Disorder: A Causal Inquiry.

TLDR

Social status and psychological disorder have long intrigued researchers, leading to extensive literature and a comprehensive survey of the field. The authors aim to integrate existing research with a critical discussion of theory and methods, proposing directions for future study. Their review shows that only social class consistently predicts psychological disorder, with lower class associated with higher disorder rates. The book has been accepted by the academic community.

Abstract

For some years now, these two factors, social status and psychological disorder and their interrelationships, have intrigued medical and social science researchers. A considerable body of published material has resulted. From the findings of a number of pertinent studies and from their own research, the Dohrenwends have drawn together in this book much of the most important relevant material. They combine this with a perceptive discussion of theoretical and methodological problems and offer promising suggestions for future investigations. To present an organized survey of work in such a wide area is a commendable achievement. From reviewed material on the four social status factors—age, sex, ethnicity, and social class—only the last has been consistently found to be related to the frequency of "psychological disorder." Almost every reported study has found increasing rate of disorder with decreasing social class. Acceptance of