Authors:
Meilstrup C, Thygesen LC, Nielsen L, Koushede V, Cross D, Holstein BE.
Authors notes:
International Journal of Public Health. 2016;61(4):505-12.
Keywords:
Adolescents, Emotional symptoms, Mediation analysis, Mental health, Self-efficacy, Socioeconomic inequality
Abstract:
Objectives: Emotional symptoms are widespread among adolescents with the highest prevalence among lower socioeconomic groups.
Less is known about why and how to reduce this inequality but personal control, e.g., self-efficacy may be crucial.
This study examines whether self-efficacy is a mediator in the association between occupational social class (OSC) and emotional symptoms.
Methods: Data stem from the cross-sectional Health Behavior in School-aged Children-Methodology Development Survey 2012 (HBSC-MDS) conducted among 11-15-year old schoolchildren in two Danish municipalities.
Participation rate was 76.8 % of 5165 enrolled schoolchildren, n = 3969.
Results: Low OSC is associated with higher odds of daily emotional symptoms and low selfefficacy.
Schoolchildren with low self-efficacy have higher odds for daily emotional symptoms.
We find a strong and statistically significant direct effect between low OSC and daily emotional symptoms and a borderline statistically significant indirect effect of self-efficacy.
Conclusions: Socioeconomic inequality in emotional symptoms exists.
This inequality is partly explained by socioeconomic inequality in self-efficacy.
Promotion of personal competences like self-efficacy may reduce emotional symptoms among all socioeconomic groups, thereby reducing socioeconomic inequalities in emotional symptoms.