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Early predictors of mental health in mid‐adulthood
Author(s) -
Pijnenburg Lisa J.,
Haan Lieuwe,
Smith Lauren,
Rabinowitz Jonathan,
Levine Stephen Z.,
Reichenberg Abraham,
Velthorst Eva
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
early intervention in psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.087
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1751-7893
pISSN - 1751-7885
DOI - 10.1111/eip.12924
Subject(s) - mental health , psychological intervention , socioeconomic status , psychology , psychological resilience , coping (psychology) , clinical psychology , psychiatry , personality , medicine , population , social psychology , environmental health , psychotherapist
Aim Substantial research has focused on the examination of factors that contribute to the development of psychiatric problems. However, much less is known about factors early in life that may protect from poor mental health outcomes in midlife. This study aimed to identify the extent to which a set of key perinatal demographic variables and adolescent academic performance were associated with good mental health in mid‐adulthood. Methods In a sample of 525 individuals (aged 34‐44, 55.4% male) born and raised in Jerusalem, Israel (STREAM study) we attempted to differentiate those who did and did not report psychiatric symptoms in mid‐adulthood. Using χ 2 and regression analysis, we explored birth factors (year of birth, sex, birth weight, and number of older siblings, data on parental immigration and socioeconomic status), academic achievement in eighth grade and contemporaneous measures of lifestyle factors, personality traits, and perceived resilience. Results Participants with good mental health were more often male ( P = .005) and had better academic performance already at adolescence than participants who reported psychiatric symptoms in midlife ( P < .001). They reported fewer physical complaints ( P = .008), were less likely to smoke ( P = .001) and considered themselves to be more “resilient” ( P < .001). Conclusions The results showed that better academic performance in adolescence may be associated with better stress‐coping strategies, resulting in fewer psychiatric complaints, more perceived resilience, and less stress‐related behaviours in mid‐adulthood. Future studies confirming this hypothesis could inform public mental health interventions.