EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AS A PROTECTIVE FACTOR FOR PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS: FINDINGS FROM A NATIONALLY REPRESENTATIVE LONGITUDINAL STUDY. Issue 11 (20th April 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Erickson, Julie; El‐Gabalawy, Renée; Palitsky, Daniel; Patten, Scott; Mackenzie, Corey S.; Stein, Murray B.; Sareen, Jitender
• Is Part Of: Depression and anxiety. Volume 33:Issue 11(2016)
• Page Start: 1013
• Page End: 1022
• Publication Date: 2016-04-20
• Subjects: education -- psychiatric -- epidemiology -- mood, anxiety -- substance use -- personality disorder; Anxiety -- Periodicals; Depression, Mental -- Periodicals; Depression -- Periodicals; Anxiety -- Periodicals; Anxiety Disorders -- Periodicals; 616.8527005
• DOI: 10.1002/da.22515
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1091-4269

Abstract

Abstract : Objective: This study examined cross‐sectional and longitudinal relationships between educational attainment and psychiatric disorders (i.e., mood, anxiety, substance use, and personality disorders) using a nationally representative survey of US adults. Method: We used data from Waves 1 and 2 of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions ( N = 34, 653). Bivariate and multiple logistic regressions examined cross‐sectional and longitudinal associations between educational attainment and a variety of past‐year and incident anxiety, mood, and substance use disorders, controlling for sociodemographics and psychiatric disorder comorbidity. Results: Adjusted cross‐sectional data indicated that educational attainment below a graduate or professional degree at Wave 2 was associated with significantly higher odds of substance use and/or dependence disorders (adjusted odds ratio range (AORR = 1.55–2.55, P < 0.001). Longitudinal adjusted regression analyses indicated that individuals reporting less than a college education at Wave 1 were at significantly higher odds of experiencing any incident mood (AORR 1.49–1.64, P < 0.01), anxiety (AORR 1.35–1.69, P < 0.01), and substance use disorder (AORR 1.50–2.02, P < 0.01) at Wave 2 even after controlling for other sociodemographic variables and psychiatric comorbidity. Conclusion: Findings lend support to other published research demonstrating that educational attainment is protective against developing a spectrum of psychiatric disorders. Mechanisms underlying this relationship are speculative and in need of additional research.