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CONTEXTUAL RISKS FOR MALADJUSTMENT: THE HIGH COSTS OF AFFLUENCE Suniya S. Luthar

CONTEXTUAL RISKS FOR MALADJUSTMENT: THE HIGH COSTS OF AFFLUENCE Suniya S. Luthar Professor, Developmental and Clinical Psychology Teachers College, Columbia University 525 West 120 th Street New York, NY 10027 USA. CONTEXTUAL RISKS FOR MALADJUSTMENT: THE HIGH COSTS OF AFFLUENCE

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CONTEXTUAL RISKS FOR MALADJUSTMENT: THE HIGH COSTS OF AFFLUENCE Suniya S. Luthar

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  1. CONTEXTUAL RISKS FOR MALADJUSTMENT: THE HIGH COSTS OF AFFLUENCE Suniya S. Luthar Professor, Developmental and Clinical Psychology Teachers College, Columbia University 525 West 120th Street New York, NY 10027 USA

  2. CONTEXTUAL RISKS FOR MALADJUSTMENT: • THE HIGH COSTS OF AFFLUENCE • programmatic research findings on children • characteristics of families & communities • [ cross-disciplinary evidence ]

  3. RESEARCH ON AFFLUENT, SUBURBAN YOUTH • first cohort studied as comparison group • prior studies: Inner-city peers endorse disruptive behaviors, high peer status ~ declining grades * • “inner-city phenomenon” or “adolescent phenomenon”?

  4. Study 1: Comparisons involving 10th graders * • Suburban schoolInner-city school • n 264 224 • % girls 55% 54% • % Caucasian 82% 13% • Free/reduced lunch 1% 86% • Measurement: Multi-informant, multi-trait • self-reported problems (internalizing & externalizing) • behavioral competence (peer-, teacher-ratings, grades)

  5. Self-reported adjustment (mean scores) ___________________________________________ GIRLS BOYS SuburbIn-citySuburbIn-city ____________________________________________ Phys. anxiety 4.23.8 3.32.6 Worry 5.65.1 4.03.9 Social anxiety 2.82.7 2.92.4 Depression 12.511.7 9.78.8 Substance use 5.02.85.13.5____________________________________________

  6. Proportion of youth above clinical cutoffs _________________________________________________GIRLSBOYS NormSuburbIn-cityNormSuburbIn-city Depression 7% 22%18% 7% 5%1% Anxiety 17% 22% 17% 17% 26%18% ____________________________________________________ Substance use Alcohol 61% 72%64% 61% 63%61% Illicit drugs 38% 46%26% 38% 59%33% _________________________________________________

  7. Correlates of substance use • Suburban boys & girls: • substance use linked with depression, anxiety • ‘self-medication’ to alleviate distress • Suburban boys: • substance use linked with peer popularity • links robust with controls for internalizing, externalizing & academic indices

  8. Follow-up of sample through high school ____________________________________________ Girls above clinical cutoff 10th grade 12th grade Depression 22% 19% Anxiety 22% 30% ____________________________________________ Substance use 10th grade 12th grade Girls Boys Girls Boys Drink to intox. 38% 42% 60% 63% Marijuana 40% 38% 60% 50% ____________________________________________

  9. Longitudinal analyses: Antecedents of substance use • hierarchical regressions, control for baseline scores • self-medication: baseline anxiety ~ increased substance use • baseline boys peer popularity ~ increased substance use

  10. Summary of findings: Suburban high school students • more problems than inner-city and normative groups • prominent: substance use (boys & girls), depression (girls) • substance use • linked with self-medication, • endorsed by peers, for boys • links found cross-sectionally and longitudinally

  11. Questions: • Do problems generalize to pre-teens? • Causes of such problems in ‘privileged’ groups? • Study 2: Sixth & seventh graders in suburban school • n = 302, 92% Caucasian, median family income $102,000

  12. Findings *problems low among 6th graders • 7th grade girls: 14% above cutoff for depression (norms 7%) • 7th grade boys: 7% drinking to intoxication once / month, 7% marijuana use once / month • Correlates of substance use as in Luthar & D’Avanzo (1999) • internalizing symptoms among boys & girls • peer popularity among 7th grade boys

  13. Roots of adjustment problems? • drawing on evidence from sociology, clinical psychology • ethnographic data: interviews with “key informants” • two factors implicated • 1. Achievement pressures • maladaptive perfectionism (self-report) • parents’ emphasis on achievements (ranking)

  14. Parent values • How important is it to your parents that you : RANK • are respectful to others....................................... ______ • attend a good college.......................................... ______ • always try to help others in need....................... ______ • make a lot of money in the future..................... ______ • excel academically............................................. ______ • are kind to others............................................... ______ • (Total = 10 items) • of 5 top-ranked (weighted) items, # achievement items added to assess Parent Emphasis on Achievement

  15. 1. Achievement pressures • maladaptive perfectionism (self-report) • parents’ emphasis on achievements (ranking) • 2. Isolation from adults • children often alone at home (supervision after school) • little relaxed “family time” (closeness to mother, father)

  16. Hierarchical multiple regressions _________________________________________________________ DistressDelinqSubs UseGrades G B G B G B G B ______________________________________________________________ Predictors Step   Age 1 .00 .00 .00 .12.04.08 .01 .05 Peer victimiztn 2 .14 .17.06 .02 .03 .03 .02 .01 Perfectionism 7 .11 .10.05 .03 .00 .02 .00 .01 Par achiev emph 5 .02 .00 .02 .01 .05 .00 .00 .01 Mother close 3 .16 .10 .03 .14 .08 .12 .02 .03 Father close 4 .00 .00 .00 .01 .00 .01 .11 .00   After-school sup 6 .03 .00 .07 .00 .04 .00 .01 .01 _______________________________________________________________

  17. Summary of findings: Suburban middle school students * • consistent with Luthar & D’Avanzo (1999) • 6th graders untroubled • 7th grade girls – clinically significant depression • 7th grade boys – peer approval for substance use • pathways to problems • achievement pressures • closeness to parents

  18. Consistency of results: Incidence of problems • 800 teens – negative link between SES & well-being • closeness to parents negatively linked with family income< $15,000> 75,000 • High closeness, mothers 75% 65% • High closeness, fathers 66% 54% • substance use higher among wealthy adolescents

  19. Consistency of results: Correlates of substance use • qualitative data – high SES teens use to alleviate distress • popular preadolescent boys ‘party’ (drink) in high school • adolescent boys alcohol use tied in to social conformity • college students in triad of alcohol, sports, partying

  20. Consistency of results: Achievement pressures • Doherty (2000) – ‘overscheduled hyperactivity’ • Suburban youth • casual attitudes to sex • achievement pressures commonly cited • Psychotherapists re: children • achievement pressures -> stress-related symptoms • ‘intensely competitive society of the rich’ • exaggerate health problems to avoid competing

  21. Consistency of evidence: Parents’ absence • Investigative report • syphilis outbreak among teens, Georgia suburb • youth interviews: promiscuity & isolation from parents • “disconnect between children & families” • “emptiness of houses, absence of parents” • Psychotherapists’ reports • changing caregivers affects secure sense of self • parents appreciate children for ‘star qualities’

  22. AFFLUENT SUBURBIA: FAMILIES & COMMUNITIES • comparatively more research on wealthy adults • forces affecting parents affects their children too • evidence of problems among upper SES adults • representative explanations, at the individual, community, & cultural level *

  23. Wealth-unhappiness links: Cross-disciplinary evidence • Epidemiology, social psychology: • depression higher in economically developed countries • Americans twice as rich as in 1950’s… divorce, suicide, depression rates much higher • ‘American paradox’: more striving for money ~ more numerous problems

  24. Wealth-unhappiness links: Individual-level explanations • Sociology, social psychology, developmental psychology • high productivity ~ high stress • pursuit of material goals ~ low access to other rewards • when Yuppie values > relationship emphasis = unhappiness • when extrinsic goals > intrinsic goals = poor mental health • cold, controlling early care → materalistic orientation • insecurity → solace in material goods

  25. Wealth-unhappiness links: Community-level explanations • Economics, evolutionary psychology • using market-based services inhibits support networks • wealthy communities’ inhabitants feel more friendless • evidence of ‘true’ friendship – helped in dire need • modern conditions – few threats to survival • more amenities – few critical tests of relationships • … ‘true or fair-weather friend?’; mistrustfulness • the rich buy services → little proof of others’ concern

  26. Wealth-unhappiness links: “Culture of affluence” • Cross-cultural & social psychology: • individualistic cultures - transience of groups • collectivistic cultures -groups assigned, dependencies develop • wealth => high choice in goods & services • linked with depression … because of expectations of control • failures attributed to personal factors… fosters depression

  27. Gender specific stressors • Mothers - Isolation • intellectually rich education; home with children • miss work-related gratifications (support, efficacy) • Mothers with careers • dual pressures – at jobs & as mothers

  28. Gender specific stressors • Fathers - career setbacks • vervet monkey, alpha males have high serotonin • on losing position, loss of serotonoin, ‘depression’ • humans: challenges of rivalry & status-striving

  29. CURRENT WORK & FUTURE DIRECTIONS • ResearchI. Prospective school-based study • seven-wave longitudinal study; n ~ 350; • 7, 8th, 9th grade assessments done with retention ~ 90% • parallel study of inner-city cohort: 6th, 7th, 8th grades • II. Pilot study of affluent mothers with psychiatric disorders • parallel to current study of low SES mothers with depressive, anxiety, substance abuse disorders, & their children

  30. Preventive interventions • collaborative, multi-disciplinary team • schools , Dept. Human Services, United Way, media • three major goals • I. Children • after-school program for middle school students • after-school & evening program for high school students

  31. II. Parents • promoting understanding of children’s needs,optimal parenting in community context • workshops organized by PTA for large groups • for mothers experiencing trouble, small group sessions • Relational Psychotherapy Mothers Group (RPMG trials)* • manualized clinical interventionIII. Community • fostering community awareness, via media campaign

  32. Summarysuburban youth not untroubled • compared to inner-city and normative samples, more substance use & internalizing symptoms • exploration of causes; two sets of factors pressures to achieve & isolation from parents • wealthy adults also less happy than others • pursuit of material rewards affects interpersonal relationships • culture of affluence; individualism, low mutual support

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