Parental timing and depressive symptoms in early adulthood

Christina D. Falci; Jeylan T. Mortimer; HarmoniJoie Noel

doi:10.1016/j.alcr.2010.05.001

Parental timing and depressive symptoms in early adulthood

Christina D. Falci, Jeylan T. Mortimer, HarmoniJoie Noel

Sociology (Twin Cities)

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

25 Scopus citations

Abstract

Using data from a panel of 459 women, we find that early parents (<20 years old at first birth) report higher levels of depressive symptoms in young adulthood (roughly age 29) compared to later parents (first birth in their 20s) or nonparents. Early parenting is also associated with more stressors and fewer resources in young adulthood. As young adults, early parents have lower educational attainment, less secure employment and a weaker sense of personal control; they also experience greater financial strain and more traumatic life events than later and nonparents. By the end of their 20s, early parents are also more likely to be single compared to late parents. The higher levels of depressive symptoms reported among early parents, compared to both later parents and nonparents, are primarily explained by their greater financial strain and lower sense of personal control.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	1-10
Number of pages	10
Journal	Advances in Life Course Research
Volume	15
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.alcr.2010.05.001
State	Published - Mar 2010

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The Youth Development Study is supported by a grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development ( HD 44138 ), “Work Experience and Mental Health: A Panel Study of Youth.” The National Institute of Mental Health (MH 42843) provided previous support for this research. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not represent the official views of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development or the National Institutes of Health.

Keywords

Mastery
Mental health
Parental timing
Stress exposure

Access

10.1016/j.alcr.2010.05.001

OpenUrl availability

Full text

Cite this

@article{14c430545f684f84980205241e3495e2,

title = "Parental timing and depressive symptoms in early adulthood",

abstract = "Using data from a panel of 459 women, we find that early parents (<20 years old at first birth) report higher levels of depressive symptoms in young adulthood (roughly age 29) compared to later parents (first birth in their 20s) or nonparents. Early parenting is also associated with more stressors and fewer resources in young adulthood. As young adults, early parents have lower educational attainment, less secure employment and a weaker sense of personal control; they also experience greater financial strain and more traumatic life events than later and nonparents. By the end of their 20s, early parents are also more likely to be single compared to late parents. The higher levels of depressive symptoms reported among early parents, compared to both later parents and nonparents, are primarily explained by their greater financial strain and lower sense of personal control.",

keywords = "Mastery, Mental health, Parental timing, Stress exposure",

author = "Falci, {Christina D.} and Mortimer, {Jeylan T.} and HarmoniJoie Noel",

note = "Funding Information: The Youth Development Study is supported by a grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development ( HD 44138 ), “Work Experience and Mental Health: A Panel Study of Youth.” The National Institute of Mental Health (MH 42843) provided previous support for this research. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not represent the official views of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development or the National Institutes of Health. ",

year = "2010",

month = mar,

doi = "10.1016/j.alcr.2010.05.001",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "15",

pages = "1--10",

journal = "Advances in Life Course Research",

issn = "1040-2608",

publisher = "Elsevier",

number = "1",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Parental timing and depressive symptoms in early adulthood

AU - Falci, Christina D.

AU - Mortimer, Jeylan T.

AU - Noel, HarmoniJoie

N1 - Funding Information: The Youth Development Study is supported by a grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development ( HD 44138 ), “Work Experience and Mental Health: A Panel Study of Youth.” The National Institute of Mental Health (MH 42843) provided previous support for this research. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not represent the official views of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development or the National Institutes of Health.

PY - 2010/3

Y1 - 2010/3

N2 - Using data from a panel of 459 women, we find that early parents (<20 years old at first birth) report higher levels of depressive symptoms in young adulthood (roughly age 29) compared to later parents (first birth in their 20s) or nonparents. Early parenting is also associated with more stressors and fewer resources in young adulthood. As young adults, early parents have lower educational attainment, less secure employment and a weaker sense of personal control; they also experience greater financial strain and more traumatic life events than later and nonparents. By the end of their 20s, early parents are also more likely to be single compared to late parents. The higher levels of depressive symptoms reported among early parents, compared to both later parents and nonparents, are primarily explained by their greater financial strain and lower sense of personal control.

AB - Using data from a panel of 459 women, we find that early parents (<20 years old at first birth) report higher levels of depressive symptoms in young adulthood (roughly age 29) compared to later parents (first birth in their 20s) or nonparents. Early parenting is also associated with more stressors and fewer resources in young adulthood. As young adults, early parents have lower educational attainment, less secure employment and a weaker sense of personal control; they also experience greater financial strain and more traumatic life events than later and nonparents. By the end of their 20s, early parents are also more likely to be single compared to late parents. The higher levels of depressive symptoms reported among early parents, compared to both later parents and nonparents, are primarily explained by their greater financial strain and lower sense of personal control.

KW - Mastery

KW - Mental health

KW - Parental timing

KW - Stress exposure

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77957236073&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=77957236073&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.alcr.2010.05.001

DO - 10.1016/j.alcr.2010.05.001

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:77957236073

SN - 1040-2608

VL - 15

SP - 1

EP - 10

JO - Advances in Life Course Research

JF - Advances in Life Course Research

IS - 1

ER -

Parental timing and depressive symptoms in early adulthood

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

Access

OpenUrl availability

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this