The name is absent

Characteristics of the family

Similarly, Kubzansky et al. (1999) found that adults living in the US who had less
than a high school education were almost twice as likely to suffer from the
physiological costs of long-term stress as individuals with at least a college education,
controlling for age and lifestyle (smoking, alcohol consumption and exercise). The
strength of the association is hardly attenuated when these lifestyle factors are taken
into account. The authors argue that this implies the existence of a channel by which
education reduces levels of stress and hostility and consequently improves health
outcomes, quite independently of health related behaviours. This association between
education and well-being has also been found for adult learners (see Dench & Regan,
1999).

4.3.3 Issues of causality

The pattern of causality here is somewhat complicated. Firstly, although no single
gene or polygenic site responsible for inheritance of depression and mental health
problems has been conclusively identified (see Cummings & Davies, 1994) we cannot
ignore the substantial evidence implicating the importance of hereditary factors.
Secondly, the role of reverse causality cannot be ruled out. For example, parents of
children with developmental disorders are, understandably, under increased pressures.
Stress and depression may then result not from the parent but rather as a consequence
of the increased demands they face (for example, (McLoyd & Wilson, 1991).

Finally, an inherent methodological problem here is that self-reported information
may be influenced by the mental health and well-being of parents causing complex
bias in the estimation of results and thus some caution is required. Similarly, mothers
depressed by their financial situations may be more likely to perceive their children as
being distressed as well. For example, Duncan et al. (1994) found that mother’s
accounts of their child’s behaviour correlate only modestly with other sources of
information, such as teachers’ reports and are confounded with mother’s own mental
health. Thus, correlations between family economic status and maternal reports of
children’s problems may be a spurious reflection of the association between financial
difficulties and mother’s psychological distress.

4.3.4 Summary

Parental mental health and well-being is an important influence on children’s
outcomes. It affects proximal processes in the home and can interact with other
characteristics of the family such as parental cognitions. The evidence supports the
view that such mediating relationships exist even if the precise causal role is
unproven.

There is some relationship between education and mental health and well-being but
education would rank relatively low amongst the factors that directly influence mental
health and well-being. The benefit of education is more in terms of managing mental
health conditions and sustaining well-being rather than being a key driving force.

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