How do family adversity and youth stressful experiences lead to adult economic adversity? An integration of multiple life course mechanisms

The primary objective of the present study was to apply multiple life course mechanisms, drawn from the life course epidemiological perspective, to explain the long-term influence of family socioeconomic adversity and adolescent stressful life events on adult economic adversity. The study used prospective data over 13 years from 11,075 adolescents from the Adolescent to Adult Health Study (Add Health). First, we developed a comprehensive life course model by integrating causal and temporal relationships among different life course processes and pathways discussed in previous research. Specifically, the findings provided evidence for the long-term influence of family socioeconomic adversity on adult economic adversity through life-stage specific stressful life events and depressive symptoms. This connection occurred through various risk pathways such as the clustering of risk, risk cascading, and cumulative exposure. Such integrated models are well suited to investigate life course stressors and can be used as broad analytical frameworks for life course developmental studies. Thus, the present study has served substantive, illustrative, and methodological purposes. The study findings suggest that to improve adult wellbeing, programmes and policies focusing on early life adversities and stressors are important.