Relative deprivation and subsequent health, happiness, and human flourishing: A longitudinal outcome-wide analysis

Abstract

Background

Relative deprivation induced by unfavorable social comparisons due to income disparity has been linked to adverse health outcomes. However, its association with broader aspects of human flourishing has not been well established. Furthermore, most prior studies rely on cross-sectional data, limiting causal interpretation and raising concerns about reverse causality.

Methods

We used three waves of longitudinal panel data (2022, 2023, and 2024) from the adult population in Taiwan (N = 3413) to examine how relative deprivation, measured by the Yitzhaki Index, was associated with various subsequent health, happiness, and human flourishing outcomes. We applied an outcome-wide analytic approach, adjusting for pre-baseline covariates and exposure levels, as well as prior outcome values when available. Sensitivity analyses included the calculation of E-values and robustness checks using alternative reference group definitions.

Results

Relative deprivation was negatively associated with 15 out of 16 outcomes across multiple domains of human flourishing, including lower levels of general and mental health, happiness, life satisfaction, and measures related to meaning and purpose, character and virtue, social relationships, and financial stability. Among all outcomes, life satisfaction, job satisfaction, and financial-related outcomes exhibited more pronounced associations with relative deprivation. In contrast, no association was observed between relative deprivation and loneliness. E-values ranging from 1.35 to 1.74 suggested moderate robustness to unmeasured confounding. Findings were consistent across alternative definitions for constructing relative deprivation.

Conclusion

This study suggests that exposure to relative deprivation is a critical psychosocial stressor that compromises health and undermines multiple dimensions of well-being and human flourishing.