First-generation college graduates have similar depressive symptoms in midlife as multi-generational college graduates

Purpose

Higher education may protect an individual against depressive symptoms, yet, disadvantaged socioeconomic status (SES) during childhood, often measured by lower parental education, may put them at higher risk for depressive symptoms later in life. This study evaluates if midlife depression is similar for first-generation and multi-generation college graduates.

Methods

For US Health and Retirement Study (HRS) participants ages 55–63 (N = 16,752), we defined a 4-category exposure from parents' (highest of mother or father's) and participant's own years of education, with 16 years indicating college completion: multi-gen (both $\ge$ 16 years: reference); first-gen (parents <16; own $\ge$ 16); only parent(s) (parents $\ge$ 16; own <16); and neither (both <16) college graduates across three birth cohorts. We used linear regressions to evaluate relationships between college completion and depressive symptoms measured by an 8-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies – Depression (CES-D) scale. Models pooled over time evaluated differences by sex, race/ethnicity, and birthplace.

Results

First-gen and multi-gen college graduates averaged similar depressive symptoms in midlife ($\beta$: 0.01; 95% CI: 0.15, 0.13). Results were similar by sex and race/ethnicity.

Conclusion

Consistent with resource substitution theory, college completion may offset the deleterious effects of lower parental education on midlife depressive symptoms for first-generation graduates.