Relative Deprivation and Mental Health in Canadian Adolescents

Prior research on social class differences in adult mental illness suggests that relative differences in affluence impact mental health and well-being more than absolute affluence. However, it is unclear whether relative deprivation also relates to adolescent mental health and to both internalizing and externalizing dimensions of mental health. This study examined the association between relative deprivation in schools and mental health in a community sample of 26,069 adolescent participants of the Canadian Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study. School-based surveys measured five dimensions of mental health and well-being: internalizing symptoms, externalizing symptoms, positive well-being, prosocial behaviour and life satisfaction. Regression analyses found that relative deprivation positively related to internalizing problems and negatively related to well-being and life satisfaction after differences in absolute affluence were held constant. However, relative deprivation did not relate to externalizing dimensions of mental health (externalizing symptoms and prosocial behaviour). These findings extend epidemiological evidence of links between income inequality and internalizing psychopathology to adolescent populations and underscore the influential role of socioeconomic status in adolescent health. Suggestions for future research and the practical implications of the findings are discussed.