Relationship of Subjective and Objective Social Status With Psychological and Physiological Functioning: Preliminary Data in Healthy White Women

This preliminary study compared the associations between objective and subjective socioeconomic status (SES) with psychological and physical variables among 157 healthy White women, 59 of whom subsequently participated in a laboratory stress study. Compared with objective indicators, subjective soci...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Health psychology 2000-11, Vol.19 (6), p.586-592
Main Authors: Adler, Nancy E, Epel, Elissa S, Castellazzo, Grace, Ickovics, Jeannette R
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adaptation, Psychological
Adult
Body Mass Index
Body size
Female
Health
Health Status
Human
Humans
Hydrocortisone - metabolism
Mental Health
Middle Aged
Physiology
Psychological functioning
Regression Analysis
Risk Factors
Self-Perception
Social Class
Social Status
Socioeconomic Factors
Socioeconomic Status
United States - epidemiology
White People
Women
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Summary:This preliminary study compared the associations between objective and subjective socioeconomic status (SES) with psychological and physical variables among 157 healthy White women, 59 of whom subsequently participated in a laboratory stress study. Compared with objective indicators, subjective social status was more consistently and strongly related to psychological functioning and health-related factors (self-rated health, heart rate, sleep latency, body fat distribution, and cortisol habituation to repeated stress). Most associations remained significant even after controlling for objective social status and negative affectivity. Results suggest that, in this sample with a moderately restricted range on SES and health, psychological perceptions of social status may be contributing to the SES-health gradient.
ISSN:0278-6133
1930-7810
DOI:10.1037/0278-6133.19.6.586