Pandemic depression and anxiety: Heterogeneous associations with the
childhood sociodemographic environment and beyond
Abstract
There is increasing evidence that childhood socioeconomic status (SES)
is associated with various health conditions in adulthood. Here, we
examine the extent to which childhood SES is associated with COVID-19
pandemic anxiety and depression. Participants (n = 212), recruited from
Amazon Mechanical Turk, were assessed for depression and anxiety in
February 2022 for both the current context and retrospectively for April
2020. Participants also reported childhood SES and current demographics.
Consistent with past research, we show a strong, positive correlation
between early and late pandemic depression and anxiety. Paternal
unemployment in childhood was associated with increased anxiety and
depression; maternal occupation was not. High household education in
childhood was generally associated with greater anxiety and depression,
similar to past studies examining current education levels and
depression. However, the shift from high school to post-secondary
degrees (trade school and associate’s) was associated with decreased
anxiety and depression, which may reflect “essential work” careers,
and therefore indicating a dualism. Growing up in crowded,
deindividualized spaces was associated with lower anxiety and
depression, suggesting better conditioning for the imposition of
COVID-19 quarantines. Pandemic-related unemployment was associated with
an increase in anxiety and depression. Strong political views,
regardless of ideology, were associated with increased anxiety. Finally,
overall anxiety and depression in our sample decreased during the
pandemic by 6.6% and 7.9% respectively. Our work suggests a complex
relationship between SES, demographics, and anxiety and depression
during the pandemic. These findings emphasize the importance of
exploring the dynamics between early SES and mental health in adulthood,
particularly during extended societal stressors.