Household income, economic pressure, and depressive mood among unmarried women in midlife: the moderating effects of locus of control, financial instrumental support received from parents, and race

This investigation uses data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Young Women to replicate studies identifying the associations among household income, economic pressure, and depressive mood in an economically diverse, national sample of white and black unmarried (never married, divorced, separated, and widowed) women in midlife. The study also examines the effects of locus of control and financial instrumental support received from parents on the associations among these economic and psychological measures and explores how these relationships might vary as a function of women's race. Because women's physical health in midlife is associated strongly with depressive mood, the study examines these relationships net of the effects of women's self-rated physical health. Results of structural equation modeling suggest that economic pressure fully mediated the negative association between household income and women's depressive mood. However, no moderating effects were observed. For both white and black women, the effects of economic pressure on depressive mood did not vary according to women's locus of control or receipt of financial instrumental support from their parents. Additionally, women's locus of control was not associated with higher-order moderation of the effects of receiving financial instrumental support from parents

Household income and depressive mood among single women in midlife : a nuanced approach across economic strata

"Using data from the 1999 wave of the National Longitudinal Survey of Young Women (NLS-YW), this study examined the relationship between income and self-reported depressive mood in a national sample of 772 unmarried women aged 45 to 58. ANCOVA was used to compare depressive mood among three U. S. Census-based income groups (lower, middle, and higher) net of the effects of race and self-rated health. Mean levels of depressive mood did not vary significantly between women in the lower and middle-income groups, but were significantly lower in the higher-income group. Additionally, a series of multiple regression analyses was used to predict depressive mood in the total sample and the three income groups from nine sources of income, net of the effects of race, health, and total income. In the total sample, women who had income from labor had significantly lower levels of depressive mood than those not in the work force. Women who received alimony and hardship payments had significantly higher levels of depressive mood than those without income from these sources. Similar but distinct patterns emerged for the three income groups."--Abstract from author supplied metadata

Date of Final Oral Examination ii TABLE OF CONTENTS

Women (NLS-YW), this study examined the relationship between income and selfreported depressive mood in a national sample of 772 unmarried women aged 45 to 58. ANCOVA was used to compare depressive mood among three U. S. Census-based income groups (lower, middle, and higher) net of the effects of race and self-rated health. Mean levels of depressive mood did not vary significantly between women in the lower and middle-income groups, but were significantly lower in the higher-income group. Additionally, a series of multiple regression analyses was used to predict depressive mood in the total sample and the three income groups from nine sources of income, net of the effects of race, health, and total income. In the total sample, women who had income from labor had significantly lower levels of depressive mood than those not in the work force. Women who received alimony and hardship payments had significantly higher levels of depressive mood than those without income from these sources. Similar bu