Psychological problems affect future lives: study

Children who experience mental health difficulties like depression and substance abuse are more likely to have lower pay, fewer marriages and more trouble in maximizing their educational opportunities, according to the study by researchers at RAND Corp., a non-profit think-tank near Los Angeles.

The conclusion was based on general data and a 2007 survey gathered by a large ongoing study that tracked 5,000 American families for four decades, the researchers said in the study published in the May issue of Social Science & Medicine.

The study included siblings from the same family, which permitted a comparative look at brothers and/or sisters with and without psychological problems during childhood. Six percent of the participants had coped with psychological problems as children; Kazinform cites Xinhua.

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