Research on relative deprivation (RD) and health has focused primarily on adult populations. Using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, this study examines the link between RD and adolescent depression and is the first to test the mechanisms that underlie this relationship. This study finds that controlling for school fixed effects, family income, and observed characteristics of students and their families, students with higher RD within schools exhibit more depressive symptoms. This study also considers how RD may influence adolescent depression. Sobel-Goodman mediation tests reveal that a combination of lowered self-esteem and future expectations (especially about educational attainment) explains nearly half of the association between RD and adolescent depression. Results of this study suggest that social inequality and stratification may implicate population health in the next generation through socioeconomic stratification within schools.

相对剥夺和健康的研究主要集中在成年人口上。这项研究使用了《青少年对成人健康的国家纵向研究》，研究了RD与青少年抑郁症之间的联系，并且是第一个检验这种关系基础的机制。这项研究发现，在控制学校固定效应，家庭收入以及观察到的学生及其家庭特征的情况下，学校内RD较高的学生表现出更多的抑郁症状。这项研究还考虑了RD如何影响青少年抑郁症。Sobel-Goodman调解测试显示，自卑感和未来期望（尤其是关于受教育程度）的结合解释了RD与青少年抑郁症之间的关系的近一半。