Story perspectives

Study of 70k Twins Links Childhood Inequality to Depression

7/2/2026

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Summary

Story summary

U.S. researchers reported that childhood exposure to higher income inequality predicts adult depression.
The study examined 69,924 twins from four nations, using top-1% income share at ages five to fifteen.
Each one-percent rise in that share was linked to higher depression scores after adjusting for sex, education.
Heritability rose from 30 % to nearly 37 % in high-inequality areas, a change the authors noted was limited by the white-high-income sample’s generalizability.

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Story summary

U.S. researchers reported that childhood exposure to higher income inequality predicts adult depression.
The study examined 69,924 twins from four nations, using top-1% income share at ages five to fifteen.
Each one-percent rise in that share was linked to higher depression scores after adjusting for sex, education.
Heritability rose from 30 % to nearly 37 % in high-inequality areas, a change the authors noted was limited by the white-high-income sample’s generalizability.