Low socioeconomic status and perceptions of social inadequacy and shame: findings from the Dutch SMILE study

Background: Based on presumed negative social comparisons in lower socioeconomic status groups, we set out to examine whether notions of 'internalized inferiority' are more common in these groups. Methods: Dutch Studie naar Medische Informatie en Leefwijzen in Eindhoven (SMILE) data on 1323 participants, aged 58-94 in 2008, were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) of internalized inferiority by childhood and adulthood socioeconomic indicators. Questionnaires for social inadequacy and shame were used to measure internalized inferiority. Results: Both adulthood low educational level [OR 1.58; 95%... Mehr ...