Table 2.

Ordinary Least Squares Regression Models of the Association between Unsecured Debt-to-income Trajectory Groups (1985–2008) and Depressive Symptoms (Logged CES-D) at Midlife.

	Model 1	Model 2	Model 3	Model 4
DTI trajectories (reference = constant no/low debt)
Low-mid-low DTI	.021 (.040)	.060 (.039)	.041 (.037)	.050 (.037)
High to low DTI	.047 (.033)	.111*** (.033)	.083** (.032)	.092** (.031)
Mid to low DTI	−.037 (.036)	.006 (.036)	.000 (.034)	.019 (.033)
Low to high DTI	.230*** (.042)	.223*** (.042)	.189*** (.040)	.172*** (.040)
Constant high debt	.300*** (.041)	.322*** (.041)	.228*** (.039)	.192*** (.039)
Early adult social status characteristics
Sex (male = 1; female = 0)		−.259*** (.021)	−.196*** (.020)	−.186*** (.020)
Race (white = reference)
Black		.041+ (.024)	−.003 (.023)	−.030 (.023)
Other race		−.001 (.045)	−.037 (.044)	−.052 (.043)
Age (1985)		.028*** (.005)	.029*** (.005)	.023*** (.005)
Marital status (married = reference)
Never married		.143*** (.025)	.098*** (.024)	.058* (.023)
Divorced/separated/widowed		.155*** (.032)	.110*** (.030)	.074* (.030)
Educational attainment (high school degree or less = reference)
Four-year college degree or more		−.253*** (.027)	−.166*** (.026)	−.111*** (.026)
Some college		−.205*** (.026)	.147*** (.025)	.109*** (.025)
Early life (lagged) CES-D (ln)			.292*** (.013)	.259*** (.013)
Early life health limitations (1 = yes)			.143*** (.027)	.019 (.027)
Number of unemployment spells (1985–2008)				.052*** (.011)
Number of disabling health spells (1985–2008)				.069*** (.004)
Constant	1.109*** (.025)	.566*** (.117)	.125 (.115)	.226* (.112)
R2	.015	.059	.131	.166

Note. N = 7,694. CES-D = Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale; DTI = debt-to-income.

⁺p < .10.

^*p < .05.

^**p < .01.

^***p < .001.