Childhood social adjustment, adolescent status, and young adult mental health.

A sample of 2453 grade school children were followed through record sources into young adulthood. Data on peer status and social class were collected, and a subset was subsequently located in high school yearbooks. Those with mental health treatment during young adulthood were determined. Significant relationships were found between peer status and high school activity, and young adult adjustment, with low peer status children having two to three times greater risk for mental health treatment contact in young adulthood.