Intergenerational mobility in 28 European countries – a new measure from a public health perspective
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Jarroch, Rand
Ibrahim, Yasmin
Laverty, Anthony
Filippidis, Filippos
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Introduction:
We assessed levels of intergenerational mobility across 28 European countries using a new composite measure of social status for European adults and their parents.
Methods:
We conducted a secondary dataset analysis of the cross-sectional Special Eurobarometer Survey wave 88.4, performed in December 2017 among 27538 individuals in 28 countries. Respondents’ adulthood perceived social status (‘adult’) as well as their parents’ perceived social status (‘parental’) were investigated by combining three indicators: subjective social status, occupation, and education. We created an intergenerational mobility scale by calculating the change in respondents’ social status compared to their parents’. The size of the interquartile range (IQR) of this scale was used to estimate intergenerational mobility in each country.
Results:
Median parental and adult social status scores varied across countries and regions. Overall, the median adult and parental social status scores were 4.35 (out of 10) and 5.00. Denmark (3.15), the Netherlands (2.96), and Sweden (2.96) had the largest IQRs of intergenerational mobility scores, indicating greater intergenerational mobility, whereas Slovakia (1.85), Croatia (1.85), Hungary (1.94) and Bulgaria (1.94) had the smallest IQRs.
Conclusions:
Using a new composite indicator of intergenerational mobility, we found large variation in intergenerational mobility between countries, as expressed by the size of the IQR of our novel scale. Our findings highlight countries which could reorient their policies to increase social mobility.
We assessed levels of intergenerational mobility across 28 European countries using a new composite measure of social status for European adults and their parents.
Methods:
We conducted a secondary dataset analysis of the cross-sectional Special Eurobarometer Survey wave 88.4, performed in December 2017 among 27538 individuals in 28 countries. Respondents’ adulthood perceived social status (‘adult’) as well as their parents’ perceived social status (‘parental’) were investigated by combining three indicators: subjective social status, occupation, and education. We created an intergenerational mobility scale by calculating the change in respondents’ social status compared to their parents’. The size of the interquartile range (IQR) of this scale was used to estimate intergenerational mobility in each country.
Results:
Median parental and adult social status scores varied across countries and regions. Overall, the median adult and parental social status scores were 4.35 (out of 10) and 5.00. Denmark (3.15), the Netherlands (2.96), and Sweden (2.96) had the largest IQRs of intergenerational mobility scores, indicating greater intergenerational mobility, whereas Slovakia (1.85), Croatia (1.85), Hungary (1.94) and Bulgaria (1.94) had the smallest IQRs.
Conclusions:
Using a new composite indicator of intergenerational mobility, we found large variation in intergenerational mobility between countries, as expressed by the size of the IQR of our novel scale. Our findings highlight countries which could reorient their policies to increase social mobility.
Date Acceptance
2025-03-27
Citation
Population Medicine, 7 (8)
ISSN
2654-1459
Publisher
European Publishing
Journal / Book Title
Population Medicine
Volume
7
Issue
8
Copyright Statement
© 2025 Jarroch R. et al. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 International License. (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0)
License URL
Identifier
10.18332/popmed/203419
Subjects
intergenerational mobility
adult social status
parental social status
public health
European Union
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2025-03-31