Sociology of Mental Health
Theories, Social Contexts, and Systems

This textbook examines mental health's social context, focusing on social support, stress, stigma, and social inequality.

Teresa L. Scheid (Edited by), Eric R. Wright (Edited by)

9781009414944, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 24 July 2025

528 pages
25.4 x 20.3 x 2.9 cm, 1.416 kg

Sociology of Mental Health, 4th Edition offers a comprehensive introduction to the impact of social forces on mental health. Fully updated throughout, it features eleven new chapters on such topics as immigration, the work-family interface, and LGBTQ+ mental health. Part I addresses the central theoretical developments in the sociology of mental health. Part II examines the social context of mental health, including the social structures, statuses, and positions that affect mental health. Part III moves to the system level, focusing on the structural forces that shape mental health care. Each chapter is written by leading scholars who have defined our understanding of the relationship between mental health and society. This book is designed for mental health students, educators, researchers, and providers, serving as an essential resource for anyone seeking to understand mental health and mental health delivery systems.

Foreword Allan V. Horwitz
Preface Teresa L. Scheid and Eric R. Wright
Part I. Theoretical Perspectives on Mental Health and Illness: 1. Sociological approaches to mental illness Peggy A. Thoits
2. Defining mental disorders Owen Whooley and Bianca Ruiz-Negrón
3. How should we assess mental health problems? Jason Schnittker
4. Socioeconomic stratification and mental disorder William W. Eaton and Carles Muntaner
5. Labeling and stigma as it applies to mental illness Bruce G. Link and Jo C. Phelan
6. Stigma resistance and mental illness identity: implications for theory and practice Kristen Marcussen
7. The sociology of suicide Jason Manning
8. Patterns, pathways, and correlates of care: classic and contemporary theories of utilization and findings Bernice A. Pescosolido and Elizabeth M. Anderson
Part II. The Social Context of Mental Health and Illness: 9. Major findings and new directions in the study of social support and mental health Robyn Lewis Brown, Christy L. Erving and Maria Rockett
10. Gender and the pathways to mental health and illness Sarah Rosenfield, Dena T. Smith and Meleah Fekete
11. Black American women and mental well-being: the intersection of race, gender, and socioeconomic status Verna M. Keith and Diane R. Brown
12. Sexual and gender minority mental health Gabe H. Miller
13. Sociology and public health applied to preventing adolescent suicidal behavior Leigh Willis and Alexander Crosby
14. Mental health and the work-family interface Marisa Young and Ruth Repchuck
15. Accessed status and mental well-being in cross-cultural context: competing theories Lijun Song and Zhe Zhang
Part III. Mental Health Systems and Policy: 16. Mental health care in the community Kerry Dobransky
17. Mental illness and the criminal justice system Virginia Aldige' Hiday and Brad Ray
18. Homelessness and mental illness Fred E. Markowitz
19. Immigration, culture and mental health Andrea G. Perez Poritillo, Juliann Li Verdugo and David T. Takeuchi
20. Mental health and the trauma of terrorism and extreme violence Robert J. Johnson, Olivia Yoh, Isabelle Beulaygue and Stevan E. Hobfoll
21. Stigma in global context: cultural myths and realities that shape research and social change Emily A. Ekl and Bernice A. Pescosolido
Epilogue: critical reflection and future directions for sociological research Eric R. Wright and Teresa L. Scheid.

Subject Areas: Clinical psychology [MMJ]