The third edition of this award-winning and highly successful handbook features theory-driven reviews of recent research with a comprehensive approach to the investigation of the ways in which society shapes the mental health of its members and the lives of those who have been diagnosed as having a mental illness. The handbook is distinctive in its focus on how the organization and functioning of society influence the occurrence of mental disorder and its consequences. A core issue that runs throughout the text concerns the differential distribution of mental illness across various social strata, defined by status characteristics such as gender, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and age. The contributions to this volume shed light on the social, cultural, and economic factors that explain why some social groups have an elevated risk of disorder. They also address the social repercussions of mental disorders for individuals, including stigmatization within the larger society, and for their families and social networks. This thoroughly updated edition includes substantial updates to previous chapters, as well several new chapters by established and emerging scholars. These additions emphasize important theoretical developments in the field (e.g., social network theories), focus on vulnerable populations (e.g., children; sexual minorities; individuals with disabilities), and raise critical and timely issues facing local and global communities (e.g., crime, policing, and mental illness; community-based mental health care). The contributing authors share their views on current and potential avenues for sociological approaches to mental health in a concluding “future directions” section of the handbook.

Kristen Marcussen is Professor of Sociology at Kent State University. Her research focuses on identity processes and mental health, with particular attention to how identity theories explain behavior and psychological well-being in the context of both normative and stigmatized identities. Her recent research examines stigma resistance in the context of mental illness identity.

Mary Gallagher is an Associate Professor of Sociology at Kent State University. Her research is situated within identity theory and focuses on how different types of identities, identity characteristics, and sources of reflected appraisal impact psychological well-being. 

Richard E. Adams is a Professor of Sociology at Kent State University. His areas of research include trauma and mental health among survivors of community disasters, law enforcement officers, and combat veterans. He has also published research on identities and mental health, positive youth development, and social determinants of mental health.