Schizophrenia genetic risk and labour market outcomes in the Finnish general population: Are schizophrenia-related traits penalised or rewarded?

Background: Schizophrenia polygenic risk scores (SCZ_PRS) have been linked to cognitive functioning, creativity, behavioural traits, and psychiatric conditions beyond schizophrenia. This study examines how labour market segments reward or penalise traits associated with SCZ_PRS in the general population. Methods: We merged genetic, socio-economic and health registry data with repeated cross-sectional survey data from six Finnish cohorts (1992 to 2017), representing individuals aged 25–64 across Finnish regions (N = 20,121). Various regression models were employed to study labour market outcomes. Results: Individuals in the highest SCZ_PRS quintile were 6.4 percentage points less likely to be employed than those in the lowest quintile (P < 0.001; 99.5 % CI: 3.9–9.0 pp). Among employed individuals in knowledge-based occupations, an inverse U-shaped relationship between SCZ_PRS and income emerged after 2000. Knowledge workers in both the lowest (P = 0.004) and highest (P = 0.03) SCZ_PRS quintiles were 4–5 percentage points less likely to be in the highest income tertile than those in the middle quintile. No significant association was found between SCZ_PRS and income in physical labour. Conclusions: Beyond its overall negative association with employment, SCZ_PRS exhibits a non-linear relationship with income in cognitive-intensive occupations, where both low and high SCZ_PRS appear to be penalised. This pattern became more pronounced post-2000, coinciding with rising income inequality and technological advancements, likely reshaping labour market demands. While effect sizes are substantial, compensatory factors may mitigate these outcomes. Greater awareness of these associations and individual differences in labour market experiences could contribute to a more inclusive society.