Predicting differentiated developmental trajectories of prosocial behavior: A 12-year longitudinal study of children facing early risks and vulnerabilities

2020 ◽  
pp. 016502542093563 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qinxin Shi ◽  
Idean Ettekal ◽  
Jeffrey Liew ◽  
Steven Woltering
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Behavior Problems ◽  
Prosocial Behavior ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Developmental Trajectories ◽  
Peer Acceptance ◽  
Peer Rejection ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Risk And Resilience ◽  
Stable Class

The current study examined the heterogeneity in the development of school-based prosocial behavior from Grades 1 to 12 and the role of multiple early childhood antecedents in predicting heterogeneous developmental trajectories of prosocial behavior in a sample of 784 children facing early risks and vulnerabilities (predominantly from low-income families and academically at risk; 52.6% male). In alignment with the risk and resilience framework, antecedents consisted of risk and protective factors from both individual (i.e., ego-resilient personality, behavior problems, intelligence, academic performance, gender, and ethnicity) and contextual domains (i.e., maternal support and responsiveness, family socioeconomic adversity, teacher–child warmth and conflict, and peer acceptance and rejection). We identified four distinct prosocial trajectories including a high-stable (52.5%), high-desisting (15%), moderate-increasing (20.6%), and low-stable class (11.9%). Results revealed that the low-stable, high-desisting, and moderate-increasing classes were associated with lower ego resiliency, higher behavior problems, lower teacher–child warmth, higher teacher–child conflict, and peer rejection in early childhood, compared to the high-stable group. Boys and African Americans were more likely to be in the low-stable, high-desisting, and moderate-increasing classes. Individual characteristics such as ego-resilient personality and contextual influences such as teacher–child warmth served as common protective antecedents. Interestingly, teacher–child conflict served as a unique predictor for the high-desisting class, and behavior problems and peer rejection served as unique predictors for the low-stable class.

scholarly journals Interparental aggression, attention skills, and early childhood behavior problems

2011 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 563-576 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nissa R. Towe-Goodman ◽  
Cynthia A. Stifter ◽  
Michael A. Coccia ◽  
Martha J. Cox ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Behavior Problems ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Variable Cross ◽  
Childhood Behavior ◽  
Attention Skills ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Interparental Aggression ◽  
Childhood Behavior Problems ◽  
Early Childhood Behavior

AbstractThe current study explored longitudinal associations between interparental aggression, the development of child attention skills, and early childhood behavior problems in a diverse sample of 636 families living in predominately low-income, nonmetropolitan communities. The results of latent-variable, cross-lagged longitudinal models revealed that maternal-reported interparental aggression in infancy predicted reduced observed attention skills in toddlerhood; no association was observed, however, between attention in infancy and interparental aggression during the toddler years. Further, reduced toddler attention and high interparental aggression were both associated with increased risk for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms and conduct problems at 3 years of age. Processes largely operated in similar ways regardless of child gender or low-income status, although a few differences were observed. Overall, the results suggest that interparental aggression undermines attention development, putting children's early behavioral adjustment at risk.

scholarly journals Poverty and behavior problems during early childhood

2016 ◽  
Vol 41 (6) ◽  
pp. 670-680 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Rachel Mazza ◽  
Jean-Baptiste Pingault ◽  
Linda Booij ◽  
Michel Boivin ◽  
Richard Tremblay ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Behavior Problems ◽  
Maternal Depression ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Physical Aggression ◽  
Depression Symptoms ◽  
Established Risk Factor ◽  
Statistics Canada ◽  
Using Data ◽  
And Behavior

Poverty is a well-established risk factor for behavior problems, yet our understanding of putative family mediators during early childhood (i.e., before age 5 years) is limited. The present study investigated whether the association between poverty and behavior problems during early childhood is mediated simultaneously by perceived parenting, family dysfunction and/or maternal depression symptoms. Outcomes measures were high trajectories of physical aggression and hyperactivity between 1.5 and 5 years. Poverty was defined as living 2–4 years below the low-income thresholds defined by Statistics Canada. Using data from the first five rounds of the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development, logistic regressions models showed that poverty was associated with a higher likelihood of being assigned to the high trajectory of physical aggression and hyperactivity. Overprotection and maternal depression symptoms mediated observed associations. Interventions targeting maternal depression, parenting, and poverty should help reducing children’s risk for early behavior problems.

scholarly journals Vínculos familiares e inclusión social. Variables predictoras de la conducta prosocial en la infancia

2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 340 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana M. Tur-Porcar ◽  
Anna Doménech ◽  
Vicenta Mestre
Keyword(s):  
Prosocial Behavior ◽  
Social Adjustment ◽  
Family Environment ◽  
Parental Attachment ◽  
Protective Factor ◽  
Peer Acceptance ◽  
Peer Rejection ◽  
Predictor Variables ◽  
Positive Relationships ◽  
Emotional Instability

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between prosocial behavior and family environment variables (attachment to the mother and father and abandonment by the mother and father), personal variables (emotional instability, aggression, and coping strategies), and variables that relate to the immediate social environment (peer acceptance and rejection). This study also examined the predictors of prosocial behavior. Prosocial behavior is a personal protective factor that encourages positive relationships between peers and promotes personal and social adjustment behaviors (Mikolajewski, Chavarria, Moltisanti, Hart &amp; Taylor, 2014). A study with a sample of 1,447 children (50.4% male and 49.6% female) aged between 7 and 12 years (<em>M</em> = 9.27; <em>SD</em> = 1.36) was conducted. The results confirmed the positive relationships between prosocial behavior and parental attachment, functional coping, and peer acceptance. The results also confirmed the negative relationships between prosocial behavior and abandonment by the parents, emotional instability, aggression, dysfunctional coping, and peer rejection. The positive predictor variables for prosocial behavior were attachment to the mother, functional coping, and expectations of peer acceptance. The negative predictor variables for prosocial behavior were emotional instability, physical and verbal aggression, and expectations of peer rejection. The findings have educational implications, which are discussed herein.

Child fear reactivity and sex as moderators of links between parenting and preschool behavior problems

2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (4pt1) ◽  
pp. 1179-1190 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa A. Barnett ◽  
Laura V. Scaramella
Keyword(s):  
Behavior Problems ◽  
Social Adjustment ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Preventive Intervention ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Negative Parenting ◽  
Supportive Parenting ◽  
Low Income Families ◽  
Fear Reactivity

AbstractReduced supportive parenting and elevated negative parenting behaviors increase risks for maladaptive social adjustment during early childhood (e.g., Campbell, Shaw, & Gilliom, 2000). However, the magnitude of these risks may vary according to children's individual characteristics, such as sex and temperament. The current study examines whether children's sex and fear reactivity moderate the associations between mothers’ observed parenting and children's behavior problems 1 year later. The sample consists of 151 predominantly African American, low-income families with one sibling who is approximately 2 years old and the closest aged older sibling who is approximately 4 years old. Results from fixed-effects within-family models indicate that fear distress (i.e., fearfulness) moderated associations between mothers’ observed negative parenting and children's increased behavior problems, such that only those children with mean or higher observed fear distress scores showed increased behavior problems when exposed to mother's negative parenting. Child sex moderated associations between fear approach reactivity (i.e., fearlessness) and mothers’ observed supportive parenting. Specifically, low fear approach combined with supportive parenting was associated with fewer behavior problems for boys only. Implications of these findings for preventive intervention are discussed.

scholarly journals M30. THE ASSOCIATION OF PEER-REPORTED BULLYING AND SOCIAL NETWORK CHARACTERISTICS WITH PSYCHOTIC EXPERIENCES IN CHILDHOOD

2020 ◽  
Vol 46 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S145-S146
Author(s):  
Lisa Steenkamp ◽  
Henning Tiemeier ◽  
Koen Bolhuis ◽  
Manon Hillegers ◽  
Steven A Kushner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prosocial Behavior ◽  
Social Relationships ◽  
Peer Acceptance ◽  
Peer Rejection ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Teacher Report ◽  
Bullying Perpetration ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Prospective Association ◽  
Peer Report

Abstract Background Psychotic experiences (PEs) are common in childhood and predictive of poor mental health outcomes, including psychosis, depression, and suicidal behavior. Prior studies indicate that bullying involvement and peer relationship difficulties may be linked to increased risk of PEs. However, most studies relied on self-report measures, while an approach including peer-report measures provides a more valid and comprehensive assessment of bullying and social relationships. This study aimed (1) to examine the prospective association of bullying perpetration and victimization with PEs in childhood, using a peer-nomination method complemented by ratings from mothers and teachers; (2) to investigate the prospective association between children’s social positions within classroom peer networks and PEs in childhood. Methods This study was embedded in the population-based Generation R Study, a birth cohort from Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Peer-reported bullying as well as peer rejection, peer acceptance, and prosocial behavior were obtained using dyadic peer nominations in classrooms, victimization was reported by the child itself (n=925, age=7.5). Bullying involvement was additionally assessed by teacher-reported questionnaire (n=1565, age=7.2) and mother-reported questionnaire (n=3276, age=8.1). Using network analysis, we constructed classroom peer networks for peer rejection, peer acceptance, and prosocial behavior and estimated children’s social positions within each network (i.e., degree centrality, closeness centrality and reciprocity). PEs were assessed at age 10 years with a self-report questionnaire. All analyses were adjusted for relevant potential confounders, including age, sex, ethnicity, and maternal education. Results After adjusting for sociodemographic covariates, higher bullying perpetration and higher victimization scores at 7–8 years were associated with increased risk of PEs at age 10 years for peer/self-report, teacher report, and mother report (bullying perpetration – peer report: OR=1.22, 95% CI 1.05–1.43, p=0.010, teacher report: OR=1.08, 95% CI 0.97–1.14, p=0.15, and mother report: OR=1.11, 95% CI 1.03–1.19, p=0.005; victimization – self report: OR=1.16, 95% CI 1.01–1.34, p=0.036, teacher report: OR=1.13, 95% CI 1.02–1.25, p=0.023, and mother report: OR=1.18, 95% CI 1.10–1.27, p&lt;0.001). Unfavorable positions within the peer rejection network were associated with increased risk of PEs (OR degree centrality=1.25, 95% CI 1.07–1.45, p FDR-corrected =0.036). After correction for multiple testing, there were no significant associations between social positions and PEs within the peer acceptance and the prosocial behavior networks. Discussion This is the first study to demonstrate that peer-reported bullying and peer rejection are associated with increased risk of PEs in childhood. Our findings extend current knowledge of self-perceptions in the context of psychosis vulnerability by offering unique insight into peer perceptions of bullying and social relationships. The consistent findings across child, mother, and teacher ratings provide important support for the role of bullying victimization and perpetration in the development of PEs. In addition, our findings showed that children with negative peer perceptions, i.e., children who are rejected by their peers, were at increased risk of PEs. School-based interventions aimed at preventing and eliminating bullying and social exclusion may help to prevent the development of PEs, and, hence, prevent the onset of severe mental health outcomes.

scholarly journals Child development assessment tools in low-income and middle-income countries: how can we use them more appropriately?

2015 ◽  
Vol 100 (5) ◽  
pp. 482-488 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saraswathy Sabanathan ◽  
Bridget Wills ◽  
Melissa Gladstone
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Capital Investment ◽  
Developmental Trajectories ◽  
Child Survival ◽  
Survival Rates ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Policy Interpretation

Global emphasis has shifted beyond reducing child survival rates to improving health and developmental trajectories in childhood. Optimum early childhood experience is believed to allow children to benefit fully from educational opportunities resulting in improved human capital. Investment in early childhood initiatives in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) is increasing. These initiatives use early childhood developmental assessment tools (CDATs) as outcome measures. CDATs are also key measures in the evaluation of programmatic health initiatives in LMICs, influencing public health policy. Interpretation of CDAT outcomes requires understanding of their structure and psychometric properties. This article reviews the structure and main methods of CDAT development with specific considerations when applied in LMICs.

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