Poverty Dynamics, Parenting, and Child Mental Health in Canada

Although the detrimental effects of poverty on child mental health are well established, questions remain as to which aspects of poverty matter most and which mechanisms account for the association. This study tested the relative influence of depth of current poverty and poverty duration on child anxiety/depression and antisocial behavior, then evaluated whether parenting practices mediated observed associations. Data come from four waves of the Canadian National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (1994–2000), with analysis restricted to children who were aged 2 to 5 at initial interview and lived with both biological parents throughout (n = 1,901). Depth of current poverty was associated with child anxiety/depression, whereas persistent poverty was associated with child antisocial behavior. Parenting behaviors were significant predictors but did not mediate the association between poverty dynamics and child mental health. The research and policy implications of these findings are discussed.

Download Full-text

Assessing the Feasibility of Providing a Family Skills Intervention, “Strong Families”, for Refugee Families Residing in Reception Centers in Serbia

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18094530 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (9) ◽

pp. 4530

Author(s):

Aala El-Khani ◽

Karin Haar ◽

Milos Stojanovic ◽

Wadih Maalouf

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Parenting Practices ◽

Humanitarian Aid ◽

Post Traumatic Stress ◽

Emotional Challenges ◽

Refugee Families ◽

Quantitative Results ◽

Post Traumatic ◽

Family Mental Health ◽

Anxiety Depression

War exposure and forced displacement threatens the wellbeing of caregivers and their children, leaving them at risk of negative outcomes, such as elevated rates of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. The importance of engaged, responsive and stable parenting for positive child wellbeing has been documented across diverse cultural and economic backgrounds. Despite the higher need for caregivers to be nurturing in challenging settings, they struggle to provide adequate support for their children due to lack of resources or their inability to deal with their own emotional challenges. A feasibility study was conducted of a new, open-access and light-touch family skills intervention, Strong Families (for families in humanitarian and challenged settings) on refugee families residing in Reception Centers in Serbia. Questionnaires and interviews were completed by participating caregivers and facilitators. Qualitative results indicated that the intervention was feasible to run in this humanitarian context, that caregivers viewed the intervention as culturally acceptable and complemented the quantitative results that showed promise for enhancing child behavior and family functioning tested indicators. Despite being a light intervention, Strong Families indicated improvement on child mental health, parenting practices and parent and family adjustment skills. Prioritizing family mental health and functioning as a primary need that parallels that of accessing physical medical care, sanitation and clean water must be the definitive next step in humanitarian aid.

Download Full-text

Socioeconomic Status and Child Mental Health: The Role of Parental Emotional Well-Being and Parenting Practices

Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology ◽

10.1007/s10802-013-9818-9 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 42 (5) ◽

pp. 705-715 ◽

Cited By ~ 92

Author(s):

Tormod Bøe ◽

Børge Sivertsen ◽

Einar Heiervang ◽

Robert Goodman ◽

Astri J. Lundervold ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Socioeconomic Status ◽

Child Mental Health ◽

Parenting Practices ◽

Well Being

Download Full-text

Internet Addiction: A Closer Look at Multidimensional Parenting Practices and Child Mental Health

Cyberpsychology Behavior and Social Networking ◽

10.1089/cyber.2018.0435 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 21 (12) ◽

pp. 768-773 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Yi-Ping Hsieh ◽

April Chiung-Tao Shen ◽

Hsi-Sheng Wei ◽

Jui-Ying Feng ◽

Soar Ching-Yu Huang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Internet Addiction ◽

Child Mental Health ◽

Parenting Practices

Download Full-text

Dyadic Coping in Foster and Biological Parents and Its Relation to Child Psychopathology

European Journal of Health Psychology ◽

10.1027/2512-8442/a000032 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 26 (3) ◽

pp. 71-89

Author(s):

Ann-Katrin Job ◽

Denise Kerkhoff ◽

Fridtjof W. Nussbeck ◽

Kerstin Konrad ◽

Nina Heinrichs ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Child Mental Health ◽

Child Psychopathology ◽

Foster Parents ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Health Problems ◽

Dyadic Coping ◽

Mothers And Fathers ◽

Biological Parents ◽

Two Samples

Abstract. This study investigated whether foster parents’ reports of their dyadic coping competencies differ from biological parents, whether there are differences with regard to the temporal associations between maternal and paternal dyadic coping in the two samples, and whether parental dyadic coping competencies predict future mental health problems in children. A total of 94 foster children and 157 children living in their biological families, both samples aged 2–7 years, as well as their (foster) parents were assessed three times over a 12-month period. The mothers’ and fathers’ dyadic coping competencies were assessed using the Dyadic Coping Inventory (DCI). Child psychopathology was assessed using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and a standardized clinical interview (Kinder-DIPS), both mainly based on maternal report. Foster parents reported better dyadic coping competencies across the three assessments than did biological parents. There were no significant differences with regard to the temporal associations between mothers’ and fathers’ report over time between the two samples. Cross-lagged panel models yielded a high within person stability across the three assessments for both, mothers and fathers (actor effects), as well as some significant interpersonal effects primarily from paternal to maternal dyadic coping (partner effects). In contrast to the expectation, mothers’ and fathers’ dyadic coping did not predict child mental health problems at the third assessment. The results make an important contribution to the research on dyadic coping and on how child mental health problems affect parental dyadic coping competencies and vice versa.

Download Full-text

Internalizing Symptoms in Children Being Reared by Grandparents in Rural Appalachia: Risk and Protective Factors

Journal of Family Issues ◽

10.1177/0192513x211048477 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 0192513X2110484

Author(s):

Peggy S. Keller ◽

Shuang Bi ◽

Nancy Schoenberg

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Internalizing Symptoms ◽

Child Anxiety ◽

Health Issues ◽

Custodial Grandparents ◽

Financial Status ◽

Primary Responsibility ◽

Custody Of Children ◽

Rural Appalachia ◽

Anxiety Depression

The present study investigates factors associated with anxiety, depression, and stress in children being reared by their grandparents in rural Appalachia. Grandparent-headed households, in which grandparents have primary responsibility for care of children, are increasing in number. However, research is needed on child risk for internalizing symptoms in this context. Participants included 35 children aged 5–18 years and one of their custodial grandparents. Interviewers read questionnaires to grandparents and children assessing family functioning and child mental health and participants indicated their answers. Mean scores for child internalizing symptoms and stress were on the higher end of the scale of measurement. Lower grandparent positive parenting, grandparent not having formal custody of children, greater grandparent mental health issues, lower grandparent education, and lower financial status were correlated with greater child anxiety, depression, and stress. Results also indicated that correlates of children’s internalizing symptoms differed based on child sex and age.

Download Full-text

Household Income Histories and Child Mental Health Trajectories

Journal of Health and Social Behavior ◽

10.1177/002214650504600404 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 46 (4) ◽

pp. 359-375 ◽

Cited By ~ 68

Author(s):

Lisa Strohschein

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Antisocial Behavior ◽

Household Income ◽

Repeated Measures ◽

Child Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Rate Of Change ◽

Child Depression ◽

Dynamic Components ◽

Over Time

Although it is widely accepted that low household income is associated with worse child mental health, less is known about whether income histories, often differentiated into stable and dynamic components, also matter. Using longitudinal data from the Child Supplement of the National Longitudinal Study of Youth, comprising the repeated measures of children ages 4 to 14 from 1986 to 1998 inclusive, I estimate generalized linear mixed models to evaluate the influence of household income histories on child depression and antisocial behavior over time. Results indicate that, at initial interview, low household income is associated with higher levels of depression and antisocial behavior; subsequent improvements in household income reduce child mental health problems. Further, the effect of initial household income on the rate of change in child depression attenuates as children grow older, whereas for antisocial behavior the effect of initial household income becomes stronger over time. These findings highlight the importance of understanding the ways in which children are influenced by their families' income histories.

Download Full-text