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Trajectories of family poverty and children's mental health: Results from the Danish National Birth Cohort

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  • Pryor, Laura
  • Strandberg-Larsen, Katrine
  • Nybo Andersen, Anne-Marie
  • Hulvej Rod, Naja
  • Melchior, Maria

Abstract

Children exposed to socioeconomic adversity have elevated levels of psychological difficulties immediately and long-term. However, few studies have examined the consequences of long-term patterns of dynamic trajectories of family income. The Danish National Birth Cohort (DNBC) is a longitudinal, population-based birth cohort study (1996–2002). Data on household poverty from the year before birth until the child was 10 years of age (n = 12 measures) were obtained from the National Danish Registries and modeled using semiparametric group-based modeling. Child mental health symptoms were measured at 11 years using mother and child-reported Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaires (n = 40 192), and the child-reported Stress in Childhood (SiC) scale (n = 46 284). Four categories of family socioeconomic position were identified: 1) No poverty (83.5%); 2) Intermittent poverty, representing families who alternate between being above and below the poverty cut-off (8.6%); 3) Poverty during the perinatal period (4.9%); and 4) Chronic poverty (3.0%). Controlling for several early life characteristics of the family, mother and child, intermittent poverty vs. no poverty was consistently associated with child psychological difficulties (any problem: RR = 1.38, 95% CI: 1.16–1.64; conduct problems: RR = 1.38, 95% CI: 1.16–1.64; and stress: RR = 1.07, 95% CI: 1.02–1.12). An association was also found between perinatal poverty and children's symptoms of hyperactivity/inattention (RR = 1.28, 95% CI = 1.03; 1.59). We found no associations between chronic poverty and any of the outcome measures when adjusting for early life risk factors. Children growing up in households characterized by financial instability have elevated levels of psychosocial symptoms, especially externalizing behaviors, as well as stress in early adolescence.

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  • Pryor, Laura & Strandberg-Larsen, Katrine & Nybo Andersen, Anne-Marie & Hulvej Rod, Naja & Melchior, Maria, 2019. "Trajectories of family poverty and children's mental health: Results from the Danish National Birth Cohort," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 220(C), pages 371-378.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:220:y:2019:i:c:p:371-378
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2018.10.023
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    2. Chang, Ling-Yin & Chiang, Tung-liang, 2020. "Association between socioeconomic status and the trajectory of insufficient sleep: Maternal emotional support as a moderator," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 261(C).
    3. Livings, Michelle Sarah, 2021. "The gendered relationship between maternal depression and adolescent internalizing symptoms," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 291(C).
    4. Amie Bostic, 2023. "Family, Work, Economy, or Social Policy: Examining Poverty Among Children of Single Mothers in Affluent Democracies Between 1985 and 2016," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 42(4), pages 1-57, August.
    5. Chang, Qingsong & Peng, Chenhong & Guo, Yingqi & Cai, Ziyi & Yip, Paul S.F., 2020. "Mechanisms connecting objective and subjective poverty to mental health: Serial mediation roles of negative life events and social support," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 265(C).
    6. Ji-Kang Chen & Zhiyou Wang & Hung Wong & Vera Mun-yu Tang, 2021. "Child Deprivation as a Mediator of the Relationships between Family Poverty, Bullying Victimization, and Psychological Distress," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 14(5), pages 2001-2019, October.
    7. Morrissey, Taryn W. & Cha, Yun & Wolf, Sharon & Khan, Mariam, 2020. "Household economic instability: Constructs, measurement, and implications," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).

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