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

TY - JOUR

T1 - Socioeconomic Status and Child Mental Health

T2 - The Role of Parental Emotional Well-Being and Parenting Practices

AU - Boe, Tormod

AU - Sivertsen, Borge

AU - Heiervang, Einar

AU - Goodman, Robert

AU - Lundervold, Astri J.

AU - Hysing, Mari

PY - 2014/7

Y1 - 2014/7

N2 - This study examined the role of parental emotional well-being and parenting practices as mediators of the association between familial socioeconomic status (SES) and child mental health problems. The sample included 2,043 5th-7th graders (50.7 % female) participating in the second wave of the Bergen Child Study. Children completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, parents reported family economy and education level, emotional well-being (measured with the Everyday Feelings Questionnaire), and the use of negative disciplinary and affirmative parenting practices (measured using the Family Life Questionnaire). Path analyses were conducted to examine the associations between SES and externalizing and internalizing problems. Results supported a model where family economy was associated with externalizing problems through parental emotional well-being and parenting practices, whereas maternal education level was associated with externalizing problems through negative discipline. The direct association between paternal education level and externalizing problems was not mediated by parenting. For internalizing problems, we found both direct associations with family economy and indirect associations with family economy through parental emotional well-being and parenting. The results suggest that parental emotional well-being and parenting practices are two potential mechanisms through which low socioeconomic status is associated with child mental health problems.

AB - This study examined the role of parental emotional well-being and parenting practices as mediators of the association between familial socioeconomic status (SES) and child mental health problems. The sample included 2,043 5th-7th graders (50.7 % female) participating in the second wave of the Bergen Child Study. Children completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, parents reported family economy and education level, emotional well-being (measured with the Everyday Feelings Questionnaire), and the use of negative disciplinary and affirmative parenting practices (measured using the Family Life Questionnaire). Path analyses were conducted to examine the associations between SES and externalizing and internalizing problems. Results supported a model where family economy was associated with externalizing problems through parental emotional well-being and parenting practices, whereas maternal education level was associated with externalizing problems through negative discipline. The direct association between paternal education level and externalizing problems was not mediated by parenting. For internalizing problems, we found both direct associations with family economy and indirect associations with family economy through parental emotional well-being and parenting. The results suggest that parental emotional well-being and parenting practices are two potential mechanisms through which low socioeconomic status is associated with child mental health problems.

KW - Bergen child study

KW - Socioeconomic status

KW - Internalizing and externalizing problems

KW - Family process

KW - CROSS-SECTIONAL ANALYSES

KW - SOCIAL-CLASS GRADIENTS

KW - ECONOMIC HARDSHIP

KW - DIFFICULTIES QUESTIONNAIRE

KW - FAMILY PROCESS

KW - LONGITUDINAL MEDIATION

KW - INTERNALIZING PROBLEMS

KW - PSYCHIATRIC-DISORDERS

KW - FATHER INVOLVEMENT

KW - STRESS MODEL

U2 - 10.1007/s10802-013-9818-9

DO - 10.1007/s10802-013-9818-9

M3 - Article

SN - 0091-0627

VL - 42

SP - 705

EP - 715

JO - Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology

JF - Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology

IS - 5

ER -