Title
Family factors and life events as risk factors for behavioural and emotional problems in children
Author
Harland, P.
Reijneveld, S.A.
Brugman, E.
Verloove-Vanhorick, S.P.
Verhulst, F.C.
Publication year
2002
Abstract
Abstract The aim of this study was to identify groups of children at increased risk of behavioural or emotional problems on the basis of socio-demographic characteristics, family characteristics, and recent life events with a focus on unemployment and divorce or separation. We obtained data on the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) from a community-based national sample of 4480 parents of school-aged children and interviewed them about their demographic and family characteristics and about the child's recent life events. Results showed that family characteristics and recent life events were more strongly associated with children's risks of behavioural and emotional problems as measured by the CBCL than other demographic characteristics. Risks were somewhat higher for children who had experienced parental unemployment and divorce or separation recently, as compared to those who had experienced these events in the more distant past. We conclude that children with recent experience of parental unemployment or parental divorce or separation are at a relatively high risk of behavioural and emotional problems as reported by parents. Although relatively high, the risks that were found do not justify restriction of screening for behavioural and emotional problems to these children.
Subject
Health
Child behaviour
Life events
Separation
Unemployment
Behavior disorder
Controlled study
Emotional disorder
Major clinical study
Adolescent
Affective Symptoms
Child
Child Behavior Disorders
Child, Preschool
Demography
Divorce
Family
Female
Humans
Life Change Events
Male
Risk Factors
Stress, Psychological
Unemployment
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DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-002-0277-z
TNO identifier
236902
ISSN
1018-8827
Source
European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 11 (4), 176-184
Document type
article