Citation

Cheng H, Furnham A. Psychiatry Int. (Basel) 2021; 2(2): 224-232.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, MDPI: Multidisciplinary Digital Publications Institute)

DOI

10.3390/psychiatryint2020017

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This study explored a longitudinal data set of over 10,663 children at age 7 years to examine various psychological and sociological factors that possibly influenced their behavioural problems. Data were collected when cohort members were born, then 9 months old, and later at later at ages 3 and 7 years. Structural equation modelling showed that the family income, maternal psychological distress, the parent-child relationship, and maternal personality traits all had direct significant effects on children's behavioural problems, accounting for 42 percent of the total variance. The strongest predictor was parent-child relationship, followed by maternal emotional stability (low neuroticism) and the family poverty indicator.

Language: en

Keywords

children’s behavioural problems; cross-sectional and longitudinal; family income; maternal depression; maternal personality traits; parent-child relationship