Social risk factors as predictors for parental report of deviant behaviour in 3-year-old children.
The objective of this study was to examine whether social risk factors adjusted for gender and some well-known perinatal risk factors were related to parental descriptions of deviant behaviour in 3(1/2)-year-old children. The study was a prospective cohort study of 1345 mothers enrolled during early pregnancy. Parents answered a questionnaire and children's behavioural difficulties were categorized into the following groups; "hyperactive-distractible", "hostile-aggressive" and "anxious-fearful" following a modified Behar scale. The male gender was found to be related to a description of all kinds of deviant behaviour. Having a family member experiencing employment difficulties was the factor most closely related to "hyperactive-distractible" behaviour. Familial stress due to lack of time, experience of divorce and mothers in excess of 35 years at childbirth were found to be related to "hostile-aggressive" behaviour, but male gender was the most closely related. Social disadvantage was not found to be related to "anxious-fearful" behaviour.
Bonde
Else
E
University Hospital of Aarhur, Haral Selmersvej, Risskov, Denmark. pht@buh.aaa.dk
Obel
Carsten
C
Nedergård
Niels Jørgen
NJ
Thomsen
Per Hove
PH
D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires