The relations between contextual risk, earned income, and the school adjustment of children from economically disadvantaged families.
This longitudinal study examined the relations between multiple risk indexes representing contextual adversity, income-to-needs ratios, and the elementary school adjustment of children from economically disadvantaged families. The results provide evidence for volatility in family circumstances over 2-year intervals from preschool to 5th grade, for relations between the contextual risk indexes and change in externalizing behavior, and for relations between the income-to-needs ratios and change in academic competence. The results also show differences in the timing of the effects. Little evidence was found for persistence effects. Theoretical implications concern conceptualizations of the diverse and dynamic nature of the family circumstances experienced by disadvantaged children.
Department of Psychology, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA. bpa@psych.udel.edu
Brian P
BP
Ackerman
Eleanor D
ED
Brown
Carroll E
CE
Izard
D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D018479:Early Intervention, Educational; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D008016:Life Change Events; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology; D010552:Personality Assessment; D011203:Poverty / Q000523:psychology*; D011610:Psychosocial Deprivation; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012951:Socialization