Sociocultural disadvantage, traumatic life events, and psychiatric symptoms in preadolescent children.
Previous research has demonstrated impact of psychosocial adversity on the mental health of children. This cross-sectional study examined specific influences of psychosocial adversity on internalizing versus externalizing symptoms, as explained by relative neighborhood disadvantage, sociocultural disadvantage, and exposure to interpersonal and non-interpersonal traumatic life events. Participants included 258 children aged 6 to 12 years from two Swedish elementary schools located in two socioeconomically distinct neighborhood settings. Information was obtained from their parents by means of questionnaires (a demographic form including information about parental occupation and country of origin, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and the Life Incidence of Traumatic Events checklist). Neighborhood differences in mental health were explained by variability in psychosocial adversity. While controlling for gender, age, and the other symptom dimension, sociocultural disadvantage was associated with internalizing but not with externalizing symptoms. In contrast, traumatic life events and especially interpersonal traumas were related to externalizing but not to internalizing symptoms. These findings provide some support for specificity of psychosocial adversities in the impact on child mental health.
Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Linköping University. per.e.gustafsson@fammed.umu.se
Per E
PE
Gustafsson
IngBeth
I
Larsson
Nina
N
Nelson
Per A
PA
Gustafsson
D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D008603:Mental Health; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012923:Social Class; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology*; D013548:Sweden; D035862:Vulnerable Populations / Q000523:psychology*