title: The influence of unsupervised time on elementary school children at high risk for inattention and problem behaviors.
abstract: In the last few decades, changing socioeconomic and family structures have increasingly left children alone without adult supervision. Carefully prepared and limited periods of unsupervised time are not harmful for children. However, long unsupervised periods have harmful effects, particularly for those children at high risk for inattention and problem behaviors. In this study, we examined the influence of unsupervised time on behavior problems by studying a sample of elementary school children at high risk for inattention and problem behaviors. The study analyzed data from the Children's Mental Health Promotion Project, which was conducted in collaboration with education, government, and mental health professionals. The child behavior checklist (CBCL) was administered to assess problem behaviors among first- and fourth-grade children. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the influence of unsupervised time on children's behavior. A total of 3,270 elementary school children (1,340 first-graders and 1,930 fourth-graders) were available for this study; 1,876 of the 3,270 children (57.4%) reportedly spent a significant amount of time unsupervised during the day. Unsupervised time that exceeded more than 2h per day increased the risk of delinquency, aggressive behaviors, and somatic complaints, as well as externalizing and internalizing problems. Carefully planned afterschool programming and care should be provided to children at high risk for inattention and problem behaviors. Also, a more comprehensive approach is needed to identify the possible mechanisms by which unsupervised time aggravates behavior problems in children predisposed for these behaviors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Incheon, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kyoung-Sae
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Na
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, College of Medicine, Soochunhyang University, Gyeonggi-Do, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Soyoung Irene
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Anyang, Republic of Korea; Suicide and School Mental Health Institute, Anyang, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hyun Ju
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Nurse, Gyeonggi Provincial Mental Health Center, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Myoung-Ja
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Geon Ho
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Bahn
authors.affiliation: School of Humanities and Social Science, Ajou University, Suwon, Republic of Korea; Suicide and School Mental Health Institute, Anyang, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kyunghee
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea; Suicide and School Mental Health Institute, Anyang, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yun Mi
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Republic of Korea; Suicide and School Mental Health Institute, Anyang, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jungeun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Ilsan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Goyang, Republic of Korea; Suicide and School Mental Health Institute, Anyang, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Eun Jin
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital & Seongnam Child and Adolescent Community Mental Health Center, Seongnam, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Heejung
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Myongji Hospital & Gyeonggi Provincial Mental Health Center, Goyang, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hyunsoo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Nurse, Gyeonggi Provincial Mental Health Center, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yun-Mi
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Kyung
mesh_terms: D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D011602:Psychophysiologic Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Aggression; Behavior; Childhood; Self-care; Unsupervised time