A longitudinal study of socioeconomic status, family processes, and child adjustment from preschool until early elementary school: the role of social competence

Abstract

ObjectiveUsing a short-term longitudinal design, this study examined the concurrent and longitudinal relationships among familial socioeconomic status (SES; i.e., family income and maternal and paternal education levels), marital conflict (i.e., constructive and destructive marital conflict), parenting practices (i.e., positive and negative parenting practices), child social competence (i.e., social skills), and child behavioral adjustment (i.e., internalizing and externalizing problems) in a comprehensive model.MethodsThe sample included a total of 1604 preschoolers aged 5 years at Time 1 and first graders aged 6 years at Time 2 (51.5% male). Parents completed a self-reported questionnaire regarding their SES, marital conflict, parenting practices, and their children’s behavioral adjustment. Teachers also evaluated the children’s social competence.ResultsThe path analysis results revealed that Time 1 family income and maternal and paternal education levels were respectively related to Time 1 social skills and Time 2 internalizing and externalizing problems, both directly and indirectly, through their influence on destructive and constructive marital conflict, as well as negative and positive parenting practices. Notably, after controlling for Time 1 behavioral problems as mediating mechanisms in the link between family factors (i.e., SES, marital conflict, and parenting practices) and behavioral adjustment, Time 1 social skills significantly and inversely influenced both the internalization and externalization of problems at Time 2.ConclusionsThe merit of examining SES, marital conflict, and parenting practices as multidimensional constructs is discussed in relation to an understanding of processes and pathways within families that affect child mental health functioning. The results suggest social competence, which is influenced by the multidimensional constructs of family factors, may prove protective in reducing the risk of child maladjustment, especially for children who are socioeconomically disadvantaged.

The Association Between Sociodemographic Factors and Teachers’ Guidance Towards Students’ Adversity Quotient

“…Debriefing children to enter the society needs to be done early. Social competence is associated with reduced risk of maladjustment in schools, especially for children of poor family (Hosokawa & Katsura, 2017). When children do not understand and are not prepared for the changes that occur in their lives, they will find it difficult to overcome problems by themselves, and the difficulty worsens if there is no guidance from parents or teachers.…”

Emocionalidad, conducta, habilidades sociales, y funciones ejecutivas en niños de nivel inicial

“…experimentados, por ejemplo, podría impulsar a que los niños tomen buenos modelos para imitar conductas asertivas dentro del contexto escolar, del mismo modo que sucede con los progenitores. En relación a estos últimos, algunos autores(Hosokawa & Katsura, 2017;Maleki, Chehrzad, Kazemnezhad, Mardani, & Vaismoradi, 2019) sostienen que resulta de gran significación el nivel educativo superior de los padres, ya que esto permitirá que ellos posean información en relación al desarrollo infantil y, posteriormente, que provean a los niños de apoyo, calidez, educación y cuando la situación lo requiera consultar con un especialista infantil.En la medida que los niños adquieran y desarrollen HHSS saludables, lograrán interacciones satisfactorias con su entorno, favoreciendo un paulatino autoconocimiento y conformación de su autoconcepto (Rossin y Buzzella, 2011, citado enAubone et al, 2016) lo que resulta de vital importancia para su salud mental y para relacionarse con otros de manera adecuada. Posteriormente, se desarrollarán fortalezas psíquicas que permitirán resolver problemas sin utilizar la agresividad y evitar los PC(Lacunza A. , 2010; Reyna, Ison, & Brussino, 2011) Los vínculos que se conforman durante la edad inicial, con la familia y con los pares, resultan de gran valor.…”

Effects of a Preschool Arts Curriculum on Social and Emotional Competence

“…Students who engage in problem behaviors may be reacting to environmental factors beyond their control, such as family processes that result from parental socioeconomic status (Hosokawa & Katsura, 2017). As stated by Dewey's theory, art creation gives children control over their own creative process and, by extension, their environment (Goldblatt, 2006).…”

“…Families living in poverty are more likely to experience familial conflict (Anthony, Anthony, Glanville, Naiman, Waanders, & Shaffer, 2005). Higher family conflict leads to higher stress and anxiety levels in children (Hosokawa & Katsura, 2017). Higher stress and anxiety leads to higher rates of internalizing and externalizing behaviors (Kalvin, Bierman, & Gatzke-Kopp, 2016).…”

“…Although social and emotional skills seem to take a secondary spot to academic achievement, regulatory skills and prosocial behaviors protect children from social maladjustment, thus improving their ability to participate in school (Hosokawa & Katsura, 2017). Without the ability to control their behaviors and engage in socially meaningful interactions, children may struggle to learn effectively or, in a sense, learn how to learn.…”