1
|
Poff JM, Jarvis JA, Dufur MJ, Pribesh SL. Family and Peer Social Capital and Child Behavioral Outcomes in Japan. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 11:840. [PMID: 39062290 PMCID: PMC11276371 DOI: 10.3390/children11070840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2024] [Revised: 06/28/2024] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES Child problem behaviors have been linked to immediate and long-term negative outcomes. Research has found that family and peer social capital have a strong influence on child behavioral outcomes. However, most research about social capital and child behavior problems has been conducted in Western contexts. Social capital may influence child behavior problems differently in non-Western sociocultural environments due to different family and peer dynamics. METHODS Using a sample from the Japan Household Panel Survey and Japan Child Panel Survey (N = 182), we expand this literature on various forms of social capital to the Japanese context with data that were collected between 2009 and 2014. We examine the relationship of family and peer social capital with children internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors using OLS linear regression. RESULTS Our results differ from what is commonly found in Western contexts. Whereas family and peer social capital are typically associated with both internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors in Western countries, we find that greater family social capital is associated with decreased externalizing problem behaviors but not internalizing problem behaviors in Japan, and peer social capital has no association on either type of problem behaviors. CONCLUSIONS Our findings emphasize the importance of considering social and cultural contexts when exploring how social capital might encourage prosocial child outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jared M. Poff
- Department of Sociology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Jonathan A. Jarvis
- Department of Sociology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA; (J.A.J.); (M.J.D.)
| | - Mikaela J. Dufur
- Department of Sociology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA; (J.A.J.); (M.J.D.)
| | - Shana L. Pribesh
- Department of STEM Education and Professional Studies, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529, USA;
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Tani Y, Isumi A, Doi S, Fujiwara T. Number of Siblings and Social Capital Among Parents Rearing Schoolchildren: Results From the A-CHILD Study. J Epidemiol 2023; 33:478-483. [PMID: 35644534 PMCID: PMC10409528 DOI: 10.2188/jea.je20210510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Having siblings may foster sociality; however, little is known about whether sibling number determines social capital, the resources obtained through social networks. We examined the association between sibling number and social capital among Japanese parents rearing schoolchildren. METHODS We used cross-sectional data from the 2018 and 2019 Adachi Child Health Impact of Living Difficulty (A-CHILD) study, targeting all primary and junior high school students and their parents in Adachi, Tokyo, Japan (n = 8,082). Individual-level social capital was evaluated by assessing caregivers' social cohesion, social support, and group affiliation. All analyses were adjusted for age and sex. RESULTS An inverse U-shaped association was found between sibling number and social capital. Adults who grew up with one or two, but not three or more siblings had greater social support (coefficient = 0.23; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.06-0.40 and coefficient = 0.46; 95% CI, 0.29-0.64, respectively) than those who grew up as an only child, after covariate adjustment. Adults who grew up with two or three, but not one or four or more siblings had greater group affiliation (coefficient = 0.09; 95% CI, 0.03-0.16 and coefficient = 0.09; 95% CI, 0.01-0.18, respectively) than those who grew up as an only child, after covariate adjustment. Sibling number was not associated with social cohesion. CONCLUSION Growing up with one to three siblings was associated with higher social capital in adulthood than being an only child. Having siblings may provide an opportunity to foster social capital.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yukako Tani
- Department of Global Health Promotion, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), Tokyo, Japan
| | - Aya Isumi
- Department of Global Health Promotion, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), Tokyo, Japan
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Satomi Doi
- Department of Global Health Promotion, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), Tokyo, Japan
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takeo Fujiwara
- Department of Global Health Promotion, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), Tokyo, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Arai T, Goto A. Parents' Needs and Satisfaction Levels for Parenting Support Schemes Provided by Local Government: Secondary Analysis of Cross-Sectional Survey Data. J Prim Care Community Health 2023; 14:21501319231199978. [PMID: 37772511 PMCID: PMC10542223 DOI: 10.1177/21501319231199978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023] Open
Abstract
We conducted a secondary analysis of the data derived from a cross-sectional survey among parents of school-age children in Japan. The present study explored variables associated with parents' satisfaction with the local parenting environment. Multivariable logistic regression was used by entering parental satisfaction as a dependent variable and basic and parenting-related items as independent variables. A total of 2218 respondents were stratified by self-determined financial circumstances. A higher proportion of respondents stated low satisfaction with the local parenting environment and support schemes among the financially struggling group (50.4%) than among the non-struggling group (33.8%). Among the financially struggling group, the variables significantly associated with low satisfaction were a lack of parenting support (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.612) and being unable to use after-school children's clubs (aOR = 1.747). Our exploratory analysis suggests that after-school children's clubs can be expected to play a role in widening social networks and community connectedness among parents struggling financially. This role should be reflected in municipal welfare policy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Takehiro Arai
- Yamagata University, Yamagata, Japan
- Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Aya Goto
- Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Kobayashi M, Matsuyama Y, Nawa N, Isumi A, Doi S, Fujiwara T. Association between Community Social Capital and Access to Dental Check-Ups among Elementary School Children in Japan. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 20:47. [PMID: 36612368 PMCID: PMC9819719 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20010047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The association between parental social capital and a child's access to dental check-ups has been reported, but few studies have focused on dental check-ups. The present study investigated the association between parental social capital and access to dental check-ups among first-grade elementary school children (6-7 years old) in Japan. We analyzed cross-sectional data of first-grade elementary school children (6-7 years old) in Adachi City, Tokyo, Japan. Community social capital (the total score of social trust, cohesion, mutual aid) and child's dental check-ups (dental check-ups for purposes other than treatment at least once a year) were assessed by questionnaire surveys for parents of the first graders from all 69 elementary schools in 2017 (n = 5260; response rate: 81.6%) and 2019 (n = 5130; response rate: 78.8%). Multilevel Poisson regression analysis, adjusted for children's age in months, gender, mother's educational attainment, mother's employment status, having siblings, living with grandparents, and the density of dental clinics in the school district, was applied. Of the 7936 respondents included in the analysis, 82.7% of children received dental check-ups at least once a year. Individual-level social capital was positively associated with children's dental check-up utilization (prevalence ratio, PR = 0.935 per one interquartile range, IQR; 95% confidence interval, CI: 0.877, 0.996). Community-level social capital was not significantly associated with children's dental check-up utilization (PR = 0.934 per one IQR; 95% CI: 0.865, 1.008). Promoting individual-level social capital, but not community-level social capital, may improve dental check-ups among elementary school children in Japan.
Collapse
|
5
|
Interview-Based Qualitative Descriptive Study on Risk Factors of School Withdrawal among Elementary School Children. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 9:children9101579. [PMID: 36291515 PMCID: PMC9600286 DOI: 10.3390/children9101579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Revised: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
With increasing school refusal among elementary school children, we qualitatively examined the associated factors. Elementary school teachers underwent semi-structured interviews, and the data generated were analyzed using SCAT. We conducted interviews with 27 teachers (18 men, nine women) responsible for children refusing to attend school. We analyzed verbatim transcripts of the interviews and abstracted six constructs for school refusal: underdeveloped interpersonal skills; families having difficulty in supporting their children to attend school; low self-esteem; diverse views on school refusal; tenuous relationships among local community members; and an environment where games and media are easily accessible. Children refusing to attend school may be unable to relate well to other people owing to underdeveloped interpersonal skills, and they may have low self-esteem. Regarding the home environment of children who are not positive about school life, living in families having difficulty in supporting their children to attend school may make the children less likely to do so. Because of tenuous relationships with local community members, there has been a decline in the involvement of people around children other than family members in encouraging school attendance. Recently, diverse views on school refusal have been accepted; increasingly, parents and children are likely to choose to spend time outside school. An environment in which games and media are easily accessible may make it easy to relate to other people without attending school, undermining the need for school attendance.
Collapse
|
6
|
Marçal KE, Maguire-Jack K. Informal supports, housing insecurity, and adolescent outcomes: Implications for promoting resilience. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY 2022; 70:178-196. [PMID: 35156209 DOI: 10.1002/ajcp.12589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Revised: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Adolescents in low-income, marginalized families are vulnerable to behavior problems that impede healthy functioning and threaten long-term well-being. Informal supports may fill an important gap for these households as they navigate financial and social stressors. Instrumental support from social networks and neighborhood cohesion may promote family stability and youth well-being; further, these informal supports may promote resilience to housing insecurity, which is linked with a range of adverse adolescent outcomes. The present study utilized data from a large sample of at-risk families with children (N = 2425) to investigate whether instrumental support and neighborhood cohesion predicted adolescent behavior problems over 10 years and whether these links were mediated by housing insecurity. Results of structural equation modeling with latent variables showed direct links from instrumental support to anxious/depressed behaviors and from neighborhood cohesion to aggressive behaviors, as well as an indirect link from instrumental support to aggressive behavior via housing insecurity. Findings suggest informal supports are an important source of resilience for low-income families who may be excluded from or are reluctant to engage with formal social systems. Further, stable, connected communities with highly embedded social networks can promote housing stability and youth well-being in a virtuous cycle.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Katherine E Marçal
- Greenspun College of Urban Affairs, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
Doi S, Isumi A, Fujiwara T. Association between maternal adverse childhood experiences and child resilience and self-esteem: Results from the K-CHILD study. CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT 2022; 127:105590. [PMID: 35287013 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2022.105590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2021] [Revised: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous studies have found that children of mothers with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are more likely to have adverse mental health outcomes. However, little is known about the role of other cognitive abilities, such as resilience and self-esteem, in how children deal with stressful situations. OBJECTIVE To examine the association between maternal ACEs and resilience and self-esteem in children. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING The data was collected as part of the population-based Kochi Child Health Impact of Living Difficulty (K-CHILD) study in 2016. Participants included 2759 in first grade, 2878 in fifth grade, 3143 in eighth grade, and 3611 children in 11th grade living in Kochi Prefecture, Japan (N = 12,391). METHODS Maternal ACEs and covariates were reported by mothers. Mothers provided information regarding their children's resilience for children in the first, fifth, and eighth grades. Children in the fifth, eighth, and 11th grades reported their own self-esteem. RESULTS Children of mothers with a larger number of ACEs had lower levels of resilience (p for trend (i.e., linear associations) < 0.001) as well as lower levels of self-esteem (p for trend <0.001), adjusting for potential confounding variables. These associations became non-significant after adjusting for potential mediators, and the relationship was mediated by variables such as maternal psychological distress, current socioeconomic status, and parenting behaviors. CONCLUSIONS There was a significant dose-response relationship between the number of maternal ACEs and children's resilience and self-esteem, and this relationship may be mediated by maternal psychological distress, current socioeconomic status, and positive parenting behaviors. Further interventional studies that break the link between maternal ACEs and resilience and self-esteem should be conducted.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Satomi Doi
- Department of Global Health Promotion, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8519, Japan.
| | - Aya Isumi
- Department of Global Health Promotion, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8519, Japan
| | - Takeo Fujiwara
- Department of Global Health Promotion, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8519, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Isumi A, Doi S, Ochi M, Kato T, Fujiwara T. Child Maltreatment and Mental Health in Middle Childhood: A Longitudinal Study in Japan. Am J Epidemiol 2022; 191:655-664. [PMID: 34788359 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwab275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxic stress caused by child maltreatment can lead to adverse mental health outcomes in later life, yet unmeasured confounding has been a major issue in many previous studies. To examine the association between child maltreatment and resilience and behavior problems among early elementary school-age children, we used data from a population-based longitudinal survey targeting all first-grade children in 2015 in Adachi City, a ward in Tokyo, Japan. Children whose caregivers provided valid responses during the 2015 (first grade; ages 6-7 years), 2016 (second grade; ages 7-8 years), and 2018 (fourth grade; ages 9-10 years) waves of the study were included in the analysis (n = 2,920). Fixed-effects regression models revealed that child maltreatment was inversely associated with resilience (β = -0.89, 95% confidence interval (CI): -1.05, -0.72) and prosocial behavior (β = -0.03, 95% CI: -0.05, -0.003) and positively associated with behavior problems (β = 0.32, 95% CI: 0.27, 0.37) over 4 years of follow-up (2015-2018), after controlling for all time-invariant confounders and measured time-varying confounders and survey year. These associations were consistent across sex. Child maltreatment may hamper the development of resilience and prosocial behavior and induce behavior problems in early elementary school children over time. Future researchers should identify modifiable protective factors for better mental health among maltreated children.
Collapse
|
9
|
Association between Children's Engagement in Community Cultural Activities and Their Mental Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results from A-CHILD Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph182413404. [PMID: 34949012 PMCID: PMC8707746 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182413404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Revised: 12/12/2021] [Accepted: 12/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Social learning experiences developed through engagement in community cultural activities can affect a child’s development. Few studies have examined how children’s engagement in community activities is related to their mental health. This study aimed to examine associations between children’s participation in community cultural activities and their mental health. We targeted all sixth-grade children in all 69 primary schools in Adachi City, Tokyo, using the Adachi Child Health Impact of Living Difficulty (A-CHILD) study (n = 4391). Parents answered the validated Japanese version of the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) to assess child mental health, the child’s engagement in community cultural activities. The community activity in which children most frequently participated was local festivals. Participating in local festivals was significantly associated with lower behavioral difficulties (β = −0.49, SE = 0.17, p = 0.005) and higher prosocial behaviors (β = 0.25, SE = 0.07, p < 0.001) after adjusting for demographic variables, family social capital, and parent-child interactions. These results highlight the importance of children’s engagement in community cultural activities for their mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Collapse
|
10
|
Jespersen BV, Korbin JE, Spilsbury JC. Older Neighbors and The Neighborhood Context of Child Well-Being: Pathways to Enhancing Social Capital for Children. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY 2021; 68:402-413. [PMID: 33890310 PMCID: PMC8693895 DOI: 10.1002/ajcp.12520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Drawing on Coleman's concept of social capital, researchers have investigated how the quality of neighborhood social networks influences child development and well-being. The role of non-kin older neighbors in advancing child well-being through the enhancement of social capital, however, has been under-studied. Our objective was to delineate specific pathways through which non-kin older neighbors contribute to neighborhood quality for children and families and potentially advance child well-being. We examined open-ended interview data from 400 parents who cared for at least one child under 18 years of age and resided in 20 neighborhoods in Cleveland, Ohio. A subsample of 113 parents connected older neighbors to neighborhood quality for families and children in their narratives. Our analysis identified three primary pathways through which parents positively linked older neighbors to neighborhood quality: older neighbors support parents and children, promote neighborhood safety, and contribute to neighborhood residential stability. These contributions are evidence of intergenerational closure, reciprocated exchange, and informal social control working together to create social capital in neighborhoods for children. It is by enhancing social capital that older neighbors potentially improve child well-being. We discuss the implications of our findings for neighborhood research and practice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Brooke V. Jespersen
- Case Western Reserve University, Department of Anthropology, 11220 Bellflower Rd., Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA
| | - Jill E. Korbin
- Case Western Reserve University, Department of Anthropology, 11220 Bellflower Rd., Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA
| | - James C. Spilsbury
- Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, Iris S. & Bert L. Wolstein Research Building, 2103 Cornell Road, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
'It's Easily the Lowest I've Ever, Ever Got to': A Qualitative Study of Young Adults' Social Isolation during the COVID-19 Lockdowns in the UK. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph182211777. [PMID: 34831533 PMCID: PMC8619222 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182211777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
(1) Background: Social connectivity is key to young people's mental health. Local assets facilitate social connection, but were largely inaccessible during the pandemic. This study consequently investigates the social isolation of young adults and their use of local assets during the COVID-19 lockdowns in the UK. (2) Methods: Fifteen semi-structured Zoom interviews were undertaken with adults aged 18-24 in the UK. Recruitment took place remotely, and transcripts were coded and analysed thematically. (3) Results: Digital assets were key to young people's social connectivity, but their use was associated with stress, increased screen time and negative mental health outcomes. The lockdowns impacted social capital, with young people's key peripheral networks being lost, yet close friendships being strengthened. Finally, young people's mental health was greatly affected by the isolation, but few sought help, mostly out of a desire to not overburden the NHS. (4) Conclusions: This study highlights the extent of the impact of the pandemic isolation on young people's social capital and mental health. Post-pandemic strategies targeting mental health system strengthening, social isolation and help-seeking behaviours are recommended.
Collapse
|