Abstract
This paper investigates ethnic differences in children's socioemotional difficulties and possible explanations for any observed inequalities. We used data collected from the fourth sweep of the Millennium Cohort Study when children were aged 7 years. We found that Pakistani, Bangladeshi, and Black Caribbean children had significantly more socioemotional difficulties than White children. These differences were partially explained by the relative socioeconomic disadvantage of their families. After accounting for maternal and family environment factors, the differences for Pakistani children remained unexplained. In contrast, Black African children were the only ethnic minority group to have significantly fewer socioemotional difficulties. We investigated the role of four indicators of socioeconomic position in explaining these differences and found equivalised household income had the strongest influence on socioemotional difficulties, and that socioeconomic position associations with socioemotional difficulties were less apparent among Pakistani and Bangladeshi children. The association between adverse economic conditions and socioemotional difficulties was partially mediated by maternal psychological distress. In conclusion, unexplained ethnic differences in socioemotional difficulties were seen, with a disadvantage among Pakistani children and an advantage among Black African children. Our results point to the need to address economic deprivation among ethnic minority groups to reduce children's socioemotional difficulties.
Highlights
Existing evidence shows ethnic variation for a variety of markers of health across the life course (Nazroo et al, 2007)
In order to clarify the path between ethnicity and socioemotional difficulties, we focus on the relationship between markers of socioeconomic position and socioemotional difficulties (Fig. 1a)
There were no meaningful ethnic differences in parental basic skills difficulties or discipline strategies, but mothers of Pakistani and Bangladeshi children were least likely to read to their children, mothers of Black African children were most likely to help their children with reading and writing and Black Caribbean children were most likely to have non-regular bedtimes
Summary
Existing evidence shows ethnic variation for a variety of markers of health across the life course (Nazroo et al, 2007). Ethnic inequalities have been observed in the US (Jackson et al, 2004; Teitler et al, 2007), Canada (Wu and Schimmele, 2005), UK (Maynard and Harding, 2010a), Australia (Davis et al, 2010; Trewin and Madden, 2005), and elsewhere (Polednak, 1989) Such ethnic inequalities can be understood as a consequence of the characteristics of the ethnic group itself (typically considered in terms of culture or genetics) or as a consequence of the social and economic disadvantages faced by ethnic minority groups (Nazroo, 1998).
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