Abstract
The socioeconomic status (SES) of parents has been reported to have a crucial impact on emotional competence in childhood. However, studies have largely been carried out in developed countries and in children in a specific age range, and it is not clear whether the effect of the SES of parents varies by age. The objective of this study was to investigate the psychopathological profile (including externalizing and internalizing problems) of children aged 7, 9, and 11 years old with low SES in a developing country (Ecuador). The study included 274 children (139 boys and 135 girls), who were divided between medium-SES (n = 133) and low-SES (n = 141) groups. Data were gathered on socioeconomic and anthropometric variables of the children, and the parents completed the Child Behavior Check-List (CBCL). In comparison to the medium-SES group, children in the low-SES group obtained higher scores for internalizing and externalizing symptoms and for total problems, and they obtained lower scores for social competence skills. The housing risk index and school competence were the two main predictors of internalizing and externalizing problems in this population.
Highlights
Neurodevelopment is a dynamic inter-relationship among genetic, cerebral, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral processes over life [1]
This study examined the impact of a low socioeconomic status (SES) on the psychopathology of children living in a developing country, considering three age groups (7, 9, and 11 years)
Among previous studies on the risk of low SES for the mental health of children and adolescents, some found that the SES had a greater impact on externalizing disorders [31], whereas we found a generalized association with all problems as well as social competence
Summary
Neurodevelopment is a dynamic inter-relationship among genetic, cerebral, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral processes over life [1]. Emotional competence and skills can be influenced by nutritional, infectious, and toxic factors and by upbringing practices and patterns [2], as well as by the socio-economic status (SES) of parents [3,4,5,6]. SES consists of numerous factors, including family income, parental education and occupation, psychological and physical health status, physical conditions at home, upbringing practices, stressful situations suffered by child and/or parents, physical or psychological abuse, and nutritional status [7,8,9,10,11]. It has been reported that low SES can be a risk factor for inadequate socio-emotional development and can increase vulnerability to development problems [12,13,14].
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