Rural–urban area of residence and trajectories of children׳s behavior in England

Abstract

Despite extensive studies of neighborhood effects on children׳s outcomes, there is little evidence on rural–urban impacts on child mental health. We modeled trajectories of emotional–behavioral problems of white majority children at ages 3, 5, and 7 in England in areas with varying levels of rural and urban settlement, using the Millennium Cohort Study. After adjusting for area selection, children in less sparse rural areas had fewer conduct and peer problems, and children in areas with a mix of rural and urban settlement had fewer emotional symptoms, explained by the quality of their schools. Area differences remained in emotional problems.