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Poverty and behavior problems trajectories from 1.5 to 8 years of age: Is the gap widening between poor and non-poor children?

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Abstract

Purpose

Poverty has been associated with high levels of behavior problems across childhood, yet patterns of associations over time remain understudied. This study aims: (a) to examine whether poverty predicts changes in behavior problems between 1.5 and 8 years of age; (b) to estimate potential selection bias for the observed associations.

Methods

We used the 1998–2006 waves of the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development (N = 2120). Main outcomes were maternal ratings of hyperactivity, opposition and physical aggression from 1.5 to 8 years of age. Linear mixed-effects models were used to assess the longitudinal association between poverty and behavior problems. Models were re-estimated adjusting for wave nonresponse and using multiple imputation to account for attrition.

Results

Poverty predicted higher levels of behavior problems between 1.5 and 8 years of age. Poverty predicted hyperactivity and opposition in a time dependent manner. Hyperactivity [Bpoverty*age = 0.052; CI 95 % (0.002; 0.101)] and opposition [Bpoverty*age = 0.049; CI 95 % (0.018; 0.079)] increased at a faster rate up to age 5 years, and then decreased at a slower rate for poor than non-poor children. Physical aggression decreased at a steady rate over time for all children [Bpoverty*age = −0.030; p = 0.064). Estimates remained similar when accounting for attrition.

Conclusion

Poverty predicted higher levels of behavior problems between 1.5 and 8 years of age. The difference between poor and non-poor children was stable over time for physical aggression, but increased with age for hyperactivity and opposition. Attrition among poor children did not compromise the validity of results.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the children and families whose participation made this study possible. We acknowledge the contribution of the staff from the GRIP and the QIS for proving data collection and management.

Funding

This research acknowledges support from several funding agencies, including Ministry of Health and Social Services; the Canadian Institutes of Health Research; the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada; the Quebec Fund for Research on Society and Culture; the Quebec Fund for Research on Nature and Technology; the Health Research Fund of Quebec; the Canada Research Chair Program.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, H3N 1X9, Canada

    Julia Rachel S. E. Mazza, Jean Lambert, Maria Victoria Zunzunegui & Sylvana M. Côté

  2. School of Psychology, University of Laval, Quebec, G1V 0A6, Canada

    Michel Boivin

  3. Institute of Genetic, Neurobiological, and Social Foundations of Child Development, Tomsk State University, Tomsk, 634050, Russian Federation

    Michel Boivin

  4. Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, H2V 2S9, Canada

    Richard E. Tremblay

  5. School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Population Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland

    Richard E. Tremblay

  6. Bordeaux Population Health Center U 1219, University of Bordeaux, Talence, 33400, France

    Gregory Michel & Julie Salla

Authors
  1. Julia Rachel S. E. Mazza
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  2. Michel Boivin
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  3. Richard E. Tremblay
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  7. Maria Victoria Zunzunegui
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Correspondence to Julia Rachel S. E. Mazza.

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Mazza, J.R.S.E., Boivin, M., Tremblay, R.E. et al. Poverty and behavior problems trajectories from 1.5 to 8 years of age: Is the gap widening between poor and non-poor children?. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 51, 1083–1092 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-016-1252-1

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