Thesis

Associations between the dynamics of socioeconomic status and children’s externalizing behaviour, internalizing behaviour, and language development

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Awarding institution
  • University of Strathclyde
Date of award
  • 2023
Thesis identifier
  • T16729
Person Identifier (Local)
  • 201761078
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Department, School or Faculty
Abstract
  • This thesis examined the associations between the dynamics of family socioeconomic status (SES) and children’s language ability, internalizing behaviour, and externalizing behaviour. Longitudinal national cohort data from the Millennium Cohort Study was used which provided data from six time points when children were 9 months, 3, 5, 7, 11, and 14 years old. SES was conceptualised as family income, education, and occupation (social class) and was recorded at each time point. Children’s internalizing and externalizing behaviour were recorded using the parental report Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) when children were 3, 5, 7, 11, and 14 years old. Children’s language ability was measured by British Ability Scale (BAS) Naming Vocabulary Scale when children were 3 and 5 years old, the BAS Word Reading scale when they were 7 years old, the BAS Word Similarities scale when they were 11 years old, and by the Applied Psychology Unit Standardised Vocabulary Test when they were 14 years old. This first study examined the extent to which family SES was associated with children’s language ability, internalizing behaviour, and externalizing behaviour at different stages of childhood. The childhood stages examined were early, middle, and late childhood. Results identified that family income was associated with all child outcomes at all stages of childhood. Education was associated with all child outcomes at all stages of childhood apart from internalizing behaviour during late childhood. Occupation was associated with all child outcomes at all stages of childhood apart from internalizing behaviour during middle and late childhood. The second study examined whether different family SES trajectories could be found in the sample and whether the different trajectories were associated with children's language ability, internalizing behaviour, and externalizing behaviour. Results found several family income, education, and occupation trajectories and indicated that persistently low SES trajectories were associated with the most language and behavioural problems. It also found that increasing SES trajectories over the life course was associated with improved child outcomes. The third study examined whether family SES trajectories were associated with children's likelihood of belonging to different trajectories of language ability, internalizing behaviour, and externalizing behaviour. Results found several outcome trajectories and showed that children were more likely to be in problematic outcome trajectories if their family SES trajectories were persistently low. Children were also more likely to be in high language ability and low behaviour problem trajectories if their family SES trajectories were also improving over the life course. The findings have implications for policymakers interested in improving children’s outcomes by increasing family SES. A multidimensional approach to improving family SES was discussed as the results suggest that targeting parents’ education and occupation might be beneficial in addition to current policies that target family income. A prolonged approach to supporting family SES at different stages of childhood was also discussed as the result indicated that each SES dimension was associated with children’s outcomes at all stages of childhood and that different SES trajectories were associated with children's developmental trajectories over time. The possibility of targeting stress as a mechanism through which SES is associated with children’s development was also discussed as an alternative to targeting SES dimensions directly.
Advisor / supervisor
  • Klein, Markus
  • Sosu, Edward
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