Neighborhood influences on young children’s emotional and behavioral problems and prosocial behavior: evidence from an Australian national sample
Benjamin Edwards and Leah M. Bromfield
Australian Institute of Family Studies
Contact Email:   Ben.Edwardsaifs.gov.au

Mechanisms by which neighborhood socioeconomic status influenced children’s hyperactivity, conduct problems, peer problems, emotional symptoms and prosocial behavior were investigated using data from a nationally representative study of 4983 four-to-five year old children growing up in 330 neighborhoods in Australia. Children’s hyperactivity, emotional symptoms, peer problems and conduct problems were found to be associated with neighborhood socioeconomic status, neighborhood safety and neighborhood belonging after accounting for family demographic variables. Further analyses demonstrated that perceptions of neighborhood safety and neighborhood belonging mediated the relationships between neighborhood socioeconomic status and children’s hyperactivity, conduct problems, emotional symptoms and peer problems. Furthermore, the associations of neighborhood safety with these variables were mediated by neighborhood belonging. A different pattern of results was evident for prosocial behavior. Neighborhood cleanliness and neighborhood belonging had a direct association with prosocial behavior and no mediated associations were evident. Neighborhood belonging and to a lesser extent perceptions of neighborhood safety seem to be important mechanisms in the transmission of the effects of neighborhood socioeconomic status.

Paper Download Information (if available):

Copyright © 2007 Social Policy Research Centre.