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The Effect of Residential Neighborhood on Child Behavior Problems in First Grade

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American Journal of Community Psychology

Abstract

Child behavior problems have been identified as being responsible for the greatest reduction in quality of life for children between ages 1 and 19. In this study, we examine whether neighborhood social processes are associated with differences in child behavior problems in an economically and racially diverse sample of 405 urban-dwelling first grade children and whether parenting behavior mediates and/or moderates the effects of neighborhoods. Furthermore, we examine whether neighborhood social processes play the same role with regards to child behavior problems at differing levels of neighborhood economic impoverishment. Results of multivariate multilevel regression analyses indicate that a high negative social climate is associated with greater internalizing problems. High potential for community involvement for children in the neighborhood was associated with fewer behavior problems, but only in economically impoverished neighborhoods. Differences in parenting behavior did not appear to mediate neighborhood effects on behavior problems, and parenting characterized by a high degree of positive involvement was associated with fewer behavior problems in all types of neighborhoods.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by NICHD Grant RO1HD4041901A1. We would like to acknowledge the hard work of Peter Mulcahy and his research team at the Institute for Survey Research, Temple University in collecting the data for this project. We are also grateful to Janie Keller, Maria Dzikuli and Karmen Louie for coding videotapes and to Julie Lima for expert data analysis support. Finally, we would like to thank the families who were gracious enough to allow us into their homes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Texas School of Public Health, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., v8.112, Dallas, TX, 75390-9128, USA

    Margaret O’Brien Caughy

  2. Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA, USA

    Saundra Murray Nettles

  3. St. Michael’s Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Patricia J. O’Campo

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  1. Margaret O’Brien Caughy
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  2. Saundra Murray Nettles
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  3. Patricia J. O’Campo
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Correspondence to Margaret O’Brien Caughy.

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Caughy, M.O., Nettles, S.M. & O’Campo, P.J. The Effect of Residential Neighborhood on Child Behavior Problems in First Grade. Am J Community Psychol 42, 39–50 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10464-008-9185-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10464-008-9185-9

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