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Impact of poverty and adversity on perceived family support in adolescence : findings from the UK Millennium Cohort Study

Authors :
Adjei, Nicholas Kofi
Jonsson, Kenisha Russell
Schultz Straatmann, Viviane
Melis, Gabriella
McGovern, Ruth
Kaner, Eileen
Wolfe, Ingrid
Taylor-Robinson, David C.
Adjei, Nicholas Kofi
Jonsson, Kenisha Russell
Schultz Straatmann, Viviane
Melis, Gabriella
McGovern, Ruth
Kaner, Eileen
Wolfe, Ingrid
Taylor-Robinson, David C.
Publication Year :
2024

Abstract

Emotional support from family members may have an important effect on adolescent health outcomes, and has been identified as a target for policy to protect against the impacts of poverty and other early life adversities. However, few studies have assessed the extent to which poverty and adversity themselves influence the nature of emotional support that parents can provide to adolescents. We, therefore, aimed to investigate the impact of trajectories of income poverty and family adversities, including parental mental ill health, alcohol misuse and domestic violence across childhood developmental stages on young people’s relationships with their families and perceived emotional support received. We analysed longitudinal data on 10,976 children from the nationally representative UK Millennium Cohort study. Exposure trajectories of poverty and family adversities were characterised using group-based multi-trajectory models (age 9 months–14 years). The outcomes were perceived emotional support and quality of family relationships, measured by the three-item Short Social Provisions Scale (SPS-3) and levels of parent–adolescent closeness and conflict, measured at age 14. ORs and 95% CIs were estimated using multivariable logistic regression models, adjusting for potential confounding factors. At age 14, the overall prevalence of low perceived emotional support was 13% (95% CI: 12, 14). Children of mothers with lower socioeconomic status (SES) were more likely to report low emotional support, with a clear social gradient (education—degree plus: 10.3% vs. no qualifications: 15.4%). Compared with children exposed to low levels of poverty and adversity, children in the persistent adversity trajectory groups experienced higher odds of low emotional support and low-quality parent–adolescent relationship; those exposed to both persistent poverty and poor parental mental health were particularly at increased risk of experiencing poor family relationships and low perceived emotional

Details

Database :
OAIster
Notes :
English
Publication Type :
Electronic Resource
Accession number :
edsoai.on1428089853
Document Type :
Electronic Resource
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1007.s00787-024-02389-8