rss
J Epidemiol Community Health 2001;55:246-250 doi:10.1136/jech.55.4.246
  • Research report

Neighbourhood level and individual level SES effects on child problem behaviour: a multilevel analysis

  1. A C Kalffa,
  2. M Kroesb,
  3. J S H Vlesb,
  4. J G M Hendriksenc,
  5. F J M Ferond,
  6. J Steyaerta,
  7. T M C B van Zebene,
  8. J Jollesa,
  9. J van Osf
  1. aDepartment of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Maastricht University, the Netherlands, bDepartment of Neurology, Academic Hospital of Maastricht, the Netherlands , c Child Revalidation Centre Franciscusoord, Valkenburg, the Netherlands, d Youth Health Care of the Municipal Health Centre, Maastricht, the Netherlands, e Paediatric Department, Academic Hospital of Maastricht, the Netherlands, f Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Maastricht University, the Netherlands and Institute of Psychiatry, London, United Kingdom
  1. Professor van Os, Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Section Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, Maastricht University, European Graduate School of Neuroscience, PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, the Netherlands (j.vanos{at}sp.unimaas.nl)
  • Accepted 5 October 2000

Abstract

OBJECTIVE This study examined whether neighbourhood level socioeconomic variables have an independent effect on reported child behaviour problems over and above the effect of individual level measures of socioeconomic status.

DESIGN AND SETTING Multilevel analysis of cross sectional survey data relating individual level child behavioural problems and parental measures of socioeconomic status with neighbourhood level measures of socioeconomic deprivation in the city of Maastricht, the Netherlands.

PARTICIPANTS Children born in the years 1990–1991 attending the second grade of normal kindergarten schools in the city of Maastricht, the Netherlands. Out of 1417 eligible 5–7 year olds, the parents of 734 children (51.8%) agreed to participate.

MAIN RESULTS Child behaviour problems were more frequent in families of low parental occupation and education (F=14.51, df 3, 721, p<0.001; F=12.20, df 3, 721, p<0.001, respectively) and in families living in deprived neighbourhoods (F=13.26, df 2, 722, p<0.001). Multilevel random effects regression analysis showed that the effect of neighbourhood level deprivation remained after adjustment for individual level socioeconomic status (B over three levels of deprivation: 1.36; 95%CI=0.28, 2.45).

CONCLUSIONS Living in a more deprived neighbourhood is associated with higher levels of child problem behaviour, irrespective of individual level socioeconomic status. The additional effect of the neighbourhood may be attributable to contextual variables such as the level of social cohesion among residents.

Footnotes

  • Funding: this study was financially supported by the Profilerings Fund of the Academic Hospital of Maastricht, the Netherlands, the Dutch Prevention Fund, and the Faculty of Medicine of Maasricht University, the Netherlands.

  • Conflicts of interest: none.

This Article

  1. Abstract
  2. Full text
  3. PDF

Responses

  1. Submit a response
  2. No responses published

Social bookmarking

Register for free content


Free sample
 This recent issue is free to all users to allow everyone the opportunity to see the full scope and typical content of JECH.
View free sample issue >>

Free archive
The full back archive is now available for JECH. Institutional subscribers may access the entire archive as part of their subscription. Personal subscribers will also have access to all content when logged in. Non-subscribers who register have free access to all articles published before 2006, back to volume 1 issue 1.
Register to access the free archive >>

Don't forget to sign up for content alerts so you keep up to date with all the articles as they are published.