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Child and family factors that ameliorate risk between 4 and 13 years of age
R Seifer1, A J Sameroff, C P Baldwin
1Brown University Program in Medicine, East Providence.
Insights
Protective factors like positive mother-child interactions and perceived child competence significantly improved cognitive and social-emotional development in at-risk children. These protective processes benefited both high-risk and low-risk children over time.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Risk and Resilience Research
Background:
- Identifying protective factors is crucial for understanding child development, especially for those facing multiple risks.
- Longitudinal studies are essential for tracking developmental trajectories and the impact of protective processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine protective processes in children aged 4 to 13 years.
- To identify specific factors associated with positive cognitive and social-emotional changes in at-risk children.
Main Methods:
- A longitudinal study design was employed.
- A multiple risk index identified 50 high-risk and 102 low-risk children at age 4.
- Cognitive and social-emotional status were assessed periodically until age 13.
Main Results:
- Mother-child interaction, child perceived competence, locus of control, life events, and social support were linked to improved outcomes in high-risk children.
- Maternal factors including parenting values, social support, depression, and expressed emotion also predicted positive changes.
- Many protective factors benefited both high-risk and low-risk groups, with some showing a greater impact on the high-risk cohort.
Conclusions:
- Protective processes play a vital role in mitigating risks and fostering positive development in children.
- A process-oriented approach to protective factors is valuable for understanding resilience in at-risk populations.
- Interventions targeting identified protective factors could enhance developmental outcomes for children facing adversity.
Abstract:
Protective processes in at-risk children between 4 and 13 years of age were examined in a longitudinal study. A multiple risk index was used at 4 years to identify 50 high-risk children and 102 who were at low risk. Cognitive and social-emotional status were measured at each time point. The following indicators of protective processes were related to positive change in cognitive and/or social-emotional function in the high-risk children between 4 and 13 years: mother-child interaction; child perceived competence, locus of control, life events, and social support; and maternal parenting values, social support, depression, and expressed emotion. Many of these factors were also related to improvement in the low-risk children. Some variables showed an interaction effect, where impact was substantially higher in the high-risk group compared with the low-risk group. The utility of multiple risk constructs and process oriented approaches to protective factors are discussed.