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Socioeconomic inequalities in infant temperament: the generation R study

Pauline W Jansen1, Hein Raat, Johan P Mackenbach

  • 1The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC-University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
|July 30, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Socioeconomic status (SES) inequalities in infant temperament are evident by six months of age. Family stress and maternal well-being partially explain these differences, suggesting early origins for adult mental health disparities.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Pediatric Health
  • Socioeconomic Determinants of Health

Background:

  • Low socioeconomic status (SES) is linked to childhood behavioral issues, but infant temperament studies show inconsistent results.
  • Previous research often overlooked the mechanisms connecting SES and infant temperament.
  • This study addresses the association between SES and temperament in infancy.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and infant temperament.
  • To explore potential mediating factors, such as family stress and maternal psychological well-being, in the SES-temperament association.
  • To determine if SES-related temperament differences are present in early infancy.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from the Generation R study, a Dutch population-based cohort.
  • Assessed SES using maternal/paternal education, family income, and maternal occupational status.
  • Administered the Infant Behaviour Questionnaire-Revised to 4,055 mothers at infant age 6 months.

Main Results:

  • Lower SES correlated with more difficult infant temperament across five dimensions, including higher Activity and Fear.
  • The association between SES and infant temperament was partially explained by family stress and maternal psychological well-being for Distress to Limitations, Recovery from Distress, and Duration of Orienting.
  • Family stress and maternal well-being did not explain the higher Activity and Fear, or lower Sadness, scores in infants from low SES groups.

Conclusions:

  • Socioeconomic status inequalities in infant temperament are observable as early as six months of age.
  • Family stress and maternal psychological well-being partially mediate the link between SES and specific infant temperament traits.
  • These findings suggest that socioeconomic disparities in adult mental health may originate in infancy.
Abstract

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