Association Between Parenting and School Refusal Among Elementary School Children in Japan: Results From A-CHILD
Yoshifumi Fukuya1, Takeo Fujiwara1, Aya Isumi1
1Department of Global Health Promotion, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.
Insights
Parenting behaviors like parent-child interaction and child maltreatment in first grade were not associated with school refusal in later elementary grades in Japan. Further research should explore other factors influencing school refusal.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Educational Psychology
Background:
- School refusal is a significant issue in elementary education.
- Understanding the predictors of school refusal is crucial for early intervention.
- Parenting factors, including parent-child interaction and maltreatment, are potential influences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between first-grade parenting (parent-child interaction, child maltreatment) and subsequent school refusal in second and fourth grades.
- To analyze longitudinal data from Japanese elementary school children.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study (Adachi Child Health Impact of Living Difficulty - A-CHILD) with data from 2015-2018.
- Questionnaire data collected from first-grade children and caregivers on parenting and child maltreatment.
- Follow-up assessments for school refusal in second and fourth grades.
- Multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusting for covariates.
Main Results:
- Prevalence of school refusal was 1.8% in second grade and 2% in fourth grade.
- No significant association was found between first-grade parent-child interaction and school refusal in second or fourth grade.
- No significant association was found between first-grade child maltreatment (neglect, physical, psychological abuse) and school refusal in second or fourth grade.
Conclusions:
- Parenting factors, specifically parent-child interaction and child maltreatment in early elementary school, may not be directly associated with school refusal.
- Other factors, such as peer relationships and the school environment, warrant further investigation as potential contributors to school refusal.
- Longitudinal research is essential to fully understand the complex etiology of school refusal.
Abstract:
Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the association between parenting, including the parent-child interaction and child maltreatment in the first grade (6-7 years old), and school refusal in the second (7-8 years old) and fourth (9-10 years old) grades among elementary school children in Japan. Methods: Data were from the Adachi Child Health Impact of Living Difficulty (A-CHILD) longitudinal study conducted in 2015, 2016, and 2018 in Adachi City, Tokyo, Japan. A questionnaire was distributed to all the first-grade school children (N = 5,355) in 2015. Of the total 4,291 valid children (response rate: 80.1%), 3,590 and 3,070 children were followed up to the second and fourth grades, respectively. Caregivers responded to the questionnaire on the parent-child interaction and child maltreatment, including neglect, physical abuse, and psychological abuse in the first grade and school refusal in the second and fourth grades. We conducted multiple imputation for missing data. Multivariate logistic regression model was used for this analysis adjusting for child mental health in the first grade and sociodemographic characteristics. Results: Prevalence of school refusal was 1.8% (n = 64) in the second grade and 2% (n = 60) in the fourth grade. We found no association of the parent-child interaction and child maltreatment in the first grade and with school refusal in the second and fourth grades, respectively, after adjusting for covariates. Conclusions: Parenting, such as the parent-child interaction and child maltreatment, may not be associated with school refusal among elementary school children. Further longitudinal research is needed to elucidate other factors, such as peer relationships and school environment, which can affect school refusal.
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