Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 8, 2025
04:20
Author Spotlight: Exploring Microglial Interactions with Stress-Response Circuitry Using the Limited Bedding and Nesting Model
Published on: July 12, 2024
1.8K
Housing Hardship and Child Behavior Problems from Early Childhood to Adolescence
Katherine E Marçal1, Colette Reasonover2
1School of Social Work, Rutgers University, 120 Albany Street, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA. katherine.marcal@rutgers.edu.
Child Psychiatry and Human Development
|June 19, 2025
Summary
Housing instability impacts children's behavior. Missed housing payments showed immediate effects on externalizing behaviors and lasting effects on internalizing behaviors in children.
Area of Science:
- Child development
- Family economics
- Public health
Background:
- Housing instability is a significant issue for families with children in the U.S.
- Affording stable housing is crucial for family functioning and child well-being.
- Housing affordability challenges can negatively impact children's developmental trajectories.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between missed housing payments and child behavior problems.
- To examine both concurrent and lagged effects of housing affordability on child behavior.
- To understand the long-term consequences of housing hardship on child development.
Main Methods:
- Utilized two longitudinal growth curve models.
- Analyzed data from infancy through adolescence (ages 1, 3, 5, 9, and 15).
- Assessed missed rent or mortgage payments and child internalizing and externalizing behaviors.
Main Results:
- Missed housing payments demonstrated lagged effects on children's internalizing behaviors.
- Missed housing payments showed concurrent effects on children's externalizing behaviors.
- Housing affordability issues have both immediate and enduring impacts on child behavior.
Conclusions:
- Housing hardship significantly affects child behavior across development.
- Interventions supporting affordable housing can promote healthy child development.
- Addressing housing instability is critical for child well-being and family stability.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Conduct Disorder
106
Conduct disorder is a complex mental health diagnosis characterized by a repetitive and persistent pattern of behavior that violates societal norms, the rights of others, or age-appropriate rules. The diagnostic criteria for conduct disorder require the presence of at least three problematic behaviors within the past 12 months, with at least one occurring in the past six months. These behaviors are grouped into four categories: aggression toward people and animals; destruction of property;...
106
01:29Psychological and Sociocultural Causes of Schizophrenia
185
Schizophrenia, a complex psychiatric disorder, has been historically misunderstood. Early psychological theories attributed its origins to childhood trauma and unresponsive parenting. However, contemporary research largely rejects these notions, favoring the vulnerability-stress hypothesis. This model proposes that individuals with a genetic predisposition to schizophrenia may develop the disorder following exposure to significant environmental stressors. Notably, studies on high-risk...
185
01:30Oppositional Defiant Disorder
137
A persistent pattern of angry or irritable mood, defiant behavior, or vindictiveness characterizes Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD). Symptoms must occur over at least six months, involve interactions with individuals beyond siblings, and meet specific diagnostic criteria to be clinically significant. The disorder affects emotional regulation, social interactions, and behavior, often manifesting early in life and influencing long-term development and functioning.
Diagnostic Criteria and...
Diagnostic Criteria and...
137
01:30Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
289
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by persistent inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. It affects approximately 5-8% of children globally, with around 60-70% of cases persisting into adulthood. ADHD has significant implications for educational attainment, social interactions, and occupational success.
Diagnostic Criteria and Symptoms
To diagnose ADHD, symptoms must manifest before age 12 and be evident across multiple settings....
Diagnostic Criteria and Symptoms
To diagnose ADHD, symptoms must manifest before age 12 and be evident across multiple settings....
289
01:30Socioemotional Development during Infancy
113
Socio-emotional development in infancy is primarily shaped by early emotional responses and social connections, with temperament playing a central role. Temperament refers to the consistent patterns in an individual's emotional and behavioral responses, observable even in infancy. By examining temperament, researchers can better understand an infant's unique ways of interacting with the world, influencing subsequent personality and socio-emotional growth.
Primary Temperament Types
Primary Temperament Types
113
01:30Stress and Mental Health
211
Chronic stress profoundly affects mental health, significantly influencing mood, behavior, and overall quality of life. Research closely links chronic stress with mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders. Ongoing exposure to stress can lead to physiological and psychological changes, initiating a cycle of emotional distress and maladaptive coping mechanisms.
Individuals with depression often experience challenges in both their personal and professional...
Individuals with depression often experience challenges in both their personal and professional...
211