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Social Vulnerability and Structural Determinants of Child and Adolescent Well-Being in Europe: A Longitudinal
David Pérez-Jorge1, Miriam Catalina González-Afonso1, Iris Alexia Hernández-González1
1Department of Didactics and Educational Research, Faculty of Education, University of La Laguna, 38204 San Cristobal de La Laguna, Spain.
Abstract:
Background/Objectives: Child social vulnerability is a multidimensional phenomenon influenced by poverty, material deprivation, inequality, and institutional protection. This study analysed child and adolescent social vulnerability in Europe between 2017 and 2023 and developed a Child Social Vulnerability Index (CSVI). Methods: A longitudinal ecological study was conducted using Eurostat country-year data from European countries. Indicators included severe child poverty, severe material deprivation, income inequality (Gini index), preventive healthcare expenditure, and social protection expenditure. Descriptive, longitudinal, principal component, and cluster analyses were performed. Results: The findings revealed substantial differences in child social vulnerability across European countries. Poverty, material deprivation, and inequality were strongly associated, supporting the multidimensional nature of vulnerability. Principal Component Analysis supported the internal structure of the child Social Vulnerability Index (CSVI), identifying two components that explained 76.35% of the variance. The CSVI showed a very high correlation with the first principal component (r = 0.97, p < 0.001) confirming its structural consistency. Longitudinal analyses revealed a significant decline in child social vulnerability between 2017 and 2023 with an additional reduction during the COVID-19/post-COVID period. Cluster analysis identified three distinct European vulnerability profiles based on the CSVI and institutional protection dimension. Conclusions: Child social vulnerability in Europe is shaped by the interaction of socioeconomic inequalities and institutional protection mechanisms. The CSVI provides a useful tool for monitoring vulnerability and informing policies to reduce inequalities and promote child and adolescent well-being.
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