The Association between Stressful Life Events and Emotional and Behavioral Problems in Children 0–7 Years Old: The CIKEO Study

Yuan Fang, Hein Raat, Dafna A. Windhorst, Irene N. Fierloos, Harrie Jonkman, Clemens M. H. Hosman, Matty R. Crone, Wilma Jansen and Amy van Grieken
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Yuan Fang: Department of Public Health, Erasmus University Medical Centre, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Hein Raat: Department of Public Health, Erasmus University Medical Centre, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Dafna A. Windhorst: Department of Public Health, Erasmus University Medical Centre, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Irene N. Fierloos: Department of Public Health, Erasmus University Medical Centre, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Harrie Jonkman: Verwey-Jonker Institute, 3512 HG Utrecht, The Netherlands
Clemens M. H. Hosman: Department of Health Promotion, Maastricht University, 6229 HA Maastricht, The Netherlands
Matty R. Crone: Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
Wilma Jansen: Department of Public Health, Erasmus University Medical Centre, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Amy van Grieken: Department of Public Health, Erasmus University Medical Centre, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 3, 1-12

Abstract: Background: Stressful life events (SLEs) are recognized risk factors for emotional and behavioral problems, but the association is understudied among young children. Our aim was to examine the association between exposure to SLEs and emotional and behavioral problems in young children up to 7 years old. Methods: We analyzed baseline data from 959 children (mean age = 3.3 years; SD = 1.9; 47.5% girls) in the CIKEO study, a community-based longitudinal study in the Netherlands. Linear regression was used to assess the associations between the total as well as the individual exposure to SLEs experienced in the past 12 months, and emotional and behavioral problems assessed by CBCL 1.5-5. Interactions of SLEs and child age, sex, ethnic background, and socioeconomic status were explored. Results: Higher total exposure to SLEs, as indicated by the number of SLEs, was significantly associated with higher CBCL total, internalizing and externalizing problem scores ( p for trend < 0.05). The results did not differ by child age, sex, ethnic background, or family SES. Six out of the 12 SLEs explored were independently associated with greater CBCL total/externalizing/internalizing scores ( p < 0.05). Conclusions: Exposure to SLEs is associated with higher levels of emotional and behavioral problems in young children, and the impact of SLEs may vary depending on the types of events. Stressful life events might be a useful target for interventions to improve emotional and behavioral well-being among young children.

Keywords: life events; emotional and behavioral problems; internalizing behaviors; externalizing behaviors; children (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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