Department of Health and Behavioral Sciences, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO.
Department of Psychological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX.
Ann Behav Med. 2018 Nov 12;52(12):1023-1035. doi: 10.1093/abm/kay006.
Exposure to low socioeconomic status (SES) in childhood predicts increased morbidity and mortality. However, little prospective evidence is available to test pathways linking low childhood SES to adult health.
In the current study, indirect effects through positive parenting in adolescence and adult SES were tested in the association between childhood SES and adult health behaviors and psychological resources.
Men (n = 305; 53% Black) were followed longitudinally from ages 7 to 32. SES was measured annually in childhood (ages 7-9) and again in adulthood (age 32) using the Hollingshead index. Parenting was assessed annually (ages 13-16) using caregivers' and boys' self-report of supervision, communication, and expectations for their son's future. Health behaviors (cigarette and alcohol use, fruit and vegetable consumption, and physical activity) and psychological resources (optimism, purpose in life, self-mastery, and self-esteem) were assessed in adulthood (age 32).
Structural equation modeling showed that higher childhood SES was associated with more positive parenting in adolescence and higher adult SES. Higher childhood SES was indirectly associated with healthier behaviors and higher psychological resources in adulthood through pathways involving positive parenting during adolescence and SES in adulthood. Findings were consistent in both racial groups.
Positive parenting in adolescence was an important pathway in understanding associations among childhood SES and health behaviors and psychological resources in adulthood. Low childhood SES was prospectively associated with healthier behaviors and greater psychological resources in part through more positive parenting in adolescence.
儿童时期接触低社会经济地位（SES）会增加发病率和死亡率。然而，目前几乎没有前瞻性证据可以检验将低儿童 SES 与成人健康联系起来的途径。
在当前的研究中，通过青少年时期的积极养育和成人 SES 来检验低儿童 SES 与成人健康行为和心理资源之间的关联的间接影响。
从 7 岁到 32 岁，对 305 名男性（53%为黑人）进行了纵向随访。使用 Hollingshead 指数，在儿童期（7-9 岁）和成年期（32 岁）每年测量 SES。使用看护者和男孩对孩子未来的监督、沟通和期望的自我报告，每年（13-16 岁）评估养育方式。在成年期（32 岁）评估健康行为（吸烟和饮酒、水果和蔬菜摄入以及身体活动）和心理资源（乐观、生活目标、自我掌控和自尊）。
结构方程模型表明，较高的儿童 SES 与青少年时期更积极的养育方式和更高的成年 SES 相关。较高的儿童 SES 通过青少年时期积极养育和成年 SES 的途径与成年后更健康的行为和更高的心理资源间接相关。在两个种族群体中，结果都是一致的。
青少年时期的积极养育是理解儿童 SES 与成年后健康行为和心理资源之间关联的重要途径。儿童时期的 SES 较低与更健康的行为和更大的心理资源之间存在前瞻性关联，部分原因是青少年时期的养育方式更加积极。
