Martins Paula Cristina, Oliveira Vítor Hugo
Centro de Investigação em Estudos da Criança, Universidade do Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal.
Centro de Investigação e Inovação em Educação, Instituto Politécnico do Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal.
Children (Basel). 2024 Dec 18;11(12):1533. doi: 10.3390/children11121533.
This study aimed to examine the effects of poverty on child well-being and family functioning among low-income families. Specifically, it explored the role of parental stress, family dynamics, and contextual strain on children's behavioral and emotional outcomes. Using a sample of families receiving welfare support, the research sought to assess the impact of conditional cash transfer programs and the involvement of Child Protective Services on child development and family well-being.
This cross-sectional study involved 99 children aged 8-12 from low-income, welfare-assisted families recruited from the Porto Metropolitan Area. Parental stress, parenting attitudes, family functioning, and child outcomes were assessed using standardized questionnaires. Families with and without Child Protective Services involvement were compared, and a cumulative index of contextual strain was developed to measure the multidimensional impact of stressors on child outcomes.
The results revealed that 53% of children exhibited clinical or borderline internalizing behaviors, 47% showed externalizing behaviors, and 39% experienced low psychological well-being. High levels of parental stress, low parenting competence, and significant contextual strain were associated with poorer child outcomes. Families involved with Child Protective Services showed no significant differences in parent or family characteristics, but children from these families exhibited fewer behavioral problems.
The study highlights the pervasive impact of poverty and contextual strain on child development, emphasizing the need for more comprehensive interventions. Family functioning and parental stress are critical factors influencing child well-being, pointing to the importance of addressing these areas through targeted welfare and support programs to reduce the intergenerational transmission of poverty and improve child outcomes.
本研究旨在探讨贫困对低收入家庭中儿童福祉和家庭功能的影响。具体而言，研究探讨了父母压力、家庭动态以及环境压力对儿童行为和情绪结果的作用。该研究以接受福利支持的家庭为样本，试图评估有条件现金转移项目的影响以及儿童保护服务机构的介入对儿童发展和家庭福祉的影响。
这项横断面研究涉及从波尔图大都市区招募的99名8至12岁来自低收入、有福利补助家庭的儿童。使用标准化问卷评估父母压力、育儿态度、家庭功能和儿童结果。对有和没有儿童保护服务机构介入的家庭进行了比较，并制定了一个环境压力累积指数来衡量压力源对儿童结果的多维度影响。
结果显示，53%的儿童表现出临床或临界内化行为，47%表现出外化行为，39%的儿童心理健康水平较低。高水平父母压力、低育儿能力和显著的环境压力与较差的儿童结果相关。涉及儿童保护服务机构的家庭在父母或家庭特征方面没有显著差异，但这些家庭的儿童行为问题较少。
该研究强调了贫困和环境压力对儿童发展的普遍影响，强调需要更全面的干预措施。家庭功能和父母压力是影响儿童福祉的关键因素，这表明通过有针对性的福利和支持项目来解决这些领域问题对于减少贫困的代际传递和改善儿童结果的重要性。
