Socio-economic risk factors for psychological health disorders in children

Abstract

Introduction. The problem of the negative impact of socio-economic risk factors on the psychological health in primary school children is analyzed. The aim of the study is to quantitatively assess the influence of socio-economic risk factors in the early development of a child on certain parameters of the psychological health in primary schoolchildren. Materials and methods. Sixteen standardized research techniques that comprehensively reveal the characteristics of a child’s psychological health (physiological, psychophysiological, psychological and socio-psychological levels) were used. The identification of socio-economic risk factors in the preschool period of the child’s development was carried out with the questionnaire “Social passport of the family”. The total sample size is two hundred fifty three 7–8 year children from two comprehensive schools of Arkhangelsk city, Russia (117 girls and 136 boys). Statistical analysis is carried out using descriptive statistics and stepwise discriminant analysis. Results. The students of the control group stand out for favourable psychological and socio-psychological health can successfully adapt and study at school. Children from the group of moderate risk differ in minor deviations of psychophysiological, psychological, and socio-psychological levels of psychological health. First-graders from the high-risk group are characterized by deteriorations at all levels of psychological health. Limitations. While studying socioeconomic risk factors of psychological heath among first-grade students from general schools of Arkhangelsk city, we examined children and questioned their parents in accordance with the bioethical principles and their voluntary consent that represents a fairly reference sample. However, the results obtained require verification on similar data from other regions of the Russian Federation. Conclusion. Unfavourable socio-economic conditions in children’s lives before entering school can be the basis for emotional distress during the period of school adaptation. The failures in school life and the difficulties in relationships can later provoke the development of risky and sometimes illegal behaviour. The socio-economic risk factors are a predictor of problems in different levels of the child’s psychological health, which requires timely prevention and correction.