Household Density, Family Size and the Growth and Development of Black Children — A Cross-Sectional Study from Infancy to Middle Childhood

Abstract

The relationship between household density, family size (number of children) and the physical growth and psychological development of more than 1000 black children between two months and 10 years of age was examined. The results indicated that household density was not linearly related to family size or socioeconomic status, as the housing shortage forces most families to share accommodation. Higher household density was found to be related to smaller growth among children from the beginning of their third year of life, and both higher household density and increased family size were found to be related to lower scores on the developmental measures from six years of age onwards. While household density levels were found to remain constant across the age span represented by the sample, household and family structures underwent several changes, including increased nuclearization. In general, household density measures did not yield data relating to important changes in the interpersonal environment of growing children in black townships.