Longitudinal pathways from cumulative contextual risk at birth to school functioning in adolescence: analysis of mediation effects and gender moderation
File(s)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Children and adolescents exposed to multiple contextual risks are more likely to have academic difficulties and externalizing behavior problems than those who experience fewer risks. This study used data from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986 (a population-based study; N = 6961; 51 % female) to investigate (a) the impact of cumulative contextual risk at birth on adolescents' academic performance and misbehavior in school, (b) learning difficulties and/or externalizing behavior problems in childhood as intervening mechanisms in the association of cumulative contextual risk with functioning in adolescence, and (c) potential gender differences in the predictive associations of cumulative contextual risk at birth with functioning in childhood or adolescence. The results of the structural equation modeling analysis suggested that exposure to cumulative contextual risk at birth had negative associations with functioning 16 years later, and academic difficulties and externalizing behavior problems in childhood mediated some of the predictive relations. Gender, however, did not moderate any of the associations. Therefore, the findings of this study have implications for the prevention of learning and conduct problems in youth and future research on the impact of cumulative risk exposure.
Date Issued
2016-09-24
Date Acceptance
2016-08-10
Citation
Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 2016, 46 (1), pp.180-196
ISSN
1573-6601
Publisher
Springer Verlag
Start Page
180
End Page
196
Journal / Book Title
Journal of Youth and Adolescence
Volume
46
Issue
1
Copyright Statement
© Springer Science+Business Media New York 2016. The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10964-016-0560-9
Subjects
Social Sciences
Psychology, Developmental
Psychology
Cumulative contextual risk
Adolescence
Learning difficulties
Externalizing behavior problems
IV ALCOHOL-ABUSE
OF-FIT INDEXES
SUBSTANCE USE
PROTECTIVE FACTORS
ACADEMIC-ACHIEVEMENT
BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS
DEVELOPMENTAL CASCADES
DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR
EARLY DRINKING
ADHD SYMPTOMS
Developmental & Child Psychology
1303 Specialist Studies In Education
1701 Psychology
Publication Status
Published