ESRI Seminar: "The Effects of Financial Vulnerability and Mothers’ Emotional Distress on Child Social, Emotional and Behavioural Wellbeing: a Structural Equation Model"

Venue: Venue: ESRI, Whitaker Square, Sir John Rogerson's Quay, Dublin 2

Speaker: Dr Morag Treanor (University of Edinburgh).

Abstract:
This paper uses SEM to explore the effects of maternal financial vulnerability on children’s social, emotional and behavioural (SEB) wellbeing and to test the mediating role of maternal mental health (measured by the SF12). It uses data from Growing Up in Scotland - a longitudinal birth cohort study of 5,217 children born in 2004-5. The dependent variable, SEB wellbeing, is measured using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) scores taken at age 4/5 years. The results show that children’s SEB wellbeing is negatively associated with maternal financial vulnerability, even after income is taken into consideration. Additionally, 50% of the impact of financial vulnerability on child SEB is mediated through maternal mental health and 50% of the effect is direct to the child. While qualitative evidence shows that maternal financial vulnerability adversely affects older children directly, the quantitative finding that young children’s SEB is similarly affected is a novel finding.