(PS3-63) The role of community violence and child opportunity on externalizing behaviors in early childhood

Abstract Text:

Introduction: Research shows that structural- and community-level factors such as community violence exposure and low economic opportunity can impact children’s mental and behavioral health. More specifically, children’s externalizing behaviors (e.g., hyperactivity and aggression) are heightened in high-stress environments. Less is known about the relationship between community and neighborhood factors and externalizing behaviors in preschool-aged children. Better understanding these contextual factors to externalizing behaviors in early childhood is critical because children who exhibit externalizing behaviors in early care and education settings often receive exclusionary discipline (i.e., suspension and expulsion) instead of mental and behavioral health support, placing them at risk for further exclusion from educational and social-emotional development opportunities as they get older.

Thus, the present study seeks to answer the following research questions: 1) To what extent do community violence exposure and child opportunity impact preschoolers' externalizing behaviors?; and 2) Do higher levels of externalizing behaviors in turn predict preschool exclusionary discipline?


Methods: The data from this study will be derived from an online survey of parents and caregivers with children between the ages 2 and 10. Recruitment will be stratified so that half the participants have children who have experienced preschool exclusionary discipline and half who have not. Zip codes will be used to obtain measures of community violence exposure (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program) and child opportunity (Child Opportunity Index). Participants will self-report whether their children have experienced preschool exclusionary discipline and rate their children’s current mental health symptoms using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), which screens for emotional and behavioral problems such as emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity/inattention, peer relationship problems, and prosocial behavior. The externalizing composite from the SDQ (conduct problems and hyperactivity/inattention subscales) will be used for analyses.

Statistical Plan: Using SPSS, multiple regression analyses will determine if neighborhood factors (i.e., community violence exposure and childhood opportunity scores) are associated with children’s externalizing behaviors. We hypothesize that higher exposure to community violence will be associated with more externalizing behaviors, and higher levels of child opportunity will be associated with less externalizing behaviors. Potential covariates will include parenting stress, parent mental health, and family socioeconomic status. Next, logistic regression will be used to assess whether more externalizing behaviors are associated with higher probability of preschool exclusionary discipline.

Implications: These findings will highlight important contextual factors associated with externalizing behaviors in early childhood and risk for exclusion from educational and social-emotional development opportunities. Policy and clinical practice implications for early childhood education and mental health services will also be discussed.