Child health is not defined by diagnoses but by how children function in daily life. Social disruption has reshaped sleep, activity, and participation, producing diffuse, overlapping difficulties that resist traditional categories. This review advances a functional, biopsychosocial lens, arguing that clinical success lies in restoring everyday participation rather than labeling disease.
Maria Noel Arana, Romina Alejandra Torres, Sandra Susana Arroyo Giuliani
Abstract Background Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) is a method for examining configurational causality by identifying pathways that lead to an outcome of interest. There is a growing body of literature that uses QCA to measure child well-being due to its ability to generate evidence of causality for complex social phenomena. This scoping review examines how QCA studies are being employed to investigate child well-being and assesses the potential of QCA as a method to produce intervention-focused evidence and to contribute to future methodological development to address the complexity of child well-being. Method We systematically searched Embase, PsyINFO, MEDLINE, Social Policy and Practice, Global Health, Econlit, Scopus and Web of Science for peer-reviewed studies that had used QCA methods in child well-being studies. We searched studies published in English up until 2023. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses using QCA were excluded due to insufficient methodological detail for inclusion in our analysis. We followed the PRISMA-ScR flowchart and guidelines for study screening to ensure a systematic selection process. Data extraction was undertaken to capture information of most relevance to QCA best practice. Data were analysed using a basic qualitative content analysis approach. Results The search identified 626 papers, of which 28 met our inclusion criteria. Dimensions of well-being included: psychological/mental health (n = 9); physical health (n = 2); language development under education (n = 1); socio-emotional health (n = 7); physical and psychological/mental health (n = 3), psychological/mental health and education (n = 1); and multi-dimensional health (n = 3). Two studies stated explicitly that they used well-being concepts—subjective well-being and psychological well-being. Most studies (n = 23) were predominantly in high income countries (HIC). Commonly reported strengths of QCA were the capacity to a) describe various pathways or combinations of pathways to the same outcome (equifinality); and b) examine conjunctural causation (combination of absent/present conditions), known as ‘causal complexity’. Weaknesses related to a) generalisability of the data; and b) the number of causal conditions that can be included in the analysis. Our findings suggest that QCA can be effectively used alongside traditional analyses to provide a more nuanced understanding. Conclusion QCA is a promising method with potential to address complexity when assessing the different dimensions of child well-being. More comprehensive guidelines are now available that offer good practices to enhance the quality of the QCA research. To build greater confidence using this method, scholars are recommended to adhere to these good practices to establish the highest levels of transparency of the analysis.
Aye Thiri Kyaw, Meghna Ranganathan, Cathy Zimmerman et al.
Introduction: The present study was conducted with objective of investigating long-term outcomes in individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) during childhood. Investigation focused on current symptom severity and social functioning, and it examined role of parental psychological well-being, empathy, and parent-child relationship. Methods: A total of 64 subjects who had previously been diagnosed with ASD were subject of a re-evaluation seven years after their initial diagnosis. Participants were divided into two groups: those who retained their ASD diagnosis (n=53) and those who no longer met diagnostic criteria (n=11). The clinical assessments comprised CARS, ABC, SRS, and ASSP for participants, and BSI, FAST, EQ, and PCRS for their parents. Multiple linear regression and correlation analyses were used to examine associations between autism symptom severity, social skills, and parental variables. Results: Greater autism severity was associated with lower social skills, reduced parental empathy, and higher parental psychopathology. Parental empathy (EQ) and positive dimension of parent-child relationship (PCRS) were significantly higher in loss of ASD group. Parental empathy (EQ) and child social functioning (ASSP) positively predicted quality of parent-child relationship (PCRS). Higher parental psychiatric symptoms (BSI) and lower child social functioning significantly predicted greater autism severity (CARS). Conclusions: The severity of autism and an individual’s social functioning are closely interlinked, with child characteristics having strong predictive power. Parental mental health and empathy have been shown to have a significant impact on the developmental outcomes and relational dynamics of their children.
It's not surprising that more than a quarter of parents have reported worsening of their mental health, and 14.3% worsening of their children's behavioral health. These changes, reported in Pediatrics, compared March 2020 to June 2020.
Psychological well-being is essential for women’s health, affecting various aspects of life, including social roles, work-life balance, and maternal responsibilities. This chapter highlights its importance, addressing factors such as societal expectations, biological differences, and life events like pregnancy and motherhood. Women’s mental health is increasingly recognized in public health due to its broad implications. Emphasis is placed on stress and postnatal depression, exploring their biological, social, and cultural foundations and their influence on mental health. Postpartum depression, a significant condition with far-reaching effects on both the mother and her family, is discussed extensively, including its causes, symptoms, and impact on family dynamics. The importance of prevention, early intervention, and treatment is also examined. Coping strategies for stress and postpartum depression, such as psychosocial interventions, social support mechanisms, and group therapies, are explored as crucial elements in mental health recovery. Additionally, the integration of biological treatments, including antidepressants and hormonal therapies, with psychosocial methods is reviewed to optimize outcomes. This chapter also underscores the role of social support networks and societal awareness in addressing postpartum depression, advocating for policy development and community-based solutions. Lastly, it examines the long-term impacts on maternal mental health and mother-child relationships, emphasizing the need for sustainable mental health strategies. This analysis aims to promote awareness, prevention, and treatment of women’s mental health issues, with a focus on postpartum depression.
Objective: This study examines the ”immigrant paradox” in child well-being among 3,298 children involved in the U.S. child welfare system, comparing outcomes for those with U.S.-born versus foreign-born caregivers. It further investigates how acculturation factors and gender shape behavioral problems, violence exposure, and trauma in immigrant families.,Methods: Using longitudinal data from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being III (2017–2022), reports from children, caregivers, and caseworkers across 61 counties were analyzed. Logistic regression models, adjusted for demographic and risk factors, assessed disparities in well-being and the moderating effects of acculturation.,Results: Children of U.S.-born caregivers were more than twice as likely to exhibit behavioral problems (OR = 2.21, 95% CI = 1.12–4.36) and externalizing issues (OR = 2.69, 95% CI = 1.31–5.53). However, a clear ”erosion of protection” emerged as acculturation increased: each additional year in the U.S. raised the odds of violence exposure by 5%. Girls in immigrant families faced 4.76 times higher odds of trauma than their U.S.-born counterparts (OR = 4.76, 95% CI = 1.04–25.00), and linguistic isolation was associated with 3.45 times higher odds of internalizing problems.,Conclusions: Immigrant families appear to enter child welfare with cultural protective factors that weaken over time and differ by gender. Findings underscore the need for gender-responsive, culturally and linguistically informed child welfare interventions that address the unique traumatic pressures experienced by immigrant girls and the compounding effects of long-term U.S. residency.
Chien-jen Chiang, Miyoun Yang, Maryam Rafieifar et al.
Although improving psychological well-being was not the explicit focus of the 2021 expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC), psychological health outcomes may have been affected by the positive income shocks generated by the credit. In this chapter we ask: How did the 2021 expanded CTC affect parents’ psychological well-being? Some studies have found that the CTC led to reductions in parental reports of clinical levels of depression and anxiety and in subclinical depressive and anxiety symptoms. Using similar methods, other studies have found no effect on these same outcomes. Importantly, however, the evidence does not point to the CTC worsening psychological well-being. We conclude that the evidence so far is thin, narrow, and mixed, even when our review is expanded to comparable studies on the impact of income support. Alignment of policy objectives with a broader range of measurement approaches will be important in building a more conclusive evidence base.
Abstract Objectives Fathers provide emotional stability and security, which promotes normal mental development in children. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the father-child relationship on a child's behavioral and emotional well-being and its associated factors in Palestine. Methods This cross-sectional, descriptive, correlational, quantitative, non-experimental study involved a representative sample of fathers who had children aged between 4 and 17 years in Palestine. Data were collected using the Child-Parent Relationship Scale (CPRS) to assess the strength of the father-child relationship and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) to examine the child’s emotional and behavioral well-being. Results Since a close relationship between a father and a child reflects a child's emotional and behavioral well-being, the results suggest that a father-child relationship impacts a child's emotional and behavioral well-being. Behavioral issues and emotional symptoms worsen in a father-child relationship characterized by conflict. Conclusion It is feasible to undertake a study that discusses the impact of this relationship from the perspective of the child and launches public awareness campaigns that highlight the unique role of fathers, the value of their involvement, and its effects on their children’s safety and emotional and behavioral well-being.
This paper combines multiple data sources to study the impact of the minimum wage on service quality and consumer well-being within the child care market. Although child care firms increase teacher pay in response to minimum wage reforms, we find no impact on employment levels. Instead, providers respond by implementing a range of other revenue-enhancing and cost-saving practices, such as raising prices, increasing child-to-staff ratios, and serving fewer children in the child care subsidy system. We also find evidence that service quality increases: staff turnover declines, teachers are more likely to make human capital investments, and teacher-child interactions improve. Despite the increase in quality, parents report that they are less satisfied with their child care provider, a result we attribute to the increase in prices.
Neither market income nor consumption expenditure provides an adequate picture of individual standard of living. It is time which enables and restricts individual activities and is a further brick to a more comprehensive picture of individual well-being. In our study we focus on a prominent part of time use in non-market services: it is parental child care which contributes not only to individual but also to societal well-being. Within a novel approach we ask for multidimensional polarization effects of parental child care where compensation/substitution of time for parental child care versus income is interdependently evaluated by panel estimates of society's subjective well-being.The new interdependent 2DGAP measure thereby provides multidimensional polarization intensity information for the poor and the rich and disentangles the single time and income contribution to subjective well-being for targeted policies ensuring at the same time the interdependence of the polarization dimensions. Socio-economic influences on the polarization pole risk and intensity will be quantified by two stage Heckman estimates. The analyses are based on the German Socio-Economic Panel with 21 waves and robust fixed effects estimates as well as the German Time Use Surveys 1991/92 and actual 2012/13 with detailed diary time use data.Prominent result: compensation between parental child care time and income proved to be significant, but there are multidimensional regions with no compensation, where parental child care time deficit is not compensated by income. Interdependent multidimensional polarization by headcount and intensity increased significantly over the twenty years under investigation with remarkable risk and intensity differences.
