Family-school connections and internalizing problems among children living with asthma in urban, low-income neighborhoods

Karla Klein Murdock, Elizabeth M. Robinson, Sue K. Adams, Jennifer Berz, Michael J.D. Rollock

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

Children with asthma living in urban environments are at risk for experiencing internalizing problems and difficulties at school due to social context and health-related stressors. Parent confidence and participation in the school and children's attitudes about school were explored in association with children's depressed mood and school anxiety. Forty-five parent-child dyads were recruited from urban community health centers. Most participants were members of ethnic minority groups. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed that higher levels of parent confidence in the school were associated with fewer symptoms of school anxiety in children. Children's attitudes toward school moderated the relation between parent participation in the school and children's depressed mood. Specifically, lower levels of parent participation were associated with higher levels of depressed mood only for children with the least positive school attitudes. Although preliminary, these results suggest the importance of attending to family-school connections to optimize the school-related psychological functioning of children living with asthma in urban environments.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)275-294
Number of pages20
JournalJournal of Child Health Care
Volume13
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - 2009
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Child and adolescent mental health
  • Child health
  • Inequalities in health
  • Parenting support

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
  • Pediatrics

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