Preschool Social Participation, the Impact of Early Life Stress and Parental Health

Abstract

In this article, the association between parental and professional caregivers’ perceptions of early life stress (ELS) and the level of preschool social participation was examined, as was the possible moderating effect of parental health. In a community-based study, both parents and professional caregivers of 346 children aged 3 years provided information about child and environmental factors. Results showed that children with ELS more often experienced distress (OR 1.3, p < 0.001), had more peer problems (SDQ: B=0.1, p < 0.01), and more often received extra support according to professional caregivers (OR 1.3, p < 0.01). Parents more often reported concerns (OR=1.3, p < 0.001), a greater number of concerns (B=0.3, p < 0.001), and perceived more difficulties in parenting (“parenting” VAS: B=−2.5, p < 0.001). Associations were stronger for children of parents with “poor health”. For personalized family-centred health care, Preventive Child Health Care should systematically explore caregivers’ perceptions and concerns of ELS, parental health and child social participation.