Associations between family environment resources and mental health problems in children

Abstract

Objective: The relationship between mental health and contextual factors has been increasingly investigated in the scientific literature to identify elements that may configure themselves as protective. The present study aimed to identify what resources (activities, family outings, toys, material elements, and learning) were offered in the daily lives of children with mental disorders, and from this, verify whether the offer of such resources in the family was associated with areas of greatest damage relative to mental health problems. Methods: Thirty-three caregivers of/people responsible for children between 6 and 12 years of age with most frequent diagnoses in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder seen at a general hospital participated. We used the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ – parents version) and Family Environment Resources Inventory (RAF). Results: From a descriptive and correlational analysis, it was revealed that the more the mental health problems were present in children, the lower the family resources offer. Conclusions: The environmental resources offer proved to be protective for child development. Such findings are relevant to aid in outlining strategies for promoting mental health among children.