The role of household chaos on levels and trajectories of socioemotional behavior in the second year.

Abstract

The second year of life is a time of formative developmental change as basic behavioral systems undergo rapid integration and expansion. This study examined the developmental trajectories of socialemotional (SoE) outcomes and the effects of infant sex and household chaos (HC) on the development of SoE outcomes across the second year of life. The participating families (N = 143) were ethnically homogenous (88% Caucasian) but economically diverse (31% low-to-very-low income). Mothers reported on their children's SoE outcomes including externalizing, internalizing, dysregulating problem behaviors as well as SoE competence when infants (54% girls) were 12, 18, and 24 months old. At each age point, HC was assessed through observations during home visits and compliance to the study protocols. Multilevel modeling revealed increasing developmental trajectories in all of the domains of SoE outcomes across the second year of life, reflecting the premise that these behavioral systems continue to form and become increasingly part of the infant's behavioral repertoire as development unfolds. However, compared to infants in less chaotic homes, infants in more chaotic households experienced steeper increases in both externalizing and internalizing problem behaviors across the second year, and girls showed higher levels of internalizing problem behaviors compared to boys. Results emphasize the increasing trajectories of problem behaviors in relation to ongoing chaotic caregiving environment among infants as young as 2 years of age.

Prospective associations of prenatal stress with child behavior: Moderation by the early childhood caregiving environment

“…Additionally, the current study was underpowered to evaluate sex differences. Nonetheless, consistent with past research, positive parenting behaviors and home environments in early childhood were associated with fewer externalizing behaviors in children in the current study (Anderson & Goodnight, 2022;Boeldt et al, 2012;Chimed-Ochir et al, 2022;Hentges et al, 2018;Pinquart, 2017;Shaw et al, 1998;Trentacosta & Shaw, 2008). These results align with theoretical models that state that early caregiving environment is critical to the expression of these externalizing types of behavior problems in children (Cummings & Miller-Graff, 2015;Mikulincer & Shaver, 2019;Patterson, 2016).…”

“…Thus, sensitive parenting behaviors and an emotionally supportive and cognitively stimulating home environment in early childhood may alter neurodevelopment and physiological functioning in a manner that mitigates risk for internalizing following prenatal stress. Second, a supportive and responsive caregiving environment in the first years of life may help to foster secure attachment bonds, emotional security, and emotion regulation even in contexts of risk (Chimed-Ochir et al, 2022;Crespo et al, 2017;Glynn et al, 2021). For example, according to Emotional Security Theory, a family environment that is warm and responsive may promote feelings of emotional safety and emotion regulation skills that in turn prevent internalizing symptoms (Cummings & Miller-Graff, 2015;Maccoby, 2000).…”

How household chaos affects social withdrawal of rural children: the indirect role of executive function and receptive language ability

“…Children’s social withdrawal behavior determines whether individuals have communication motivation which affects the development of their social skills in social interaction ( Brei et al, 2014 ; Blume et al, 2021 ). Previous studies revealed that household chaos will affect the development of individual thinking, language, and social communication ability ( Vernon-Feagans et al, 2016 ; Chimed-Ochir et al, 2022 ). Influencing factors of family chaos and psychological mechanisms have always been a concern by researchers.…”