Comparison of emotional and behavioral problems between preschool firstborn children across the transition to siblinghood and the only children

Abstract

Objective To compare the emotional and behavioral characteristics of preschool firstborn children across the transition to siblinghood with the only children in a district of Chongqing.

Methods Data were derived from a cohort study on firstborn children transition to siblinghood. Totally 882 firstborn children (3.58±1.25) years old and 329 only children (3.98±1.02) years old were recruited from two hospitals and 19 kindergartens in a district of Chongqing, respectively. Their mothers filled out the parental version of Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and self-designed questionnaire.

Results The overall scores of emotional and behavioral problems of firstborn children and only children were (25.17±18.82) and (31.75±18.64). The results of rank sum test showed that the scores of the firstborn children in all dimensions, internalizing and externalizing behavior problems and overall emotional and behavioral problems were lower than those of the only children ( P<0.05). Chi-square test results showed that the detection rates of internalizing, externalizing and overall emotional behavior problems in only children (12.77%, 13.07%, 14.59%) were higher than those in firstborn children (8.28%, 8.28%, 8.16%) (χ ² = 5.62, 6.36, 11.09, P<0.05). Multiple linear regression showed that after adjusting for age, gender, family economic pressure, temperament type of children, family atmosphere and family type, the scores of internalizing problems, externalizing problems and overall problems of the only children were still higher than those of the firstborn children ( B = 1.54, 2.32, 6.81, P<0.05).

Conclusion The firstborn children across the transition to siblinghood show less emotional and behavioral problems than the only children, and the scores and detection rates of all types of emotional and behavioral problems of the firstborn children are lower than those of the only children.

Abstract

【摘要】 目的 比较重庆市某城区学龄前角色转换期大孩与独生子女的情绪行为特征。 方法 数据来源于一项有关角 色转换期大孩的队列研究, 分别从重庆市主城某区的两家医院和 19 所幼儿园招募 882 名大孩 [(3.58±1.25) 岁] 和 329 名 独生子女 [(3.98±1.02) 岁] 作为研究对象, 并由其母亲填写 1.5~5 岁儿童行为量表父母版 (CBCL) 和自编问卷。 结果 大 孩和独生子女的整体情绪行为问题得分分别为 (25.17±18.82) 和 (31.75±18.64) 分。秩和检验结果显示, 大孩在各维度、内 外化行为问题和整体情绪行为问题的得分均低于独生子女 ( P 值均<0.05)。χ ² 检验结果显示, 在内、外化行为问题和整体 情绪行为问题的检出率方面, 独生子女 (12.77%, 13.07%, 14.59%) 均髙于大孩 (8.28%, 8.28%, 8.16%) (χ ² 值分别为 5.62, 6.36, 11.09, P 值均<0.05)。多重线性回归结果显示, 在调整了儿童年龄、性别、家庭经济压力、气质类型、家庭氛围以及家 庭类型等变量后, 独生子女在内化问题、外化问题和整体问题的得分均仍然髙于大孩 ( B 值分别为 1.54, 2.32, 6.81, P 值均<0.05)。 结论 学龄前角色转换期大孩整体情绪行为问题较独生子女少, 且大孩各类情绪行为问题得分和检出率均低于独 生子女。