Maternal gender discrimination and child emotional and
behavioural problems: A population-based, longitudinal cohort
study in the Czech Republic

J 2022

Maternal gender discrimination and child emotional and behavioural problems: A population-based, longitudinal cohort study in the Czech Republic

ŠTĚPANÍKOVÁ, Irena, Sanjeev ACHARYA, Alejandra COLON-LOPEZ, Safa ABDALLA, Jana KLÁNOVÁ et. al.

Basic information

Original name

Maternal gender discrimination and child emotional and behavioural problems: A population-based, longitudinal cohort study in the Czech Republic

Authors

ŠTĚPANÍKOVÁ, Irena (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution), Sanjeev ACHARYA, Alejandra COLON-LOPEZ, Safa ABDALLA, Jana KLÁNOVÁ (203 Czech Republic, guarantor, belonging to the institution) and Gary L. DARMSTADT

Edition

EClinicalMedicine, Elsevier, 2022, 2589-5370

Other information

Language

English

Type of outcome

Článek v odborném periodiku

Field of Study

30218 General and internal medicine

Country of publisher

Netherlands

Confidentiality degree

není předmětem státního či obchodního tajemství

References:

URL

Impact factor

Impact factor: 15.100

RIV identification code

RIV/00216224:14310/22:00127526

Organization unit

Faculty of Science

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2022.101627

UT WoS

000860524000003

Keywords in English

Gender discrimination; Mental health; Behavioural problems; Adverse childhood experiences; Child health; Adolescent health

Abstract

V originále

Background Gender discrimination may be a novel mechanism through which gender inequality negatively affects the health of women and girls. We investigated whether children's mental health varied with maternal exposure to perceived gender discrimination. Methods Complete longitudinal data was available on 2,567 mother-child dyads who were enrolled between March 1, 1991 and June 30,1992 in the European Longitudinal Cohort Study of Pregnancy and Childhood-Czech cohort and were surveyed at multiple time points between pregnancy and child age up to 15 years. The Strengths and Difficulties Ques-tionnaire (SDQ) was administered at child age 7, 11, and 15 years to assess child emotional/behavioural difficulties. Per-ceived gender discrimination was self-reported in mid-pregnancy and child age 7 and 11 years. Multilevel mixed-effects linear regression of SDQ scores were estimated. Mediation was tested using structural equation models. Findings Perceived gender discrimination, reported by 11.2% of mothers in mid-pregnancy, was related to increased emotional/behavioural difficulties among children in bivariate analysis (slope = 0.24 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.15, 0.32], p < 0.0001) and in the fully adjusted model (slope = 0.18 [95% CI: 0.09, 0.27], p < 0.0001). Increased difficulties were evident among children of mothers with more depressive symptoms (slope = 0.04 [95% CI: 0.03, 0.05], p < 0.0001), boys (slope = 0.26 [95% CI: 0.19, 0.34], p < 0.0001), first children (slope = 0.16 [95% CI: 0.09, 0.23], p < 0.0001), and families under financial hardship (slope = 0.09 [95% CI: 0.04, 0.14], p < 0.0001). Effects were attenuated for married mothers (slope-0.12 [95% CI:-0.22,-0.01], p < 0.05]. Maternal depressive symptoms and financial hardship mediated about 37% and 13%, respectively, of the total effect of perceived gender discrimination on SDQ scores. Interpretation Perceived gender discrimination among child-bearing women in family contexts was associated with more mental health problems among their children and adolescents, extending prior research showing associations with maternal mental health problems. Maternal depressive symptoms and, to a lesser extent, financial hardship both partially mediated the positive relationship between perceived gender discrimination and child emotional/behavioural problems. This should be taken into consideration when measuring the societal burden of gender inequality and gender-based discrimination. Moreover, gender-based discrimination affects more than one gender and more than one generation, extending to boys in the household even moreso than girls, highlighting that gender discrimination is everyone's issue. Further research is required on the intergenerational mechanisms whereby gender discrimination may lead to maternal and child mental health consequences.

Links

EF15_003/0000469, research and development project

Name: Cetocoen Plus

EF16_013/0001761, research and development project

Name: RECETOX RI

LM2015051, research and development project

Name: Centrum pro výzkum toxických látek v prostředí (Acronym: RECETOX RI)

Investor: Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the CR

Citovat

ŠTĚPANÍKOVÁ, Irena, Sanjeev ACHARYA, Alejandra COLON-LOPEZ, Safa ABDALLA, Jana KLÁNOVÁ and Gary L. DARMSTADT. Maternal gender discrimination and child emotional and behavioural problems: A population-based, longitudinal cohort study in the Czech Republic. EClinicalMedicine. Elsevier, 2022, vol. 53, November 2022, p. 1-13. ISSN 2589-5370. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2022.101627.

@article{2240984,
   author = {Štěpaníková, Irena and Acharya, Sanjeev and ColonandLopez, Alejandra and Abdalla, Safa and Klánová, Jana and Darmstadt, Gary L.},
   article_number = {November 2022},
   doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2022.101627},
   keywords = {Gender discrimination; Mental health; Behavioural problems; Adverse childhood experiences; Child health; Adolescent health},
   language = {eng},
   issn = {2589-5370},
   journal = {EClinicalMedicine},
   title = {Maternal gender discrimination and child emotional and behavioural problems: A population-based, longitudinal cohort study in the Czech Republic},
   url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589537022003571?via%3Dihub},
   volume = {53},
   year = {2022}
}

TY  - JOUR
ID  - 2240984
AU  - Štěpaníková, Irena - Acharya, Sanjeev - Colon-Lopez, Alejandra - Abdalla, Safa - Klánová, Jana - Darmstadt, Gary L.
PY  - 2022
TI  - Maternal gender discrimination and child emotional and behavioural problems: A population-based, longitudinal cohort study in the Czech Republic
JF  - EClinicalMedicine
VL  - 53
IS  - November 2022
SP  - 1-13
EP  - 1-13
PB  - Elsevier
SN  - 25895370
KW  - Gender discrimination
KW  - Mental health
KW  - Behavioural problems
KW  - Adverse childhood experiences
KW  - Child health
KW  - Adolescent health
UR  - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589537022003571?via%3Dihub
N2  - Background Gender discrimination may be a novel mechanism through which gender inequality negatively affects the health of women and girls. We investigated whether children's mental health varied with maternal exposure to perceived gender discrimination. Methods Complete longitudinal data was available on 2,567 mother-child dyads who were enrolled between March 1, 1991 and June 30,1992 in the European Longitudinal Cohort Study of Pregnancy and Childhood-Czech cohort and were surveyed at multiple time points between pregnancy and child age up to 15 years. The Strengths and Difficulties Ques-tionnaire (SDQ) was administered at child age 7, 11, and 15 years to assess child emotional/behavioural difficulties. Per-ceived gender discrimination was self-reported in mid-pregnancy and child age 7 and 11 years. Multilevel mixed-effects linear regression of SDQ scores were estimated. Mediation was tested using structural equation models. Findings Perceived gender discrimination, reported by 11.2% of mothers in mid-pregnancy, was related to increased emotional/behavioural difficulties among children in bivariate analysis (slope = 0.24 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.15, 0.32], p < 0.0001) and in the fully adjusted model (slope = 0.18 [95% CI: 0.09, 0.27], p < 0.0001). Increased difficulties were evident among children of mothers with more depressive symptoms (slope = 0.04 [95% CI: 0.03, 0.05], p < 0.0001), boys (slope = 0.26 [95% CI: 0.19, 0.34], p < 0.0001), first children (slope = 0.16 [95% CI: 0.09, 0.23], p < 0.0001), and families under financial hardship (slope = 0.09 [95% CI: 0.04, 0.14], p < 0.0001). Effects were attenuated for married mothers (slope-0.12 [95% CI:-0.22,-0.01], p < 0.05]. Maternal depressive symptoms and financial hardship mediated about 37% and 13%, respectively, of the total effect of perceived gender discrimination on SDQ scores. Interpretation Perceived gender discrimination among child-bearing women in family contexts was associated with more mental health problems among their children and adolescents, extending prior research showing associations with maternal mental health problems. Maternal depressive symptoms and, to a lesser extent, financial hardship both partially mediated the positive relationship between perceived gender discrimination and child emotional/behavioural problems. This should be taken into consideration when measuring the societal burden of gender inequality and gender-based discrimination. Moreover, gender-based discrimination affects more than one gender and more than one generation, extending to boys in the household even moreso than girls, highlighting that gender discrimination is everyone's issue. Further research is required on the intergenerational mechanisms whereby gender discrimination may lead to maternal and child mental health consequences.
ER  -

ŠTĚPANÍKOVÁ, Irena, Sanjeev ACHARYA, Alejandra COLON-LOPEZ, Safa ABDALLA, Jana KLÁNOVÁ and Gary L. DARMSTADT. Maternal gender discrimination and child emotional and behavioural problems: A population-based, longitudinal cohort study in the Czech Republic. \textit{EClinicalMedicine}. Elsevier, 2022, vol.~53, November 2022, p.~1-13. ISSN~2589-5370. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2022.101627.

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