Blokland, Aleksandra;
(2021)
The role of parent-child relationships in injury experience across childhood and early adolescence - findings from the Millennium Cohort Study.
Doctoral thesis (Ph.D), UCL (University College London).
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Abstract
Background: Injuries are the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in children and have potentially long-lasting effects. Whilst individual and environmental aetiological factors have been researched extensively, little is known about the role of social relationships. Aims: To explore associations between parent child/adolescent relationships and injury experience across childhood and early adolescence. Close parent child/adolescent relationships were hypothesised to decrease, and strained relationships were hypothesised to increase injury risk. Child/adolescent behavioural problems were expected to mediate these associations. Methods: Data came from the UK Millennium Cohort Study. Associations between parent child/adolescent relationships and injury experience at ages 3, 7 and 14 years were first examined via regression modelling. Structural equation modelling (SEM) then explored these associations cross-sectionally and longitudinally, and tested behavioural pathways between relationships and injuries. Finally, latent growth curve modelling examined injury trajectories over time. Results: There was only limited evidence to support the hypothesised associations. Regression modelling indicated that low levels of warmth in the parent child relationship at age 3 and quarrelling at age 14 were associated with higher injury experience at these ages. SEM found no longitudinal and also no direct cross sectional associations between relationships and injuries. However, indirect cross sectional associations that included child/adolescent externalising behaviours were found at ages 3, 7 and 14. Children experiencing less strained relationships had fewer externalising problems, and this was linked to lower injury experience at these ages. Latent growth curve modelling identified a low- and a high risk trajectory. Adolescents closer to their parents at age 14 were more likely to follow the high risk trajectory. Conclusion: The findings of this study do not suggest a major role for parent child/adolescent relationships in relation to injury risk across childhood and early adolescence. Child/adolescent behavioural problems were associated with both relationships and injuries. Prevention policies should, therefore, focus on established risk factors such as child/adolescent behaviours.
| Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Qualification: | Ph.D |
| Title: | The role of parent-child relationships in injury experience across childhood and early adolescence - findings from the Millennium Cohort Study |
| Event: | UCL (University College London) |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | Copyright © The Author 2021. Original content in this thesis is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) Licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/). Any third-party copyright material present remains the property of its respective owner(s) and is licensed under its existing terms. Access may initially be restricted at the author’s request. |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > Institute of Epidemiology and Health |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10136800 |
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