BackgroundThe objectives of this study were to (a) assess the associations between early behavioral problems and intergenerational income mobility (i.e., the degree to which income status is transmitted from one generation to the next), (b) verify whether these associations are moderated by child sex, and (c) explore indirect effects of early behavioral problems on income mobility via high school graduation.MethodsData were drawn from the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Kindergarten Children (n = 3,020; 49.17% girls). Participants were followed from age 6 to 37 years. Measures included parents' and teachers' ratings of behavioral problems at age 6 years as well as participants' (ages 30–35 years) and their parents' (when participants were aged 10–19 years) income data obtained from tax return records. Regression models were used to predict upward and downward mobility (i.e., increased or decreased income status from one generation to the next) from attention‐deficit/hyperactivity problems, conduct/opposition problems, depression/anxiety problems, prosociality, and the quality of children's relationship with their caregiver. Two‐way interaction effects between behavioral problems and child sex were examined and indirect effect models including high school graduation as a mediator of these associations were conducted.ResultsDespite their higher educational attainment, females had lower incomes and experienced lower upward (but higher downward) income mobility than males. For both females and males, higher levels of attention‐deficit/hyperactivity and conduct/opposition problems were associated with decreased odds of upward mobility, whereas higher levels of attention‐deficit/hyperactivity were associated with increased odds of downward mobility. Attention‐deficit/hyperactivity problems, conduct/opposition problems as well as low prosociality were associated with lower educational attainment (no high school diploma), which in turn was associated with increased odds of downward mobility.ConclusionsResults highlight the importance of providing intensive support to children with early behavioral problems as a means of improving educational attainment and intergenerational income mobility.

中文翻译：

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童年行为问题和不利的经济后果：一项基于 30 年人口的代际收入流动性研究

背景本研究的目的是（a）评估早期行为问题与代际收入流动性（即收入状况从一代传给下一代的程度）之间的关联，（b）验证这些关联是否受到以下因素的调节：儿童性行为，以及（c）探索早期行为问题对高中毕业后收入流动性的间接影响。方法数据来自魁北克幼儿园儿童纵向研究（n= 3,020； 49.17% 女孩）。参与者的年龄从 6 岁到 37 岁不等。衡量标准包括父母和老师对 6 岁时行为问题的评分，以及从纳税申报表记录中获得的参与者（30-35 岁）及其父母（10-19 岁）的收入数据。回归模型用于预测注意力缺陷/多动问题、行为/反对问题、抑郁/焦虑问题、亲社会性和儿童质量的向上和向下流动性（即从一代人到下一代人的收入状况增加或减少）。与他们的照顾者的关系。研究了行为问题和儿童性别之间的双向相互作用效应，并建立了间接效应模型，包括高中毕业作为这些关联的中介。结果尽管女性受教育程度较高，但收入较低，向上收入较低（但向下收入较高）流动性高于男性。对于女性和男性来说，较高水平的注意力缺陷/多动和行为/反对问题与向上流动的可能性降低相关，而较高水平的注意力缺陷/多动与向下流动的可能性增加相关。注意力缺陷/多动问题、行为/反对问题以及低亲社会性与较低的教育程度（没有高中文凭）有关，而这反过来又与向下流动的可能性增加有关。结论结果强调了为以下群体提供强化支持的重要性有早期行为问题的儿童作为提高教育程度和代际收入流动性的一种手段。