Psychosocial factors in unintentional childhood injuries: Results from a longitudinal study

Abstract

Relationships between several family, behavioral, and developmental factors and injuries in mid-childhood were investigated. The sample consisted of 781 children from a longitudinal study of health and development in Dunedin, New Zealand. Self-reported injury data were obtained when the children were 9 and 11 years of age, and a wide range of family, behavioral, and developmental factors were measured when the children were 7, 9, and 11 years of age. The principal form of statistical analysis was multivariate analysis of variance with a repeated measures design. The results showed that none of the family, behavioral, and developmental variables had a significant association with injury scores. Sex was the only significant factor in predicting injury experience, with males having significantly higher injury rates than females. The findings were compared with other studies. In addition, the practical implications of this type of research and future directions of childhood injury research were discussed. © 1987.