Association of parental social network diversity with behaviour problems and resilience of offspring in a large population-based study of Japanese children

Abstract

Objectives The current study aimed to elucidate the impact of parental social network diversity on the behaviour problems and resilience of offspring. Design We used cross-sectional data from the Kochi Child Health Impact of Living Difficulty study in 2016. Setting and participants Participants were first, fifth and eighth grade children living in Kochi prefecture, Japan (N=9653). We calculated parental social network diversity by counting the number of people with whom parents connected on a daily basis (ie, structural social network diversity) and by assessing perceived psychosocial support (ie, functional social network diversity). Primary outcome measures Child behaviour problems and resilience were respectively assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and the Child's Resilient Coping Scale (CRCS), as rated by caregivers. Results Diversity in parental structural and functional social networks showed an inverse association with SDQ total difficulties score (B=-0.16 (95% CI -0.25 to -0.07) and -0.20 (95% CI -0.27 to -0.13), respectively), and a positive association with prosocial behaviour score (B=0.11 (95% CI 0.08 to 0.15) and 0.09 (95% CI 0.06 to 0.12), respectively) and CRCS score (B=0.75 (95% CI 0.46 to 1.05) and 1.12 (95% CI 0.88 to 1.35), respectively) in the adjusted model. Parental mental health accounted for 36% and 43% of the total effects of structural and functional social network diversity respectively on the total difficulties score. For prosocial behaviour score, parental involvement accounted for 31% of the effects of functional social network diversity. Conclusion The results shed light on new strategies to enhance child mental health that do not directly involve children but rather focus on parental social networking.