SEARCHCOHORTpediatrics, public health

cohort·pediatrics, public health, epidemiology, pediatric ophthalmology, family medicine·PMC10021185

The role of sociodemographic and psychosocial variables in early childhood development: A secondary data analysis of the 2014 and 2019 Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys in the Dominican Republic

PLOS Global Public Health · 5 authors, 3 centres

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TL;DR

This study analyzed household survey data from the Dominican Republic to see what factors predict early childhood development. The key result was that while both sociodemographic factors (like poverty and mother's education) and psychosocial factors (like stimulating home activities and discipline) predicted development, the psychosocial factors explained more of the difference in outcomes.

Full summary

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Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used to examine predictors of an early childhood development (ECD) index. The psychosocial model added stimulating activities, toys, books, early childhood education attendance, and discipline methods. The most salient psychosocial predictors were negative discipline, number of children's books, stimulating activities, and attendance to an early childhood education program. The findings suggest that interventions targeting psychosocial factors could be beneficial, but addressing underlying poverty is crucial for improving children's developmental potential.

STUDY TYPE

cohort

SPECIALTY

pediatrics

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ORIGINAL PAPER

PMC10021185

The role of sociodemographic and psychosocial variables in early childhood development: A secondary data analysis of the 2014 and 2019 Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys in the Dominican Republic

PLOS Global Public Health

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ABSTRACT

Abstract The association between sociodemographic factors—poverty, lack of maternal schooling, being male at birth—, childhood developmental delay, and poor educational outcomes has been established in the Dominican Republic (DR). However, family moderating factors present or introduced to buffer sociodemographic factors effects on early childhood development (ECD) are still unknown. We conducted a secondary analysis of the DR’s 2014 and 2019 Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys. We had four study aims: 1) confirm the relationship between socioeconomic position (SP), parenting practices, and ECD; 2) determine if a sociodemographic model predicted ECD; 3) determine if a psychosocial model (family childrearing practices, discipline, and early childhood stimulation) predicted ECD above and beyond the sociodemographic model; 4) explore mothers’ beliefs about physical punishment and its relationship with ECD and psychosocial variables. We found that both models predicted ECD significantly, but the psychosocial model explained more variance than the sociodemographic model (6.3% in 2014 and 4.4% in 2019). The most relevant sociodemographic predictors were SP (explaining 21.6% of ECD variance in 2014 and 18.6% in 2019) and mother’s education (explaining 13.9% in 2014 and 14.1% in 2019). The most salient ECD psychosocial predictors were: negative discipline, number of children’s books at home, stimulating activities at home, and attendance to an early childhood education program. The predicting weights of the independent variables were similar for both years. These results have multiple implications for social programs that aim to improve children’s potential in contexts of poverty. Although the results show a protective effect of psychosocial factors, sustainable and large-scale interventions should not be limited to just buffering effects, but to solve the underlying problem, which is that poverty prevents children from reaching their developmental potential and exposes them to life-long greater risk for chronic disease. Addressing delays early in life can therefore contribute to achieving health equity.

CITATION EXPORT

Laura V Sánchez-Vincitore, Arachu Castro, Biplab Datta et al.. The role of sociodemographic and psychosocial variables in early childhood development: A secondary data analysis of the 2014 and 2019 Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys in the Dominican Republic. PLOS Global Public Health. (2022). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0000465

AUTHORS

5 · 3 CENTRES

Laura V Sánchez-Vincitore, Arachu Castro, Biplab Datta, Biplab Datta, Biplab Datta

1Neurocognition and Psychophysiology Laboratory, Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE), Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
2Department of International Health and Sustainable Development, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
3Augusta University, UNITED STATES