The Characteristics And Related Factors Of Emotional And Behavioral Problems Of Preschool Firstborn Children During Transition To Siblinghood In Chongqing

Objectives:To investigate the emotional and behavioral characteristics of preschool firstborn children during transition to siblinghood(TTS)in urban districts of Chongqing,and to explore the influencing factors of emotional and behavioral problems of firstborn children during TTS.Methods:Two hospitals(Chongqing health center for women and children,Chongqing traditional Chinese medicine hospital)and 19 nursery schools were selected by purposive sampling to enroll preschool firstborn children and the only children,respectively.A self-designed questionnaire and parental Child Behavior Checklist(CBCL)was used to collect information from children’s mother with informed consent.Chi-square test and rank-sum test were used to identify basic characteristics of firstborn children and the only children.Reliability analysis was used to analyzed the internal consistency of CBCL,spearman correlation analysis was used to compare the relevance of scale items;rank sum test and chi-square test were used to analyze the scores and detection rates of seven emotional and behavioral syndromes and three comprehensive problems among firstborn children in different genders,ages and mothers’gestations,and that between firstborn children and the only children.The scores of three comprehensive emotional and behavioral problems between firstborn children and the only children also analyzed by multiple linear regression.The simple and multiple linear regression were used to identify the potential influencing factors of firstborn children’s emotional and behavioral problems.Results:Totally,1211 children including 882 firstborn children and 329 only children were analyzed in the study.(1)The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of internal consistency of CBCL was 0.954,the spearman correlation coefficients of seven emotional and behavioral syndromes,comprehensive problems and the total scale were 0.663~0.943.(2)Emotional and behavioral characteristics of firstborn children:the detection rates of internalizing,externalizing and total problems were 8.28%,8.28%and 9.18%,respectively,with average scores of 7.22,8.66 and 25.17 respectively.Additionally,the detection rate of somatic complains of girls was significantly higher than that of boys(χ~2=3.943,P=0.047),the score of withdraw of firstborn children aged 3-5 years old was significantly higher than that of firstborn children aged 1-2 years old(Ζ=-2.385,P=0.017),and there were no statistically significant differences in the emotions and behaviors of firstborn children in different mothers’gestation.(3)The comparison of the emotional and behavioral characteristics between firstborn children and the only children.The detection rates of firstborn children’s internalizing problems(χ~2=5.619,P=0.018),externalizing problems(χ~2=6.356,P=0.012)and total problems(χ~2=11.085,P=0.001)were significantly lower than that of the only-children.And the scores of seven emotional and behavioral syndromes and 3comprehensive problems of firstborn children were significantly lower than that of the only-children(p<0.05).In two multiple linear regression models,the scores of firstborn children’s internalizing problems(β=-0.135,P=0.000),externalizing problems(β=-0.179,P=0.000)and total problems(β=-0.184,P=0.000)were also significantly lower than that of the only-children.(4)After adjusting the potential influencing factors,multivariate liner regression analysis showed that firstborn children with father’s authoritative and permissive parenting style were significantly negatively correlated with internalizing problems(β=-0.241,P=0.001;β=-0.139,P=0.022),externalizing problems(β=-0.248,P=0.001;β=-0.165,P=0.007)and total problems(β=-0.264,P=0.000;β=-0.188,P=0.002);firstborn children with easy-to-raise temperament were significantly negatively correlated with internalizing problems(β=-0.214,P=0.000),externalizing problems(β=-0.132,P=0.004)and total problems(β=-0.164,P=0.000);harmonious family was significantly negatively associated with the internalizing problems(β=-0.192,P=0.005)and total problems(β=-0.148,P=0.032)among firstborn children;firstborn children with better parental relationship were significantly negatively associated with the internalizing problems(β=-0.153,P=0.024);older ages was significantly negatively associated with the externalizing problems(β=-0.079,P=0.030)among firstborn children;compared with informed before pregnancy,firstborn children’s externalizing problems were positively associated with informed before 8 weeks after pregnant(β=0.105,P=0.012)and pregnant after 9 weeks(β=0.108,P=0.013).Conclusion:Firstborn children showed fewer emotional and behavioral problems,and firstborn children’s emotional and behavioral problems are relatively fewer than the only-children.Girls’somatic complains are more prominent than boys,and withdrawal of firstborn children aged 3-5 years are more obvious than that of firstborn children aged 1-2 years.Father’s authoritative and permissive parenting style and children’s easy-to-raise temperament have positive effects on firstborn children’s internalizing problems,externalizing problems and total problems.Harmonious family atmosphere may be a protective factor for firstborn children’s internalizing problems and total problems.Better parental relationship and older age may be the protective factors for firstborn children’s internalizing problems and externalizing problems,respectively.Additionally,later notification may be a risk factor for externalizing problems in firstborn children.