Growing up in Scotland: parenting and children's health

Alison Parkes and Daniel Wight
Prepared for the Scottish Government: Children and Families Directorate by the Scottish Centre for Social Research

Suggested citation: Parkes, A. and Wight D. (2011) Growing Up in Scotland: Parenting and children's health, Edinburgh: Scottish Government

ISBN 978 1 78045 198 5 (Web only publication)
DPPAS 11599

This document is also available in pdf format (1.3mb) This research report is one of four and accompanied with research findings 3/2011. There is also a technical annex related to this full report in pdf format (642k).

(GUS) Parental service use and informal networks in the early years, research findings 1/2011
(GUS) Growing up in Scotland: Changes in child cognitive ability in the pre-school years, research findings 2/2011,
(GUS) Change in early childhood and the impact of significant events, research findings 4/2011

Contents

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
1.2 Policy relevance
1.3 Other UK cohort studies
1.4 Growing Up in Scotland
1.5 Aims and scope of this report
1.6 Technical appendix

2 MEASURING CHILD HEALTH AND FAMILY ADVERSITY
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Key findings
2.3 Health measures
2.3.1 General health
2.3.2 Limiting long-term illness
2.3.3 Social, behavioural and emotional problems
2.3.4 Health problems
2.3.5 Accidents and injuries
2.3.6 Dental health
2.4 Health behaviour measures
2.4.1 Physical activity
2.4.2 Screen time
2.4.3 Fruit and vegetable consumption
2.4.4 Snacking on items with high sugar/fat content
2.4.5 Associations between health behaviours and child health
2.5 Family adversity
2.5.1 Associations between family adversity and child health
2.5.2 Associations between family adversity and health behaviours
2.6 Summary

3 PARENTING MEASURES
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Key findings
3.3 Description of parenting measures
3.3.1 Connection
3.3.2 Negativity
3.3.3 Control
3.4 Associations between parenting measures
3.5 Associations between different dimensions of parenting and family adversity
3.6 Index of parenting skill
3.7 Associations between index of parenting skill and family adversity

4 IS PARENTING ASSOCIATED WITH CHILD HEALTH AND HEALTH BEHAVIOURS?
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Key findings
4.3 Associations between individual dimensions of parenting and child health
4.3.1 Associations after controlling for family influences and relationships between parenting measures
4.4 Associations between individual dimensions of parenting and child health behaviours
4.4.1 Associations after controlling for family influences and the relationship between parenting measures
4.5 Which dimensions of parenting are most important?
4.6 Associations between index of parenting skills and child health and health behaviours
4.6.1 Associations between parenting index health and behaviours after controlling for family influences
4.7 Summary

5 DO DIFFERENCES IN PARENTING CONTRIBUTE TO INEQUALITIES IN CHILD HEALTH AND HEALTH BEHAVIOURS?
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Key findings
5.3 Does parenting account for inequalities in child health?
5.4 Does parenting account for inequalities in child health behaviours?

6 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
6.1 Associations between parenting and health and health behaviours
6.2 Does parenting help to explain social inequalities in child health?
6.3 Implications for policy and practice

REFERENCES

TECHNICAL ANNEX