Different factors affecting psychological development of children at risk due to poverty. Possibilities of intervention

RICHAUD, M. C.

Child Development and child Poverty

Nova Editorial Publishers

Lugar: Nueva York; Año: 2010; p. 223 - 228

Children are considered as environmentally at risk if their life experiences are substantially limited during the early childhood years with respect to caregiver attachment, family organization, health care, and nutrition and in opportunities for physical and social stimulation. (Epps & Jackson, 2000). Parenting is a critical process affecting many developmental outcomes for children living in poverty.  Parent ability is weakened by living in poverty conditions and by the emotional and psychological stress associated with living in poverty (Kaiser & Delaney, 1996). The purpose of this chapter is 1) to analyze the parental style and attachment perceived by children in environmental risk and how they impact the development of self-control, social skills and conflict-coping strategies in these children; 2) tp study if it is possible to overcome these weaknesses through intervention programs. Method The Scale of Perception of the Relationships with Parents for children 8-12 years,  Argentine adaptation of Kerns’ Security Scale and Bukowski Friendship Qualities Scale, Coping Questionnaire for children, Lavoie Test “Simon says” and Guide for Behaviour Observation in children were administered to 30 children, both sexes, 6 year old from a Roman Catholic school in a very poor neighbourhood in the outskirts of Paraná, capital city of the Province of Entre Ríos, 90 children, both sexes, between 6 and 11 years of age (M = 7.48 years, SD= 2.30), attending a state school in the city of Paraná, which is included in the “National Plan of One Thousand schools under the poverty line”, and 30 children, both sexes, 6 years old from Olegario V. Andrade school, attending a state school, in a middle/low middle class neighborhood in the city of Buenos Aires, all of them from Argentina.