Children’s Mental Health Trajectories Across Cultures and the Buffering Effect of the Early Family Environment: Evidence from Two Longitudinal Studies in Early Childhood

Developmental trajectories of child mental health problems have often been studied in Western European and North American countries, leaving the Latin American context less explored. Using a growth mixture model (GMM), we aim to explore the variety of emotional and behavioral problems and investigate early home environment factors explaining differentiated developmental patterns in Latin American and European contexts. Two samples were selected: 5,292 children from the Chilean Longitudinal Survey of Early Childhood (ELPI) and 6,523 children from the Generation R Study in the Netherlands. The Home Observation for the Measurement of the Environment (HOME) was used to measure emotional support and early stimulation at home. The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) was used to measure emotional and behavioral problems in children at three-time points until the age of 10 years. In ELPI, we identified four trajectories: low stable (20.0%), moderate decreasing (58.6%), high stable (18.2%) and high decreasing (2.8%). In Generation R, we found three trajectories: low (50.3%), moderate (25.5%), and high stable (8.7%). In ELPI, the findings indicate that mothers of children in the most problematic categories display markedly lower emotional responses when compared to their counterparts in the low-risk group. Furthermore, these mothers provide fewer learning materials, have a lower educational level, and display higher depressive symptoms. In the Generation R Study, the high stable group was associated with more maternal depressive symptoms and fewer emotional responses. This study underscores the importance of the protective factor of family environment across cultures in promoting positive emotional child development over time.