Household Food Insecurity and Singapore Pre-schooler’s Behavior Problems

• In Event: Developmental Psychopathology Perspectives on Externalizing Behavior Problems Among Young Children

Abstract

Singapore is among the world’s wealthiest countries with a per capita GDP of around US$65,000 in 2019 and ranked as the most food-secure nation in the world on the global food security index in 2019 (Nagpaul et al., 2020). A recent study, however, reveals a paradox that that around 10.4% of Singapore households suffer from insufficient food in the 12 months (Nagpaul et al., 2020). A large body of literature has indicated that food insecurity shows a wide-spread impact on children’s physical and psychological functioning (Alaimo et al., 2001; Hannum et al., 2014; Johnson and Markowitz, 2018).

Previous studies have shown a positive association between household food insecurity and preschool children’s problem behavior (Kimbro and Denney, 2015; Slack and Yoo, 2005; Slopen et al., 2010). Scholars suggest that parental depressive affect and parenting behavior are potential mediators between food insecurity and children’s behavior problems. Food deprivation in home is an extreme stressor which may affect family member’s feeling of hopelessness and depression, especially for caregivers (Vandentorren et al., 2016; Whitaker et al., 2006). Furthermore, parental depressive affect may disrupt family functioning and cause family conflicts among family members. Depressed parents are more likely to show less warmth, more parental rejection, and use more harsh parenting practices (McLoyd, 1990; McFarland, 2017; Pittman and Chase-Lansdale, 2001), which in turn, is associated with more behavior problems among children (Elder et al., 1985; Guo and Harris, 2000). In the current literature, insufficient attention has been paid to the younger group of children who are more susceptible to the impact of home than older children. The mediating pathways of food insecurity on preschool children’s behavior problems from the family stress perspective have not been fully evaluated.

We examine how household food insecurity shapes preschool children’s behavior problems using a recent national representative dataset—Singapore Longitudinal EArly Development Study (SG LEADS). Around 10% of SG LEADS children aged 3-6 experience household food insecurity. We find that food deprivation has a detrimental impact on children’s externalizing and internalizing behavior. The effects are mediated by parental depressive affect and parenting behavior. Primary caregivers in food-insecure households are likely to have depressive affect which may correlate with less warm parenting and more punitive parenting practices. Warm parenting is inversely associated with children’s internalizing and externalizing behavior problems, while punitive parenting positively contributes to both internalizing and externalizing behavior problems.

This study shows that the negative impact of household food insecurity has emerged in the preschool period, regardless of the children’s food-insecure status. In the current COVID-19 pandemic, parents may experience loss of job and reduced income. More households may move into food-insecure status. It has been shown that parents’ food-insecure status plays a role in their psychological well-being, as well as their children’s development. It is essential to make food assistance available for families in need. More parent-based measures can also be implemented to reduce stress at home, by offering job search and training, counselling service and support for parents to maintain healthy psychological well-being.

Authors

• Xuejiao Chen, National University of Singapore
  Presenting Author

• Jean Yeung, National University of Singapore
  Non-Presenting Author