Maternal social isolation and behavioral problems in preschool children: the Tohoku Medical Megabank Project Birth and Three-Generation Cohort Study

It is essential to clarify factors associated with mental health and behavioral problems in early childhood, because children are critical stages of life for mental health. We aimed to prospectively examine the associations between maternal social isolation and behavioral problems in preschool children. We analyzed data from 5842 mother–child pairs who participated in the Tohoku Medical Megabank Project Birth and Three-Generation Cohort Study. The Lubben Social Network Scale-abbreviated version was used to assess social isolation (defined as scores < 12) one year after delivery. The Child Behavior Checklist 1½–5 was used to assess behavioral problems, and its subscales were used to assess internalizing and externalizing problems in children at 4 years of age. Multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the associations between social isolation and behavioral problems, after adjustment for age, education, income, work status, marital status, extraversion, neuroticism, depressive symptoms, child sex, and number of siblings. Multiple logistic regression analyses were also conducted for internalizing problems and externalizing problems. The prevalence of maternal social isolation was 25.4%. Maternal social isolation was associated with an increased risk of behavioral problems in children: the odds ratio (OR) was 1.37 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.14–1.64). Maternal social isolation was also associated with increased risks of internalizing problems and externalizing problems in children: the ORs were 1.33 (95% CI, 1.12–1.59) and 1.40 (95% CI, 1.18–1.66), respectively. In conclusion, maternal social isolation one year after delivery was associated with behavioral problems in children at 4 years of age.