TY - JOUR
T1 - Parents’ Perceptions of the Neighbourhood Built Environment Are Associated with the Social and Emotional Development of Young Children
AU - Robinson, Trina
AU - Nathan, Andrea
AU - Murray, Kevin
AU - Christian, Hayley
N1 - Funding Information:
Funding: The PLAYCE Study was funded by the Western Australian Health Promotion Foundation (Healthway; No. 32018). Hayley Christian is supported by an Australian National Heart Foundation Future Leader Fellowship (100794 and 102549). This research was supported (partially) by the Australian Government through the Australian Research Council’s Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life Course (CE200100025).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
PY - 2022/6/1
Y1 - 2022/6/1
N2 - The influence of the neighbourhood built environment on young children’s physical development has been well-documented; however, there is limited empirical evidence of an association with social and emotional development. Parental perceptions of the neighbourhood built environment may act as facilitators or barriers to young children’s play and interactions in their local environment. The aim of this study was to examine the associations between parents’ perceptions of the neighbourhood built environment and the social-emotional development of children aged two-to-five years. Parents’ positive perceptions of traffic safety (OR 0.74; 95% CI 0.55, 0.98), crime safety (OR 0.79; 95% CI 0.64, 0.99) and land use mix–access (OR 0.74; 95% CI 0.56, 0.98) were associated with lower odds of social-emotional difficulties, while positive perceptions of walking and cycling facilities were associated with higher odds of difficulties (OR 1.26; 95% CI 1.02, 1.55). Positive perceptions of land use mix–access (OR 1.32; 95% CI 1.03, 1.69), street connectivity (OR 1.35; 95% CI 1.10, 1.66) and neighbourhood aesthetics (OR 1.27; 95% CI 1.01, 1.60) were associated with higher odds of prosocial behaviours. Interventions to improve parents’ perceptions of built environment features may facilitate opportunities for play and interactions which contribute to healthy social-emotional development.
AB - The influence of the neighbourhood built environment on young children’s physical development has been well-documented; however, there is limited empirical evidence of an association with social and emotional development. Parental perceptions of the neighbourhood built environment may act as facilitators or barriers to young children’s play and interactions in their local environment. The aim of this study was to examine the associations between parents’ perceptions of the neighbourhood built environment and the social-emotional development of children aged two-to-five years. Parents’ positive perceptions of traffic safety (OR 0.74; 95% CI 0.55, 0.98), crime safety (OR 0.79; 95% CI 0.64, 0.99) and land use mix–access (OR 0.74; 95% CI 0.56, 0.98) were associated with lower odds of social-emotional difficulties, while positive perceptions of walking and cycling facilities were associated with higher odds of difficulties (OR 1.26; 95% CI 1.02, 1.55). Positive perceptions of land use mix–access (OR 1.32; 95% CI 1.03, 1.69), street connectivity (OR 1.35; 95% CI 1.10, 1.66) and neighbourhood aesthetics (OR 1.27; 95% CI 1.01, 1.60) were associated with higher odds of prosocial behaviours. Interventions to improve parents’ perceptions of built environment features may facilitate opportunities for play and interactions which contribute to healthy social-emotional development.
KW - built environment
KW - child development
KW - children
KW - neighbourhood
KW - parent
KW - perceptions
KW - social-emotional development
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85131005558&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/ijerph19116476
DO - 10.3390/ijerph19116476
M3 - Article
C2 - 35682060
AN - SCOPUS:85131005558
SN - 1661-7827
VL - 19
JO - International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
JF - International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
IS - 11
M1 - 6476
ER -