The experience of economic disadvantage during childhood is a major predictor of a variety of negative outcomes during early adulthood. This study provides evidence on the significance of timing of social assistance receipt during childhood on children’s later adjustment problems. The study uses data from the 1987 Finnish Birth Cohort (FBC), which covered all children born in Finland in 1987 (N=59476) and followed them until the age of 25. The data were gathered from Finnish registers that cover health and sociodemographic data for cohort members and their parents. Altogether 11,062 female (38.1%) and 11,537 male (37.9%) cohort members had parents who had received social assistance. Social assistance receipt during childhood increased the risk for all measured adjustment problems: early school leaving (OR 2.37), conviction (OR 1.87), teenage pregnancy (OR 1.89) and mental disorders (OR 1.68) even when adjusting for several social background variables. Economic disadvantage during early childhood (0–2 years) was found to associate with highest risk; all measured adjustment problems compared to exposure to poverty later in childhood. The study concludes that early childhood is a period in which children acquire cognitive and social competencies that form the basis for future wellbeing. Our analysis, based on a total nation-wide birth cohort, indicates that economic disadvantage in early childhood poses the most significant risk for later adjustment problems.

中文翻译：

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成人早期阶段儿童时期接受社会援助的时间和持续时间

童年时期经济劣势的经历是成年初期各种负面结果的主要预测因素。这项研究提供了证据，表明儿童时期接受社会援助的时机对儿童后来的适应问题的重要性。该研究使用了1987年芬兰出生队列（FBC）的数据，该数据覆盖了1987年在芬兰出生的所有儿童（N = 59476），并跟踪他们直至25岁。这些数据是从芬兰登记册中收集的，涉及健康和社会人口统计学数据队列成员及其父母。共有11,062名女性（38.1％）和11,537名男性（37.9％）队列成员的父母获得了社会救助。儿童期的社会救助收据增加了所有测得的调整问题的风险：早退（OR 2.37），定罪（OR 1.87），青少年怀孕（OR 1.89）和精神障碍（OR 1.68），即使针对多个社会背景变量进行了调整。发现幼儿期（0–2岁）的经济劣势与最高风险相关；与儿童期后的贫困状况相比，所有衡量的调整问题都可以解决。该研究得出的结论是，幼儿期是儿童获得认知和社交能力的时期，构成了未来幸福感的基础。我们基于全国范围内的总出生队列的分析表明，幼儿期的经济劣势是以后适应问题的最大风险。与儿童期以后的贫困状况相比，所有衡量的调整问题都可以解决。该研究得出的结论是，幼儿期是儿童获得认知和社交能力的时期，构成了未来幸福感的基础。我们基于全国范围内的总出生队列的分析表明，幼儿期的经济劣势是以后适应问题的最大风险。与儿童期以后的贫困状况相比，所有衡量的调整问题都可以解决。该研究得出的结论是，幼儿期是儿童获得认知和社交能力的时期，构成了未来幸福感的基础。我们基于全国范围内的总出生队列的分析表明，幼儿期的经济劣势是以后适应问题的最大风险。