Background

Studies investigating the potential role of neighbourhood green space quality on the development of prosocial behaviour among children are sparse. This study aimed to investigate the longitudinal association between caregiver perceived green space quality and child prosocial behaviour, and identify potential effect modifiers of the association.

Methods

This was a longitudinal study using data from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children, involving 4,969 children aged 4–5 years that were biannually followed-up from 2004 to 2014. Prosocial behaviour was assessed using a prosocial scale from Goodman's Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Green space quality was measured based on caregiver perception of the availability of neighbourhood parks, playgrounds, and play spaces of good quality. Latent class analysis was used to partition children into groups denoting different levels of caregiver perceptions of green space quality accumulated over 10 years. Multinomial logistic regression was used to examine the likelihood of being in groups with favourable perception of green space quality. Multilevel linear regression was used to examine associations between trajectory groups and prosocial behaviour. Separate multivariate models were developed to assess the potential role of quality green space in reducing prosocial behaviour related inequalities. Furthermore, two-way interaction terms were added into the models to identify potential effect moderation.

Results

There were six trajectory classes of green space quality perceived by caregivers. The likelihood of being in groups with better green space quality varied by neighbourhood circumstances. Children with consistently very good quality green space had higher prosocial behaviour (β = 0.35; 95%CI = 0.23, 0.47) than those with low quality green space. Better prosocial behaviour was also observed among children whose caregiver perception of green space quality trended from good to very good (β = 0.23; 95%CI = 0.11, 0.35) and from very good to good (β = 0.31; 95%CI = 0.20, 0.42) compared to children with consistently low quality green space. Very good quality green space perceived by caregivers over time potentially reduces socioeconomic inequalities in prosocial behaviour. Green space quality-prosocial behaviour association was stronger among boys, children speaking only English at home, those living in more affluent areas, and remote areas.

Conclusion

Trajectory of caregiver perceived green space quality was positively associated with child prosocial behaviour. The findings suggest that improving the quality of green space to be very good quality, particularly in deprived and less accessible areas may help improve prosocial behaviour in children.

中文翻译：

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照料者感知到的绿色空间质量与从童年到青春期亲社会行为的发展之间的关联：潜在阶级轨迹和澳大利亚10年以上儿童的多层次纵向分析

背景

很少有研究调查邻里绿地质量对儿童亲社会行为发展的潜在作用。这项研究旨在调查看护者感知的绿色空间质量与儿童亲社会行为之间的纵向联系，并确定这种联系的潜在影响因素。

方法

这是一项纵向研究，使用了《澳大利亚儿童纵向研究》中的数据，纳入了4969名4-5岁的儿童，这些儿童从2004年至2014年每两年进行一次随访。亲社会行为的评估采用了Goodman的《长处和困难》问卷中的亲社会量表。绿地质量的衡量是基于看护者对附近公园，运动场和优质运动场所的可用性的看法。潜在类别分析用于将儿童分为不同的组，这些组表示照护者对10年来积累的绿色空间质量的不同认识。多项逻辑回归用于检验对绿色空间质量有良好感知的群体中的可能性。多级线性回归用于检验轨迹组与亲社会行为之间的关联。开发了单独的多元模型来评估优质绿色空间在减少与亲社会行为有关的不平等中的潜在作用。此外，双向交互作用项已添加到模型中，以识别潜在的影响适度。

结果

护理人员感知到的六个轨迹类别的绿色空间质量。绿地质量更好的群体中的可能性因邻国的情况而异。绿地质量一直很好的孩子比绿地质量低的孩子有更高的亲社会行为（β= 0.35； 95％CI = 0.23，0.47）。在照料者对绿地质量的感知程度从良好变为良好（β= 0.23； 95％CI = 0.11，0.35）并且从非常良好变为良好（β= 0.31; 95％CI = 0.20）的儿童中，也观察到更好的亲社会行为。 ，0.42），而孩子们的绿地质量一直很差。护理人员随着时间的推移会获得非常优质的绿色空间，这可能会减少亲社会行为中的社会经济不平等现象。绿地质量与社会行为的关联在男孩中更强，

结论

照料者认为绿色空间质量的轨迹与儿童亲社会行为呈正相关。研究结果表明，将绿色空间的质量提高到非常好的质量，尤其是在贫困和交通不便的地区，可能有助于改善儿童的亲社会行为。