Longitudinal relations between child emotional difficulties and parent-child closeness: a stability and malleability analysis using the STARTS model

Background Past empirical evidence on the longitudinal relations between emotional mental health symptoms and parent-child close relationships has produced mixed and inconclusive results. Some studies suggest a unidirectional relation, whereas other studies point toward a bidirectional association. Additionally, most of the past research has been carried out with adolescent samples, rather than children. Hence, this study aimed to estimate the longitudinal relations between children's trait emotional difficulties and trait parent-child closeness, accounting for the time-invariant and time-varying state components of each factor. Methods Participants were 7,507 children (ages 3 years, 5 years, 7 years, and 9 years) from the Growing Up in Ireland cohort. Î bivariate stable trait, autoregressive trait, and state (STARTS) model was estimated using Bayesian structural equation modelling. Results The STARTS model revealed that children's emotional difficulties and parent-child closeness were relatively stable across time, and these overarching traits were strongly negatively correlated. Children's earlier trait emotional difficulties predicted later trait parent-child closeness and vice versa between 3 years and 5 years, and between 5 years and 7 years, but these effects disappeared between 7 years and 9 years. At all pairs of time points, state emotional difficulties and state parent-child closeness were weakly negatively correlated. Conclusions Overall, the results suggest that early and middle childhood are critical stages for improving parent-child relationships and reducing children's emotional difficulties. Developing close parent-child relationships in childhood appears to be a key factor in reducing children's subsequent emotional difficulties. Children who face greater than usual emotional difficulties tend to be more withdrawn and less receptive to close parent-child relationships and this could serve as an important screening indicator. Keywords: Emotional mental health, Parent-child closeness, Parent-child relationship, STARTS model, Reciprocal relations, Longitudinal cohort study, Bayesian structural equation modelling, Growing Up in Ireland