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Family Relationships and Family Well-Being: A Study of the Families of Nine Year-Olds in Ireland
This study is based on the first wave of data on the child cohort (nine year-olds) in the Growing Up in Ireland (GUI) survey. It examines family relationships and their associations with parent and child well-being in the families of the nine year-olds and explores social inequalities in these aspects of family circumstances. The analysis…
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Obesity, diet and lifestyle in 9-year-old children with parentally reported chronic diseases: findings from the Growing Up in Ireland longitudinal child cohort study
Background The incidence and prevalence of childhood chronic disease is increasing worldwide. Obesity, poor diet and lifestyle may be more prevalent in children with a chronic disease than in their healthier contemporaries. The Growing Up in Ireland (GUI) study is a nationally representative cohort study of children living in the Republic of Ireland. The study…
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The Behavioural Outcomes of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Other Developmental Disabilities as Perceived by Parents during the COVID-19 Lockdown
The COVID-19 lockdown and closure of schools, clinics, and community-based services put children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and other developmental disabilities (DDs) at increased risk of negative outcomes. This study aimed to investigate parents’ perceptions of their children’s behavioural outcomes during the COVID-19 lockdown, parents’ satisfaction with services during this time, and willingness to…
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Affective School Engagement and Self-Concept: How are Irish Boys and Girls Faring?
Internationally and in Ireland, much of the research around gender and educational engagement has centred on the academic differences between boys and girls (Warrington and Younger 2000; Francis 2009; O’Connor 2007). Less is known however about the factors shaping affective school engagement and student self-concept and how this can affect participation in learning. Children and…
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The characteristics, life circumstances and self-concept of 13 year olds with and without disabilities in Ireland: A secondary analysis of the Growing Up in Ireland (GUI) study
Background Population-based studies provide important data to inform policy and service planning for vulnerable children in society. The aim of this study was to characterise social and educational circumstances and self-concept among a nationally representative sample of 13 year olds with developmental disabilities in Ireland. Methods A cross-sectional, secondary analysis of data collected from the…
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Depression and chronic health conditions in parents of children with and without developmental disabilities: The growing up in Ireland cohort study
Epidemiological evidence suggests that poor physical health and depression are highly co-morbid. To date, however, no study has considered whether depression in parents caring for children with developmental disabilities is partly driven by poor physical health. Using data from the Growing Up in Ireland national cohort study (2006 to date), 627 parents of children with…
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Child problem behaviours are associated with obesity in parents caring for children with developmental disabilities.
Epidemiological evidence suggests that obesity and depression are highly co-morbid. In a national cohort study, we examined whether parents caring for children with disabilities were more likely to be classified as obese compared to parents of children without disabilities and if obesity was associated with depressive symptoms or child behaviour characteristics. Using data from the…
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The Individual, Social, and Environmental Correlates of Physical Activity and Screen Time in Irish Children: Growing Up in Ireland Study
Background The aim of this study was to use a social-ecological approach to examine the influence of individual, social, and environmental factors on moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and screen-time in a sample of 9-year-old children in Ireland. Methods The sample was 1509 boys and girls from the Growing Up in Ireland (GUI) national study. MVPA,…
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An analysis of antenatal care pathways to mode of birth in Ireland
This paper explores the role of antenatal care in determining mode of birth in the Irish healthcare system using data from the Growing Up in Ireland study. Results indicate that midwifery-led antenatal care is independently associated with significantly higher rates of normal delivery and significantly lower rates of elective caesarean section relative to consultant-led care…
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Concomitant trajectories of internalising, externalising, and peer problems across childhood: a person-centered approach
This study investigated trajectories of concomitant internalising, externalising, and peer problems, and associated risk factors for group-membership, using a person-centered approach to better understand heterogeneity in subgroups identified. A cohort of 7,507 children in Ireland was followed from infancy to late childhood (50.3%, males; 84.9% Irish). The parent-version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire was…
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Breastfeeding, cognitive and noncognitive development in early childhood: a population study.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES There is mixed evidence from correlational studies that breastfeeding impacts children’s development. Propensity score matching with large samples can be an effective tool to remove potential bias from observed confounders in correlational studies. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of breastfeeding on children’s cognitive and noncognitive development at…
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Young grandchildren and their grandparents: a secondary analysis of continuity and change across four birth cohorts
This paper examines patterns of continuity and change in the texture, meanings and rhythms of family relationships between young (school-aged) children and their grandparents in Ireland, from the first half of the twentieth century through 2008, focusing on memories and contemporary experiences of grandparent/grandchild relationships from a ‘child’s eye’ perspective. The paper is based on…