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Mental Health, Literacy Skills and Gender: Examining Their Relationships in a Longitudinal Study from 5- to 9-Year-Old Children

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Title: Mental Health, Literacy Skills and Gender: Examining Their Relationships in a Longitudinal Study from 5- to 9-Year-Old Children
Language: English
Authors: Jean Ecalle (ORCID 0000-0001-8220-5656), Xavier Thierry, Annie Magnan
Source: Journal of Research in Reading. 2025 48(3):293-314.
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 22
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Mental Health, Literacy, Age Differences, Young Children, Gender Differences, Correlation, Predictor Variables, Behavior Problems, Foreign Countries, Child Behavior, Prosocial Behavior, Hyperactivity, Peer Relationship
Geographic Terms: France
Assessment and Survey Identifiers: Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire
DOI: 10.1111/1467-9817.70009
ISSN: 0141-0423
1467-9817
Abstract: Background: The reciprocal relationships between literacy skills and various subscales of mental health have been examined in few studies. The objective is to re-examine this question in a longitudinal study with the possibility of a gender effect. Methods: A 4-year longitudinal study was conducted as part of the French national cohort ELFE (N = 1064). The aim was twofold: 1/ To examine the links in both directions between literacy skills, assessed successively at 5, 7 and 9 years (LitSk5y; 7y; 9y), and mental health, assessed with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) at 5 years by parents and 9 years by teachers. 2/To determine whether the gender effect on LitSk is still present when SDQ subscale scores show mental health difficulties. SDQ subscales consist of conduct problems, hyperactivity, emotional symptoms and peer relationships assessed at 5 years old, and conduct problems, hyperactivity and prosocial behaviour assessed at 9 years old. Results: Negative links were found in the following directions with SDQ subscales as predictors--conduct problems at 5 years old to LitSk5-7-9y and conduct problems at 9 years old to LitSk9y, and there was also a positive link, prosocial behaviour at 9 years old to LitSk9y. Conversely, negative links were again found with LitSk considered as a predictor of SDQ subscales: LitSk5y to conduct problems, hyperactivity and peer relationships at 5 years old, LitSk5-7-9y to conduct problems and hyperactivity at 9 years old; a positive link was found for LitSk5-7-9y to prosocial behaviour at 9 years old. The links for SDQ subscales to LitSk were stronger than those for LitSk to SDQ subscales. Conclusions: These results revealed three bidirectional relationships: conduct problems at 5 years old with LitSk5y, conduct problems at 9 years old with LitSk9y and prosocial behaviour at 9 years old with LitSk9y. Finally, the expected LitSk gender effect in favour of girls was reduced when these latter were affected by mental health problems.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1479026
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
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IllustrationInfo
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  Data: Mental Health, Literacy Skills and Gender: Examining Their Relationships in a Longitudinal Study from 5- to 9-Year-Old Children
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  Data: English
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jean+Ecalle%22">Jean Ecalle</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8220-5656">0000-0001-8220-5656</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Xavier+Thierry%22">Xavier Thierry</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Annie+Magnan%22">Annie Magnan</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Research+in+Reading%22"><i>Journal of Research in Reading</i></searchLink>. 2025 48(3):293-314.
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  Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
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  Data: 22
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mental+Health%22">Mental Health</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Literacy%22">Literacy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Age+Differences%22">Age Differences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Young+Children%22">Young Children</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Gender+Differences%22">Gender Differences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Correlation%22">Correlation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Predictor+Variables%22">Predictor Variables</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Behavior+Problems%22">Behavior Problems</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Child+Behavior%22">Child Behavior</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Prosocial+Behavior%22">Prosocial Behavior</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Hyperactivity%22">Hyperactivity</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Peer+Relationship%22">Peer Relationship</searchLink>
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  Label: Geographic Terms
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22France%22">France</searchLink>
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  Label: Assessment and Survey Identifiers
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SU" term="%22Strengths+and+Difficulties+Questionnaire%22">Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1111/1467-9817.70009
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 0141-0423<br />1467-9817
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Background: The reciprocal relationships between literacy skills and various subscales of mental health have been examined in few studies. The objective is to re-examine this question in a longitudinal study with the possibility of a gender effect. Methods: A 4-year longitudinal study was conducted as part of the French national cohort ELFE (N = 1064). The aim was twofold: 1/ To examine the links in both directions between literacy skills, assessed successively at 5, 7 and 9 years (LitSk5y; 7y; 9y), and mental health, assessed with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) at 5 years by parents and 9 years by teachers. 2/To determine whether the gender effect on LitSk is still present when SDQ subscale scores show mental health difficulties. SDQ subscales consist of conduct problems, hyperactivity, emotional symptoms and peer relationships assessed at 5 years old, and conduct problems, hyperactivity and prosocial behaviour assessed at 9 years old. Results: Negative links were found in the following directions with SDQ subscales as predictors--conduct problems at 5 years old to LitSk5-7-9y and conduct problems at 9 years old to LitSk9y, and there was also a positive link, prosocial behaviour at 9 years old to LitSk9y. Conversely, negative links were again found with LitSk considered as a predictor of SDQ subscales: LitSk5y to conduct problems, hyperactivity and peer relationships at 5 years old, LitSk5-7-9y to conduct problems and hyperactivity at 9 years old; a positive link was found for LitSk5-7-9y to prosocial behaviour at 9 years old. The links for SDQ subscales to LitSk were stronger than those for LitSk to SDQ subscales. Conclusions: These results revealed three bidirectional relationships: conduct problems at 5 years old with LitSk5y, conduct problems at 9 years old with LitSk9y and prosocial behaviour at 9 years old with LitSk9y. Finally, the expected LitSk gender effect in favour of girls was reduced when these latter were affected by mental health problems.
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: EJ1479026
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1111/1467-9817.70009
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 22
        StartPage: 293
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Mental Health
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Literacy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Age Differences
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      – SubjectFull: Young Children
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      – SubjectFull: Gender Differences
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      – SubjectFull: Correlation
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      – SubjectFull: Predictor Variables
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      – SubjectFull: Behavior Problems
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      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
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      – SubjectFull: Child Behavior
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      – SubjectFull: Prosocial Behavior
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      – SubjectFull: Hyperactivity
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      – SubjectFull: Peer Relationship
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      – SubjectFull: France
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Mental Health, Literacy Skills and Gender: Examining Their Relationships in a Longitudinal Study from 5- to 9-Year-Old Children
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              Y: 2025
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              Value: 1467-9817
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              Value: 48
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