Early Childhood Routines and Adolescent Health & Well-Being: Associations From a US Urban Cohort of Children With Socioeconomic Disadvantage

Abstract

Purpose

To investigate longitudinal associations between the presence of early childhood routines– predictable and repeatable functional practices that promote healthy growth, development, and relationships – and adolescent health outcomes.

Design

Secondary data analysis.

Setting

20 large U.S. cities.

Subjects

2943 children with socioeconomic disadvantage from the Future of Families cohort.

Measures

Routines at age 3 (shared family meals, bedtime routine, daily reading); outcomes later in the same children at age 15 (healthy routines, overall health, psychological well-being).

Analysis

Descriptive statistics, regression analyses.

Results

We detected longitudinal associations between early childhood routines and later adolescent routines (increased count of shared family meals by parent report [IRR 1.13, 95% CI: 1.03, 1.24, P = 0.007], bedtime routine and daily reading by adolescent report [aOR 1.34, 95% CI: 1.08, 1.67, P = 0.008; aOR 1.18, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.38, P = 0.04; respectively]). A bedtime routine in early childhood was associated with excellent health in adolescence (aOR 1.42, 95% CI: 1.12, 1.79, P = 0.004]. Adolescent routines were concurrently associated with overall health and psychological well-being. We also detected two longitudinal patterns of associations suggesting multiple mechanisms for how early childhood routines influence later health and well-being.

Conclusion

Early childhood routines predict adolescent routines, and may contribute to long term adolescent health outcomes. Future studies may promote childhood routines during critical developmental stages as a strength-based strategy to promote long-term health and well-being.