Linking neighbourhood safety and children's internalizing and externalizing problems: Mediating role of maternal depression

Abstract

This study examined the relationship among neighbourhood safety, maternal depression and child behaviour problems among Korean children in South Korea. Using the 2019 Panel Study on Korean Children (N = 1127), we found that residing in less safe neighbourhoods was associated with higher levels of internalizing and externalizing problems. Additionally, results from mediation analysis showed that the relationships between neighbourhood safety and internalizing and externalizing problems were significantly mediated by maternal depression in South Korea. These findings suggest that maternal depression may be an important mechanism linking unsafe neighbourhoods to South Korean children's behaviour problems. © 2023 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.