Perceção de dificuldades económicas familiares e ajustamento em crianças e adolescentes

: revisão sistemática da literatura

Abstract

Global economic crises and recession cycles have intensified socioeconomic inequalities, underscoring the relevance of understanding the impact of family economic hardships on child and adolescent development. This systematic literature review, conducted according to PRISMA guidelines (Liberati et al., 2009), aimed to investigate the association between the perception of family economic difficulties and adjustment indicators in children and adolescents aged 6 to 18 years, while also exploring mediating factors in this relation. A total of 35 quantitative empirical studies were analysed, selected from databases such as Web of Science, Scopus, ERIC, PsycINFO, and Medline, published up to December 2023, with community samples (74.3%) and at-risk samples (25.7%), predominantly from the United States of America (77.1%). The results indicate that 57.1% of the studies reported significant negative correlations (r ranging from - .04 to -.38, p < .05) between the perception of economic difficulties and adjustment indicators, including Self-Esteem and Coping Strategies, Academic Performance, and Prosocial Behaviours. Although most studies reported significant correlations, 28.6% showed non-significant associations, reflecting methodological heterogeneity. Despite the presence of some longitudinal studies, their limited representation, coupled with the underrepresentation of European contexts, such as Portugal, highlights gaps in the literature. This systematic review emphasizes the importance of considering the perception of economic difficulties beyond objective indicators, while also contributing to the exploration of positive adjustment aspects that are less addressed in the literature. The study further points to the need for future research employing longitudinal designs and diverse samples to deepen the understanding of the relationship between economic hardships and child and adolescent adjustment.

Date of Award	29 Oct 2025
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Luísa Ribeiro (Supervisor)