Perceção de dificuldades económicas familiares e comportamentos externalizantes e internalizantes em crianças e adolescentes

Cynthia Heloisa Marrão Moura (Student)

Student thesis: Master's Thesis

Abstract

Over the last years, a large body of evidence has established a solid link between the perception of family economic hardship and an increased risk of psychological maladjustment in children and adolescents. However, the nature of this relation remains complex, requiring critical and systematic analysis. In this context, the present dissertation consists of a systematic literature review aimed at clarifying the association between subjective perceptions of economic hardship and the occurrence of externalizing behaviours (e.g., aggression, rule-breaking), internalizing behaviours (e.g., depression, anxiety), and experiences of peer pressure and bullying victimisation among school-aged children and adolescents. The literature search was conducted across five international databases (e.g., ERIC, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Scopus), resulting in the inclusion of 33 quantitative studies published between 1987 and 2023. The findings consistently highlight an association between the perception of economic hardship and indicators of psychosocial maladjustment in both emotional and behavioural domains. This review provides a relevant contribution to the understanding of the impact of perceived economic hardship on child and adolescent development, with important implications for future research and for designing prevention and intervention strategies in socioeconomically vulnerable contexts.