Early adversities, family support, and child well‐being: The moderating role of environmental sensitivity

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Abstract
Background: Children's well‐being in terms of physical, emotional, social, and academic outcomes is largely influenced by environmental characteristics, with the presence of childhood adversities constituting a risk factor, and support provided by the family working as a protective factor. Yet the role of individual differences in children's sensitivity to environmental influences in these relations is still underexplored; following the differential susceptibility model, it could be a potential moderator.Methods: Participants were 227 children (mean age 7.05 years) and their parents, who were interviewed on the number of experienced childhood adversities and family supportive resources, as well as on child well‐being and environmental sensitivity.Results: Path analysis showed that, as expected, the number of family adversities was negatively associated with children's physical and emotional comfort and perceived academic performance, whereas supportive resources provided by the family were positively related to child well‐being. Of importance, children's environmental sensitivity moderated these associations emphasizing the negative effects of a stressful environment on physical and social functioning and increasing the positive effect of a supportive environment on children's social performance.Conclusions: The present data lend support to a diathesis–stress model, with highly sensitive children being more susceptible to both negative and positive environmental influences in relation to well‐being. Interventions may focus on providing clinical support to these children in the context of particularly aversive environments.

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