Prof. Hiromi Hirata1
1Kagawa Nutrition University, Sakado City, Chiyoda3-9-21, JAPAN
Biography:
My research focuses on developmental psychology and poverty studies, with a particular emphasis on how household economic conditions affect the psychosocial development of children in Japanese families, both domestically and internationally. I have published extensively on adolescent mental health and the intergenerational dynamics of career development. As a nationally licensed psychologist in Japan, I actively contribute to inclusive education initiatives and professional development programs for educators.
Aims:
Concerns about how family finances affect children’s mental health and social development have grown in recent years. Stressors related to poverty can increase the risk of child maltreatment and future challenges in building relationships. This study investigated how economic hardship shapes the daily lives and wellbeing of Japanese junior high school students. Households were divided into two groups based
on income, financial stress, and children’s access to experiences and material goods: (1) those facing economic disadvantages, and (2) those with more financial stability. We explored how psychological and behavioral outcomes differ between these groups in children and their parents to use forensic practices.
Methods:
We surveyed 2488 families with junior high school children, comparing 441 economically disadvantaged and 2047 stable families. Measures included children’s peer relationships, self-esteem, parental depression, parenting behaviors, parents’ responsiveness to children’s needs, and how families invested in basic needs and education.
Results:
Parents in the economically disadvantaged group reported more depressive symptoms and spent less on their children’s clothing, food, housing, and education than the stable group (both p<.001).
Discussion: These results show that economic hardship can take a toll on parents’ mental health and the quality of children’s daily environment. The findings suggest that children growing up in poverty face greater risks not only for basic needs but also for emotional wellbeing and future social relationships. Therefore, early support for financially strained families is critical. Future family research can clarify how economic challenges lead to these outcomes and inform better policies and forensic practices.