The purpose of this pilot study was to explore the associations among socioeconomic status, peer status, health outcomes, and psychobiologic reactivity in preschool age children. Although family socioeconomic status (SES) is consistently associated with health outcomes in both adults and children, little is known about how socioeconomic status may be related to preschool children's hierarchical social structures. While the health effects of poverty are widely known, little is understood of the psycho social and behavioral mechanisms that underlie the association. Further, the SES-health association is a graded, continuous relation, along the entire socioeconomic spectrum, with individuals just below the highest SES group having poorer health than those at the top. It is presently unknown whether health effects at the high end of theSES scale are mediated by the same, or different, factors from those controlling health disparities among low SES individuals. In addition, children's health and well-being appear to be affected by the interactive influences of family socioeconomic status and peer social status.

    We observed peer interactions in three preschools in the Bay Area, interviewed children about their peer relationships, and measured psychobiologic reactivity in children during a series of developmentally challenging tasks. We are interested in examining whether family SES and peer status are associated in preschool age children as well as to what extent health status and reactivity are associated with social position in preschool age children.

Methods and Variables of Interest

Methods: This cross-sectional, observational study was conducted in three preschools in the Bay Area. A total of 70 3-5 year old children participated. For each child who completed the study, $20 was donated to the childcare center parents’ fund.

There were three main components to the study: observations, child interviews, and reactivity sessions. Each child’s interactions with peers was observed in the preschool setting; in addition, each child was interviewed in regards to peer status. To assess cardiovascular reactivity, each child was also given a series of mildly challenging tasks to complete while his/her heart rate and blood pressure were monitored. Parents were asked to complete several questionnaires about their child’s health and behavior and their family background. Teachers also completed a brief questionnaire about the children’s peer relationships in the preschool group.

Variables of Interest:

• Parent Socioeconomic Status(e.g., income, education, occupation; parent report)
• Child Social Dominance Position(based on observations)
• Child Global Health (e.g., general health, frequency of illness; parent report)
• Childcare History (e.g., age at entry, duration and frequency of childcare; parent report)
• Teacher Perceptions of Child Peer Relationships (based on teacher questionnaire)
• Child Age and Gender
• Child Peer Relationships (based on child interview)
• Child Cardiovascular Reactivity(Heart rate, PEP, blood pressure, RSA, and respiration rate measured during series of developmentally challenging tasks)