To detect psychosocial concerns in school-aged children, which risk factors should be included in risk factor assessment?

• A. Poverty, Substance Abuse and Racial or Ethnic Disparities
• B. Neighborhood Walkability
• C. Access to Clean Water
• D. Hair Color

Answer: (A)

Understanding psychosocial risk in school-aged children means looking at the social and family factors that shape a child’s mental health and behavior. Poverty exposes families to ongoing stress, housing and food insecurity, and limited access to supportive resources, all of which can contribute to anxiety, depression, behavioral problems, and school difficulties. When caregivers have substance use problems, routines can become unstable, caregiving can become inconsistent, and the child may face neglect or exposure to unsafe environments, all increasing psychosocial risk. Racial or ethnic disparities reflect experiences of discrimination, stigma, and unequal access to services, which add chronic stress and can affect a child’s emotional well-being and opportunities for support.

The other options don’t capture these essential social and familial drivers of psychosocial risk. Neighborhood walkability relates more to physical activity and safety rather than direct psychosocial risk. Access to clean water is a public health need, not a specific psychosocial risk factor for a child’s mental health in this context. Hair color has no relevance to psychosocial risk.

So, including poverty, caregiver substance use, and experiences of racial or ethnic disparities provides the most relevant risk factors to assess for psychosocial concerns in school-aged children.