25/08/2026
Kutatóink előadásai az Európai Szociológiai Társaság konferenciáján
2026. augusztus 25-27., Varsó
📅2026. augusztus 27. csütörtök, 14:30-16:00
📌 Monostori, Judit – Szabó, Laura: Family Structure, Divorce and Parental Conflict as Predictors of Social-Emotional Difficulties in Early Childhood
📅2026. augusztus 28. péntek, 14:30-16:00
📌 Veroszta, Zsuzsanna – Udvari, Orsolya: Delayed Transition from Kindergarten to Primary School: Parental Decisions and Social Factors
ABSTRACTS
📌 Monostori, Judit – Szabó, Laura: Family Structure, Divorce and Parental Conflict as Predictors of Social-Emotional Difficulties in Early Childhood
Children's outcomes are strongly influenced by family background factors, such as living with biological parents and the quality of parental relationships. Although there is extensive literature on the effects of not living with both biological parent and parental conflict on child development, fewer studies examined how these factors interact. Our study addresses this gap by investigating whether children experience more socio-emotional difficulties in early childhood if they are exposed to parental conflict or if they live apart from both biological parents. The study is framed within conflict theory, the family as a system and attachment theory. Our data come from the nationally representative, longitudinal Cohort’ 18 – Hungarian Birth Cohort Study (2017–2024). The dependent variable is children's social and emotional difficulties at age 3 using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Explanatory variables are family structure and parental conflicts over time. We applied bivariate and multivariate regression analyses, controlling for several covariates and calculating the relative risks of SDQ problems. Our analysis confirms that children facing the highest risk of social and emotional difficulties are those who have experienced interparental conflict. Conversely, children of divorced parents with a harmonious relationship are at a lower risk than children of parents living together with high conflict. These findings suggest that the conflictual nature of the parental relationship has a stronger influence on children’s socio-emotional difficulties than whether or not the parents live together. Therefore, it seems that the conflict theory offers a more relevant interpretive framework than the 'family as a system' perspective.
📌 Veroszta, Zsuzsanna – Udvari, Orsolya: Delayed Transition from Kindergarten to Primary School: Parental Decisions and Social Factors
Background: In Hungary, compulsory school enrolment is linked to reaching the age of six; however, parents may officially request a one-year postponement of school entry. Around one quarter of families take up this option. This paper examines parental decision-making in the delayed transition from kindergarten to primary school, focusing on how such decisions are socially patterned. Drawing on theories of capital and a life course perspective, delayed school entry is conceptualised as a family-level decision embedded in social position and institutional contexts.
Methods: The study uses data from the Cohort ’18 – Growing Up in Hungary longitudinal survey, which follows nearly 9,000 children born in 2018 from the prenatal period onwards. Wave 7 focuses on the transition to school at age seven and is based on survey data collected in spring 2026 among approximately 6,000 mothers using CATI. Based on preliminary estimates, around 1,500 children in the sample experience delayed school entry. Descriptive analyses identify dominant parental motivations for postponement and examine their association with families’ socioeconomic and demographic characteristics.
Expected results: The analyses are expected to reveal social differences in the rationales underlying delayed school entry. Among more advantaged families, postponement is anticipated to reflect advantage-seeking strategies. In contrast, among less advantaged families, delayed entry is expected to be more closely linked to expert assessments and institutionally guided decision-making. These findings highlight delayed school entry as a heterogeneous educational transition shaped by distinct social and institutional pathways, suggesting that its longer-term implications may vary by social background.
