Cumulative risk, center-based childcare and socio-emotional difficulties in early childhood: Evidence from Hungary

Background: Although center-based childcare attendance under age 3 is widespread in Europe, there is mixed evidence on its impact on children’s socio-emotional well-being. Objective: This study examines whether attendance at Hungarian center-based childcare and the timing of entry into such care influenced the development of socio-emotional difficulties in children growing up during the COVID-19 pandemic. We pay particular attention to the impact of cumulative risks and whether enrollment in center-based care can compensate for their adverse effects. Methods: Using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire as a measure, we examine the effects of cumulative sociodemographic risk and center-based childcare attendance on socio-emotional difficulties at age 3 in 2021–2022. Data were drawn from the Cohort ’18 Growing Up in Hungary study (n = 5,511). Multivariate associations were tested through logistic regression models. With its follow-up design, the study controls for unobserved heterogeneity and supports causal interpretations from temporal order. Results: Cumulative risk, independent of all other factors, clearly and strongly increased the odds of socio-emotional difficulties. While internalizing symptoms were reduced by both early (OR = 0.55) and late (OR = 0.63) entry into center-based childcare, externalizing symptoms were reduced only by late entry (OR = 0.75). No compensatory effect of center-based childcare attendance for the disadvantaged could be confirmed. Conclusions: The adverse effect of cumulative risk on early socio-emotional difficulties is evident. Attending center-based childcare provides benefits for the socio-emotional well-being of children of diverse social backgrounds. Contribution: This study corroborates that center-based childcare eases children’s socio-emotional difficulties; however, its resilience-enhancing role for children facing sociodemographic disadvantages could not be confirmed.