Do Psychosocial Stimulation, Parental Distress and Early Childhood Education Enrollment Show Different Associations with Early Childhood Development Outcomes for Boys and Girls ? Findings from a Phone Survey in Pakistan

This study examined whether psychosocial stimulation, parental distress, and enrollment in pre- primary education had different associations with early child development outcomes for boys and girls in Pakistan. Using data from a nationally representative phone survey in Pakistan, it assessed these relationships for two cohorts of children—those aged 0–35 months and those aged 36–72 months. The study found that among very young children (0–35 months), lower parental distress and higher psychosocial stimulation were strongly associated with better child development for both boys and girls. Girls were more sensitive to higher levels of parental distress and lower levels of psychosocial stimulation than boys. On average, girls in the sample fared worse compared to boys in their developmental outcomes in the context of low levels of stimulation and high levels of parental distress. Among the older age cohort (36–72 months), lower psychosocial stimulation and higher parental distress were each similarly associated with lower child development outcomes, regardless of child gender. Access to early childhood education was associated with better child development outcomes for both genders. The results confirm existing evidence that early learning opportunities in the first six years of life are important supports for promoting early child development for all children and suggest that girls aged 0–35 months in this sample may be uniquely sensitive to psychosocial stimulation and parental distress.