Childrenʹs behaviour and the urban environment: an ecological analysis

This research examines the spatial distribution and ecological correlates of problem behaviour amongst children living in the most highly urbanised portion of Greater Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Rates of problem behaviour within the sample differ substantially, at the census tract level, with respect to the mean rate calculated for the study area as a whole. While the degree of spatial concentration varies between behaviour types, each exhibits a similar overall trend, with the highest rates in the western and/or central portions of the study area, and the lowest rates around its northern and eastern periphery. Bivariate correlation analyses reveal significant ecological relationships between rates of problem behaviour and census measures of aggregate socio-economic status. The degree to which the urban ecology of the study area is related to census tract rates of problem behaviour is dependent upon the nature of the behaviour being considered. Results of contextual analyses using five ecological variables and their family-level equivalents suggest that, in some cases, census tract characteristics may have an independent impact upon behavioural status.