Residential landscape as a predictor of psychosocial stress in the life course from childhood to adolescence

Abstract Background The effects of residential landscape, i.e., land use and traffic, on psychosocial stress in children are unknown, even though childhood stress might negatively affect normal development. In a longitudinal study, we investigate whether the residential landscape predicts childhood psychosocial stress and whether associations are independent of noise and air pollution. Methods Belgian children aged 6.7–12.2 (N = 172, 50.9% boys) were followed for three years (2012–2015). Information on stress was obtained using standardized behavioral and emotional questionnaires and by a measure of hair cortisol. Residential landscape, including natural, agricultural, industrial, residential areas, and traffic, in a 100-m to 5-km radius around each child's home was characterized. Cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between psychosocial stress and the residential landscape were studied using linear regression and mixed models, while adjusting for age, sex, and parental socioeconomic status. Results Natural landscapes were positively associated with better emotional status (increased happiness and lower sadness, anxiousness, and total negative emotions, β = 0.14–0.17, 95% CI = 0.01–0.30). Similarly, we observed an inverse association between residential and traffic density with hyperactivity problems (β = 0.13–0.18, 95% CI = 0.01–0.34). In longitudinal analyses, industrial area was a predictor of increases in negative emotions, while a natural landscape was for increases in happiness. Only the effect of natural landscape was partly explained by residential noise. Conclusion Residential greenness in proximity to a child's residence might result in a better childhood emotional status, whereas poorer emotional status and behavioral problems (hyperactivity problems) were seen with residential and industrial areas and increased traffic density in proximity to a child's home.