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Miller P, Blatt L, Hunter-Rue D, Barry KR, Jamal-Orozco N, Hanson JL, Votruba-Drzal E. Economic hardship and adolescent behavioral outcomes: Within- and between-family associations. Dev Psychopathol 2024:1-18. [PMID: 38179686 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579423001451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Understanding how youth perceive household economic hardship and how it relates to their behavior is vital given associations between hardship and behavioral development. Yet, most studies ignore youth's own perceptions of economic hardship, instead relying solely on caregiver reports. Moreover, the literature has tended to treat economic hardship as a stable force over time, rather than a volatile one that varies month-to-month. This study addressed extant limitations by collecting monthly measures of economic hardship, specifically caregiver- and youth-reported material deprivation and youth-reported financial stress, and youth internalizing and externalizing problems from 104 youth-caregiver dyads (youth: 14-16 years, 55% female, 37% Black, 43% White) over nine months. We examined month-to-month variability of these constructs and how youth-reports of material deprivation and financial stress predicted their behavior problems, controlling for caregiver-reports of material deprivation. We found that hardship measures varied month-to-month (ICCs = 0.69-0.73), and youth-reported material deprivation positively predicted internalizing when examining both within- and between-individual variability (β = .19-.47). Youth-reported financial stress positively predicted within-individual variation in externalizing (β = .18), while youth reports of material deprivation predicted externalizing when looking between families (β = .41). Caregiver-reported material deprivation was unrelated to youth behavior when accounting for youth perceptions of economic hardship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Portia Miller
- Learning Research and Development Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Lorraine Blatt
- Department of Psychology and the Learning Research and Development Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Daniesha Hunter-Rue
- Department of Psychology and the Learning Research and Development Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Kelly R Barry
- Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Huston, TX, USA
| | - Nabila Jamal-Orozco
- Department of Psychology and the Learning Research and Development Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Jaime L Hanson
- Department of Psychology and the Learning Research and Development Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Elizabeth Votruba-Drzal
- Department of Psychology and the Learning Research and Development Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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Capielo Rosario C, Carlos Chavez FL, Sanchez D, Torres L, Mattwig T, Pituch K. Mental Health Among Puerto Rican Adolescents Living in the United States During the COVID-19 Pandemic. JOURNAL OF CLINICAL CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHOLOGY : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL FOR THE SOCIETY OF CLINICAL CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHOLOGY, AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION, DIVISION 53 2024; 53:52-65. [PMID: 38270576 DOI: 10.1080/15374416.2024.2301775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The present study examined how different family level (family financial stress, family violence) and individual (food insecurity, gender, race) determinants of health were associated with mental health among Puerto Rican adolescents living in the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHOD A sample consisting of 119 Puerto Rican adolescents, aged 13 to 17, was collected via Qualtrics Panels between November 2020 and January 2021. We examined the association between family financial stress experienced during the pandemic and psychological distress. We also evaluated whether the association between family financial stress and psychological distress was moderated by family violence, food insecurity, and the participant's gender and race. RESULTS Findings showed that food insecurity positively predicted psychological distress. Results also showed that participants' race moderated the association between family financial stress and psychological distress. Specifically, we found that while there was a significant positive association between family financial stress and psychological distress among Puerto Rican adolescents who identified as a racial minority, this association was nonsignificant among White Puerto Rican adolescents. CONCLUSION Our research highlights the significant role of COVID-19 related family financial stress and food insecurity on Puerto Rican adolescents' poor mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Delida Sanchez
- Department of Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education, University of Maryland
| | | | | | - Keenan Pituch
- College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University
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Roche KM, Huebner DM, Lambert SF, Little TD. COVID-19 Stressors and Latinx Adolescents' Mental Health Symptomology and School Performance: A Prospective Study. J Youth Adolesc 2022; 51:1031-1047. [PMID: 35381907 PMCID: PMC8983080 DOI: 10.1007/s10964-022-01603-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
This study addressed the need for research examining impacts of the Coronavirus-19 (COVID) pandemic on Latinx adolescents’ adjustment. Survey data for a probability sample of 547 Latinx adolescents (Mage = 13.71, SD = 0.86; 55.2% female) were collected from 2018 to 2021, including two times both prior to, and during, COVID. Independent variables assessed COVID-related household hospitalization, job/income loss, and adolescents’ increased childcare responsibility. Structural Equation Model results indicated that COVID-related increases in adolescent childcare responsibility were associated with increased internalizing and externalizing symptoms and declines in school performance. COVID hospitalization and job/income loss were associated indirectly, through childcare responsibilities, to worse adolescent outcomes. Family adversities may harm adolescents’ adjustment by burdening adolescents with responsibilities such caring for children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen M Roche
- Department of Prevention & Community Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, 950 New Hampshire Ave, Suite 300, Washington, DC, 20052, USA.
| | - David M Huebner
- Department of Prevention & Community Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, 950 New Hampshire Ave, Suite 300, Washington, DC, 20052, USA
| | - Sharon F Lambert
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Todd D Little
- Department of Educational Psychology, Leadership and Counseling, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
- Optentia Research Focus Area, North-West University, Vanderbijlpark, South Africa
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Updegraff KA, Umaña-Taylor AJ, Son D, Cahill KM. Mother–Child Relationships in U.S. Latinx Families in Middle Childhood: Opportunities and Challenges in the 21st Century. SOCIAL SCIENCES 2021; 11. [PMID: 35602314 PMCID: PMC9122036 DOI: 10.3390/socsci11010008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The 21st century has brought unique opportunities and challenges for parents, and this is particularly true for Latinx families, whose children comprise more than one-fourth of the school-age population in the U.S. today. Taking an ecological and strengths-based approach, the current study examined the role of mothers’ cultural assets (familism values, family cohesion) and challenges (economic hardship, ethnic–race-based discrimination) on children’s educational adjustment in middle childhood, as well as the indirect role of mother–child warmth and conflict in these associations. The sample included 173 Latinx mothers and their middle childhood offspring (i.e., 5th graders and younger sisters/brothers in the 1st through 4th grade). Mothers participated in home visits and phone interviews and teachers provided ratings of children’s educational adjustment (academic and socioemotional competence, aggressive/oppositional behaviors). Findings revealed family cohesion was indirectly linked to children’s educational adjustment via mother–child warmth and conflict, particularly for younger siblings. Discussion focuses on the culturally based strengths of Latinx families and highlights potential implications for family-based prevention in middle childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly A. Updegraff
- School of Social and Family Dynamics, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
- Correspondence:
| | | | - Daye Son
- School of Social and Family Dynamics, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Karina M. Cahill
- School of Social and Family Dynamics, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
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Peng C, Chen J, Wu H, Liu Y, Liao Y, Wu Y, Zheng X. Father-Child Conflict and Chinese Adolescent Depression: A Moderated Mediation Model. Front Psychol 2021; 12:723250. [PMID: 34690882 PMCID: PMC8529105 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.723250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
To investigate the effects of father-child conflict and regulatory emotional self-efficacy (RESE) on Chinese adolescent depression, 654 middle-school students were measured. The results showed that: (1) Father-son conflict was significantly lower than father-daughter conflict, girls’ depression was significantly higher than that of boys, and boys’ RESE and self-efficacy in regulating negative emotions (NEG) were significantly higher than that for girls, but there was no significant difference between boys and girls in self-efficacy in expressing positive emotions (POS). (2) Father-child conflict was significantly positively associated with Chinese adolescent depression. Father-child conflict was negatively correlated with RESE, and its two dimensions. Both POS and NEG played a partial mediating role in the relationship between father-child conflict and adolescent depression. (3) Gender only regulated the relationship between NEG and adolescent depression. Compared to boys, girls are more affected by depression at the low level of NEG.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cong Peng
- School of Education, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jianwen Chen
- School of Education, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Huifen Wu
- School of Education, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yan Liu
- School of Education, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Hunan Railway Professional Technology College, Zhuzhou, China
| | - Youguo Liao
- School of Education, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Mental Health Education Center, Minjiang University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yuqin Wu
- School of Foreign Languages, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Wuhan, China
| | - Xintong Zheng
- School of Education, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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Mistry RS, Elenbaas L. It's All in the Family: Parents' Economic Worries and Youth's Perceptions of Financial Stress and Educational Outcomes. J Youth Adolesc 2021; 50:724-738. [PMID: 33515373 PMCID: PMC7847230 DOI: 10.1007/s10964-021-01393-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Perceived economic stress and lower subjective social status (SSS) have adverse effects on parents’ and adolescents’ emotional well-being, but less is known about associations with academic adjustment among preadolescent youth. This study examined associations between SSS, perceived economic stress about needs and wants, and academic adjustment among preadolescents and early adolescents (n = 136, ages 8 to 14 years, 44% girls, 61% White) and their parents (n = 164, majority middle- to higher SES). Overall, youth who worried more about their family’s economic needs had lower academic achievement and youth who reported lower SSS had lower academic motivation. No significant differences were observed in the strength of associations between parent and youth perceptions and academic outcomes for early adolescents versus preadolescents.
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Speranza AM, Quintigliano M, Lauriola M, Fortunato A. P-CRS: A Clinical Scale to Assess the Parent-Child Relationship in Infancy and Early Childhood. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:E3458. [PMID: 32429194 PMCID: PMC7277328 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17103458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Revised: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
This study aimed to examine the ability of a new clinician-report tool, the Parent-Child Relationship Scale (P-CRS), to assess the individual contributions that parents and their children make within the parent-child relationship, as well as interactions between parents and children in terms of developmental psychopathology. As clinical diagnoses in early childhood is both important and difficult, it is necessary to identify tools that can effectively contribute to evaluating parent-child relationships during the diagnostic process. A sample of 268 mother-child dyads, taken from both public and private clinical settings, was assessed. Clinicians were asked to assess these dyads using the P-CRS after four to five sessions of clinical evaluation. The results indicated that the three areas assessed by the P-CRS-"Interaction", "Child" and "Parent"-could have different impacts on the various aspects of the parent-child relationship within distinct diagnostic groups. Thus, our findings support the use of the P-CRS to assist with clinical diagnosis during early childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Maria Speranza
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (M.Q.); (A.F.)
| | - Maria Quintigliano
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (M.Q.); (A.F.)
| | - Marco Lauriola
- Department of Social and Developmental Psychology, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy;
| | - Alexandro Fortunato
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (M.Q.); (A.F.)
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Little SA, Germeroth C, Garber J. Father-Adolescent Conflict and Adolescent Symptoms: The Moderating Roles of Father Residential Status and Type. JOURNAL OF CHILD AND FAMILY STUDIES 2019; 28:3193-3206. [PMID: 32774077 PMCID: PMC7405962 DOI: 10.1007/s10826-019-01495-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to examine if the longitudinal associations between father-adolescent conflict and both externalizing and internalizing symptoms in youth were moderated by fathers' residential status (i.e., whether or not he lived in the home) and type of residential father (i.e., biological or step). METHODS Adolescents (N = 146) completed a measure about conflict with their father or stepfather in 8th and 9th grade. At the same time points, mothers completed measures about the youths' externalizing and internalizing symptoms. RESULTS The association between 8th grade conflict and 9th grade externalizing symptoms was moderated by fathers' residential status. Conflict with fathers in 8th grade was positively associated with 9th grade externalizing symptoms when youths resided with their father (biological and stepfathers were included); in contrast, higher levels of father-adolescent conflict were associated with lower levels of subsequent externalizing symptoms when fathers did not live with the youth. Externalizing symptoms in 8th grade did not significantly predict father-adolescent conflict in grade 9. Regarding internalizing symptoms, the association between father-adolescent conflict in 8th grade and internalizing symptoms in 9th grade was moderated by father's residential status; conflict predicted higher levels of internalizing symptoms when the biological father lived elsewhere. Higher levels of 8th grade internalizing symptoms also significantly predicted greater conflict between adolescents and their fathers in 9th grade for residential fathers only. CONCLUSIONS The associations among adolescent emotional and behavioral outcomes and paternal-child relationship qualities vary with symptom type and family structures and, thus, warrant further comprehensive study.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Judy Garber
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
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Taylor ZE, Widaman KF, Robins RW. Longitudinal Relations of Economic Hardship and Effortful Control to Active Coping in Latino Youth. JOURNAL OF RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENCE : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENCE 2018; 28:396-411. [PMID: 28851024 PMCID: PMC5831520 DOI: 10.1111/jora.12338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
How Latino youth cope with stressors may have implications for their adjustment. We examined how a temperamental characteristic (effortful control) and a contextual factor (economic hardship) were associated with Latino youth's coping. Individual differences in effortful control, a core facet of self-regulation, may contribute to coping as effortful control is consistently linked to adaptive behaviors during adolescence. We examined relations of effortful control and economic hardship to active coping in a sample of Mexican-origin youth (N = 674) across three time points (fifth to ninth grades). Although economic hardship negatively predicted coping and effortful control, effortful control positively predicted coping (controlling for prior levels). Findings support a resilience perspective by suggesting that effortful control may contribute to coping and thus counteract the negative effects of economic hardship.
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10
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Bravo DY, Derlan CL, Umaña-Taylor AJ, Updegraff KA, Jahromi LB. Processes underlying Mexican-origin adolescent mothers' BMI. CULTURAL DIVERSITY & ETHNIC MINORITY PSYCHOLOGY 2018; 24:284-293. [PMID: 29172571 PMCID: PMC5886809 DOI: 10.1037/cdp0000181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine potential mediating and moderating factors in the longitudinal association between contextual stressors (economic hardship, ethnic discrimination) and subsequent engagement in risky behaviors and body mass index (BMI) of Mexican-origin adolescent mothers. METHOD Participants were Mexican-origin adolescent mothers (N = 204) who were recruited from community agencies and high schools in a Southwestern metropolitan area. Contextual stressors and risky behaviors were assessed 3 and 4 years postpartum. Adolescent mothers' BMI was assessed 5-years postpartum. Path analyses assessed moderated mediation with risky behaviors as a mediator of associations between contextual stressors and BMI, and family and friend support as moderators of the mediated pathways. RESULTS At low levels of family support, economic hardship at 3-years postpartum positively predicted engagement in risky behaviors at 4-years postpartum, which in turn positively predicted BMI at 5-years postpartum. At high levels of family support, all relations were not significant. At low levels of friend support, ethnic discrimination at 3-years postpartum positively predicted engagement in risky behaviors at 4-years postpartum, which in turn positively predicted BMI at 5-years postpartum. At high levels of friend support, all relations were not significant. CONCLUSIONS Among adolescent mothers who receive low levels of family and friend support, engagement in risky behaviors may function as a mechanism through which contextual stressors are linked to adolescent mothers' BMI. Findings have implications for prevention efforts aimed at attenuating unhealthy weight status among Mexican-origin adolescent mothers by reducing engagement in risky behaviors and bolstering family and friend support. (PsycINFO Database Record
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Affiliation(s)
- Diamond Y. Bravo
- T. Denny Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
| | - Chelsea L. Derlan
- T. Denny Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
| | | | - Kimberly A. Updegraff
- T. Denny Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
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The Unique Effects of Fathers’ Warmth on Adolescents’ Positive Beliefs and Behaviors: Pathways to Resilience in Low-Income Families. SEX ROLES 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s11199-016-0696-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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12
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Adolescent and Parental Contributions to Parent-Adolescent Hostility Across Early Adolescence. J Youth Adolesc 2015; 45:713-29. [PMID: 26346035 DOI: 10.1007/s10964-015-0348-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2015] [Accepted: 08/31/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Early adolescence is characterized by increases in parent-adolescent hostility, yet little is known about what predicts these changes. Utilizing a fairly large sample (N = 416, 51 % girls, 91 % European American), this study examined the conjoint and unique influences of adolescent social anxiety symptoms and parental intrusiveness on changes in parent-adolescent hostility across early adolescence. Higher mother and father intrusiveness were associated with increased mother- and father-adolescent hostility. An examination of reciprocal effects revealed that mother- and father-adolescent hostility predicted increased mother and father intrusiveness. Significant associations were not substantiated for adolescent social anxiety symptoms. These findings suggest that intrusive parenting has important implications for subsequent parent-adolescent interactions and that similar patterns may characterize some aspects of mother- and father-adolescent relationships.
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Ponnet K. Financial stress, parent functioning and adolescent problem behavior: an actor-partner interdependence approach to family stress processes in low-, middle-, and high-income families. J Youth Adolesc 2014; 43:1752-69. [PMID: 25053382 DOI: 10.1007/s10964-014-0159-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2014] [Accepted: 07/15/2014] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
The family stress model proposes that financial stress experienced by parents is associated with problem behavior in adolescents. The present study applied an actor-partner interdependence approach to the family stress model and focused on low-, middle-, and high-income families to broaden our understanding of the pathways by which the financial stress of mothers and fathers are related to adolescent outcomes. The study uses dyadic data (N = 798 heterosexual couples) from the Relationship between Mothers, Fathers and Children study in which two-parent families with an adolescent between 11 and 17 years of age participated. Path-analytic results indicated that in each of the families the association between parents' financial stress and problem behavior in adolescents is mediated through parents' depressive symptoms, interparental conflict, and positive parenting. Family stress processes also appear to operate in different ways for low-, middle-, and high-income families. In addition to a higher absolute level of financial stress in low-income families, financial stress experienced by mothers and fathers in these families had significant direct and indirect effects on problem behavior in adolescents, while in middle- and high-income families only significant indirect effects were found. The financial stress of a low-income mother also had a more detrimental impact on her level of depressive feelings than it had on mothers in middle-income families. Furthermore, the study revealed gender differences in the pathways of mothers and fathers. Implications for research, clinical practice, and policy are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koen Ponnet
- Research Centre for Longitudinal and Life Course Studies (CELLO), Department Sociology, University of Antwerp, Sint-Jacobstraat 2, 2000, Antwerp, Belgium,
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Killoren SE, Deutsch AR. A longitudinal examination of parenting processes and Latino youth's risky sexual behaviors. J Youth Adolesc 2013; 43:1982-93. [PMID: 24186702 DOI: 10.1007/s10964-013-0053-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2013] [Accepted: 10/23/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Latino adolescents engage in riskier sexual behaviors compared to their peers, shown by their higher rates of sexually transmitted infections and lower rates of condom usage; therefore, examining the precursors and correlates of these risky sexual behaviors is important for prevention-intervention program development. Based on cultural-ecological, symbolic interaction, and gender socialization perspectives, we examined associations among mothers' and fathers' parenting and Latino youth's sexual risk over a 5 year period. Further, we investigated the direct and moderating roles of acculturation (e.g., language spoken in the home), nativity (e.g., citizenship status), and adolescents' gender. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Youth (N = 1,899 Latino youth; 49 % female), we conducted a multi-level path model controlling for adolescents' age and prior sexual experience. Our findings revealed that more strictness by mothers and less strictness by fathers at Time 1 were related to lower sexual risk for adolescents at Time 2. Additionally, more monitoring by fathers at Time 2 was associated with lower sexual risk for adolescents at Time 3. Significant gender differences were found such that there were stronger associations among parenting processes and sexual risk for girls than for boys. Finally, we found support for the immigrant paradox (foreign-born youth reported lower sexual risk than US-born youth) and greater gender differences (boys had riskier sexual behaviors than girls) for immigrant compared to US-born youth. The findings reveal the complex associations among parenting processes, nativity status, gender, and sexual risk for Latino adolescents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Killoren
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, University of Missouri, 304 Gentry Hall, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA,
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