Child externalizing behavior in context: Associations of mother nonstandard work, parenting, and neighborhoods

Background: Parenting styles and neighborhood dynamics are key predictors of youth externalizing behavior. However, other contextual factors, such as parents' work-related stress and parents' work schedules, have received less empirical attention. Objective: We examine the direct and indirect relationships of four key factors on child externalizing behavior: (1) nonstandard work shift, (2) parents' work-related stress, (3) parenting (corporal punishment and warmth), and (4) neighborhood collective efficacy. Methods: The study sample (n = 1,035) was derived from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS). We use a subset of the FFCWS, inclusive of mothers who reported having worked at Waves 3 and 4. We carry out a multilevel model to examine direct effects of the predictors and to account for nested observations. To examine the indirect effects of the four key factors, we conduct mediation tests. Results: Multilevel model results reveal a positive relationship between both mother's work-related stress (beta = 0.74, p < .01) and use of corporal punishment (beta = 1.07, p < .001) with child externalizing behavior. Neighborhood collective efficacy was negatively associated with child externalizing behavior (beta = -0.81, p < .001). Maternal corporal punishment mediated the effects of mother's work-related stress (beta = 0.092, p < .05) and neighborhood collective efficacy (beta = -0.112, p < .01), while mother's work-related stress mediated the effect of mother's nonstandard work shift (beta = 0.133, p < .01) on child externalizing behavior. Conclusions: Child externalizing behavior is directly and indirectly linked with maternal corporal punishment, work-related stress (related to mother's nonstandard work shift), and neighborhood collective efficacy.