Economic Stress in Fragile Families: Pathways to Parent and Child Maladjustment

This study investigates mechanisms through which socioeconomic disadvantage impacts family and child functioning using data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS), which includes 4,898 families followed from a child’s birth through age 9 (47.6% female). Analyses explored associations between economic stress at birth and age 1 and child conduct problems at age 9 and whether associations were sequentially mediated through age 3 maternal depression and age 5 observed harsh and positive parenting. Results revealed several significant direct associations. Lower mean income at birth and age 1 was associated with higher material hardship at age 1. Hardship was associated with increased risk of maternal depression at age 3. Maternal depression was associated with higher harsh/lower positive parenting at age 5. Higher harsh/lower positive parenting were associated with higher conduct problems at age 9. While indirect effects for the full series of pathways from income to conduct problems through three sequential meditators (hardship, maternal depression, harsh/positive parenting) were not significant, several specific indirect effects were significant. The effect from income to positive parenting through hardship and depression was significant. The effects of income on conduct problems through harsh and positive parenting were significant. The effect of income on depression through hardship was significant. Results suggest that effects of socioeconomic disadvantage on conduct problems are partially mediated by compromised parenting. Further, material hardship partially explained how lower income was associated with maternal depression and less optimal parenting. Implications for future studies investigating material hardship and impacts of disadvantage are discussed.