The Long-Term Effectiveness of the Family Check-up on Peer Preference: Parent-Child Interaction and Child Effortful Control as Sequential Mediators

We examined the longitudinal effects of the Family Check-Up (FCU) intervention beginning in toddlerhood on children’s peer preference at school-age. Specifically, a sequential mediational model was proposed in which the FCU was hypothesized to promote peer preference (i.e., higher acceptance and lower rejection by peers) in middle childhood through its positive effects on parent-child interaction and child effortful control in early childhood. Participants were 731 low-income families (49 % female). Qualities of parent-child interaction were observed during structured activities at 2 to 5 years, child effortful control was assessed using behavioral tasks at 5 years, and peer acceptance and rejection were rated by teachers at 7.5 to 10.5 years. Results indicated that the FCU indirectly predicted peer preference by sequentially improving parent-child interaction and child effortful control. The findings are discussed with respect to implications for understanding mechanisms by which early parenting-focused programs may enhance child functioning across time and context.     

The Aftercare and School Observation System (ASOS): Reliability and Component Structure

This study examines the psychometric properties and component structure of a newly developed observational system, the Aftercare and School Observation System (ASOS). Participants included 468 children drawn from a larger longitudinal intervention study. The system was utilized to assess participant children in school lunchrooms and recess and various afterschool environments. Exploratory factor analyses examined whether a core set of component constructs assessing qualities of children’s relationships, caregiver involvement and monitoring, and experiences in school and aftercare contexts that have been linked to children’s behavior problems would emerge. Construct validity was assessed by examining associations between ASOS constructs and questionnaire measures assessing children’s behavior problems and relationship qualities in school and aftercare settings. Across both settings, two factors showed very similar empirical structures and item loadings, reflecting the constructs of a negative/aggressive context and caregiver positive involvement, with one additional unique factor from the school setting reflecting the extent to which caregiver methods used resulted in less negative behavior and two additional unique factors from the aftercare setting reflecting positivity in the child’s interactions and general environment and negativity in the child’s interactions and setting. Modest correlations between ASOS factors and aftercare provider and teacher ratings of behavior problems, adult-child relationships, and a rating of school climate contributed to our interpretation that the ASOS scores capture meaningful features of children’s experiences in these settings. This study represents the first step of establishing that the ASOS reliably and validly captures risk and protective relationships and experiences in extra-familial settings.     

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.     

Bidirectional Associations between Child Conduct Problems and Parenting Practices in Early Childhood

Journal of Child and Family Studies - In line with early theoretical frameworks suggesting reciprocal associations between child behavior problems and parenting behaviors, the present study...