The impact of instability in living arrangement on preschool children's socioemotional development
Abstract
Based on a framework of social stress theory and the parental vulnerability study, this study examined the relationship between living-arrangement instability, parental vulnerability, family processes, and child outcomes across four waves of the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study. Participants included 2,186 mothers (15 to 43 years old), two thirds of whom were unmarried at childbirth, and their 5-year-old children. Living-arrangement instability and parental vulnerability were measured with a multidimensional composite score. Results of structural equation modeling did not support the effects of instability and vulnerability on family processes or child outcomes. However, parents with more vulnerable characteristics tended to form families that were more likely to experience future transitions. Moreover, children of mothers who used aggressive discipline exhibited more aggressive and delinquent behaviors. Additionally, maternal neglect resulted in more anxious or depressed problems in children. Implications for future research, social work programs and policies, limitations, and contributions are discussed.
Subject Area
Social work|Early childhood education|Developmental psychology
Recommended Citation
Tseng, Yi-Fen, "The impact of instability in living arrangement on preschool children's socioemotional development" (2011). ETD Collection for Fordham University. AAI3458136.
https://research.library.fordham.edu/dissertations/AAI3458136
