A Prospective Study of the Effects of Marital Status and Family Relations on Young Children's Adjustment among African American and European American Families

Abstract

The present study investigated the effects of divorce and family relations on young children's development prospectively, using an ethnically diverse sample of approximately 300 low-income families. We also were able to examine the moderating effects of ethnicity on child adjustment in always two-parent, to-be-divorced, already-divorced, and always single-parent families. Results indicated that to-be-divorced European American and African American families demonstrated higher rates of preschool-age behavior problems, and already-divorced families showed similar trends. Parental conflict and behavior problems accounted for predivorce differences in child behavior problems, whereas rejecting parenting accounted for differences in problem behavior between always single-parent and always two-parent families. The results are discussed in terms of the importance of ethnicity in influencing young, low-income children's adjustment to different family structures.

Impact of neighborhood disadvantage on overt behavior problems during early childhood

“…The average frequency of overt BPs fell midway between ''not true'' and ''sometimes true.'' In previous analyses conducted with this sample, we have found that T scores on the broad-band externalizing scale of the CBCL were approximately 1 2 SD above the normative sample mean at ages 5 and 6 (M 5 55, SD 5 10) [Shaw et al, 1999;D.S. Shaw, personal communication, May 26, 2006].…”

The effects of discrete contextual variables on «bullying» in the schoolyard

“…From among the extensive literature which exists with regard to this phenomenon, which affects more and more adolescents each day, the sources which demonstrate the harm caused to children even 11 years before their parents' separation are particularly revealing (Shaw, 1999). As Olweus (1998) argues, the educational environment factors which influence violent conduct are closely related to the relationships maintained by the adults in the family; the frequency of conflicts, disagreements or arguments between the parents, whether or not these end in divorce, cause their children to feel insecure.…”

The longitudinal association between marital disruption and child BMI and obesity

“…For example, the conflict leading up to a disruption could lead to depression and problem behaviors among children (27,28). Furthermore, the family disruption and subsequent marriages and disruptions for the parents could cause depression and behavioral problems among children and adolescents (29,30).…”