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The effect of material hardship on child protective service involvement
1School of Social Work, Louisiana State University, LA, USA.
Insights
Material hardship increases the risk of child protective services (CPS) investigations, particularly for neglect. Addressing unmet family needs through economic support may help prevent child maltreatment.
Area of Science:
- Social Sciences
- Public Health
- Child Welfare
Background:
- Low-income families receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) often face significant material hardships.
- Child protective services (CPS) involvement is a critical concern for vulnerable populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between material hardship and CPS investigations among low-income families.
- To examine if the type of child maltreatment (neglect vs. physical abuse) influences the relationship with material hardship.
- To determine if psychological distress mediates the link between material hardship and CPS involvement.
Main Methods:
- Utilized four waves of survey data from the longitudinal Illinois Families Study, including 1,135 families.
- Employed pooled and fixed effects logistic regression analyses to examine associations.
- Assessed material hardships (e.g., housing, food) and psychological distress (e.g., depressive symptoms, parenting stress).
Main Results:
- Material hardship was significantly associated with increased likelihood of CPS investigations.
- Investigated neglect reports were linked to specific hardships (housing, food), while physical abuse reports correlated with overall hardship levels.
- Psychological distress did not fully mediate the relationship between material hardship and CPS involvement.
Conclusions:
- Economic instability and unmet material needs are key risk factors for CPS involvement.
- Interventions addressing families' basic needs through economic support are crucial for child maltreatment prevention.
- Targeted support for housing and food insecurity may reduce neglect investigations.
Abstract:
This study employs four waves of survey data on 1,135 families from the Illinois Families Study, a longitudinal panel study of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families in Illinois. This study explores the following issues within this low-income population: (1) whether material hardships are associated with child protective services (CPS) investigations, (2) whether the effect of material hardship on CPS differs by the type of child maltreatment investigated, and (3) whether psychological distress mediates the association between material hardship and CPS involvement. Results from pooled and fixed effects logistic regressions suggest that caregivers who experience material hardship are more likely to become involved in CPS. In general, investigated neglect reports are responsive to particular types of hardship such as housing and food, while investigated physical abuse reports are responsive to levels of hardship regardless of specific types. The association between material hardship and CPS involvement is not fully explained by depressive symptoms or parenting stress. The study results suggest that in order to prevent child maltreatment, it may be necessary to address a family's unmet material needs through economic support interventions.
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