Extended kin and children's behavioral functioning: Family structure and parental immigrant status

Area of Science:

• Sociology
• Developmental Psychology
• Family Studies

Background:

• Extended family co-residence is common in many cultures.
• Previous research suggests mixed impacts of extended kin on child development.
• The role of extended kin may vary by family structure and socioeconomic factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between co-resident extended kin and children's internalizing and externalizing behaviors.
• To examine how family structure and parental immigrant status modify this association.
• To inform theories on extended family living and policies for immigrant families.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the Los Angeles Family and Neighborhood Survey (L.A. FANS).
• Analyzed the relationship between extended kin presence and child behavior problems.
• Differentiated analyses by family structure (married-parent vs. single-parent) and parental immigrant characteristics (nativity, documentation status).

Main Results:

• Children in extended family households showed more internalizing behaviors.
• This disadvantage was significant in married-parent households but not in single-parent families.
• The negative association was clearest for children of documented immigrants, less so for native-born or unauthorized immigrant parents.

Conclusions:

• Extended family presence may not universally benefit children's behavior, particularly in certain family structures.
• Parental immigrant status, especially documentation, influences the impact of extended kin.
• Findings necessitate revising theories on extended family households and highlight policy needs for immigrant families.