Bidirectional Relations Between Parenting Practices and Child Externalizing Behaviors in Formerly Homeless Families:...

Area of Science:

• Child Psychology
• Family Studies
• Intervention Science

Background:

• Homelessness presents significant challenges for families, impacting child development.
• Externalizing problems in children are a concern in high-risk populations.
• Parenting practices play a crucial role in child behavior regulation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the reciprocal relationship between effective parenting and child externalizing problems.
• To examine these dynamics in children from homeless families.
• To inform intervention strategies for at-risk families.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal study of 223 children (mean age 8.12 years) in 137 homeless families.
• Assessed effective parenting via video observation and child externalizing problems via teacher reports.
• Data collected at baseline, 1-year, and 2-year follow-ups within a 2-year prevention program.

Main Results:

• Child externalizing problems at baseline predicted less effective parenting at 1 and 2 years.
• Effective parenting at baseline predicted fewer child externalizing problems at 1 and 2 years.
• Effective parenting observed at year 1 predicted fewer child externalizing problems from year 1 to year 2.

Conclusions:

• Demonstrates a bidirectional influence between parenting and child behavior in homeless families.
• Highlights the importance of targeting both parenting and child behavior in interventions.
• Suggests interventions should address the dynamic interplay within high-risk family systems.