Protective factors against child neglect among families in poverty

Despite neglect being the most common form of maltreatment, it is still understudied relative to other maltreatment types. Further, there is limited evidence on mechanisms through which to prevent child neglect and on mechanisms that might buffer the risk of poverty.

The current study estimated how different protective factors decreased subtypes of neglect, both physical and supervisory, across early childhood and in relation to poverty.

The final sample included 2980 mothers from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study.

The current study used linear regressions in a structural equation modeling framework to estimate how protective factors at years 1 and 3 were related to neglectful parenting at years 3 and 5, as well as whether protective factors buffered the association between poverty and neglect.

Mothers' perceived instrumental social support, part-time employment, and full-time employment were associated with less physical neglect at both time points (β range from -0.15 to -0.05; all p < 0.05). Perceived instrumental social support was also related to less supervisory neglect at both times (β = -0.05, p < 0.05 for both times). Perceived instrumental social support significantly moderated the association between poverty at year 1 and physical neglect at year 3 (β = 0.06, p < 0.01).

These findings provide important information to practitioners and policymakers on potential mechanisms to reduce neglect, as well as reducing neglect among economically disadvantaged families.