Child externalizing behavior in context: Associations of mother nonstandard work, parenting, and neighborhoods

Abstract

BackgroundParenting styles and neighborhood dynamics are key predictors of youth externalizing behavior. However, other contextual factors, such as parents’ work-related stress and parents’ work schedules, have received less empirical attention. ObjectiveWe examine the direct and indirect relationships of four key factors on child externalizing behavior: (1) nonstandard work shift, (2) parents’ work-related stress, (3) parenting (corporal punishment and warmth), and (4) neighborhood collective efficacy. MethodsThe study sample (n = 1,035) was derived from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS). We use a subset of the FFCWS, inclusive of mothers who reported having worked at Waves 3 and 4. We carry out a multilevel model to examine direct effects of the predictors and to account for nested observations. To examine the indirect effects of the four key factors, we conduct mediation tests. ResultsMultilevel model results reveal a positive relationship between both mother’s work-related stress (β = 0.74, p < .01) and use of corporal punishment (β = 1.07, p < .001) with child externalizing behavior. Neighborhood collective efficacy was negatively associated with child externalizing behavior (β = -0.81, p < .001). Maternal corporal punishment mediated the effects of mother’s work-related stress (β = 0.092, p < .05) and neighborhood collective efficacy (β = -0.112, p < .01), while mother’s work-related stress mediated the effect of mother’s nonstandard work shift (β = 0.133, p < .01) on child externalizing behavior. ConclusionsChild externalizing behavior is directly and indirectly linked with maternal corporal punishment, work-related stress (related to mother’s nonstandard work shift), and neighborhood collective efficacy.