Residential Instability, Family Support, and Parent-Child Relationships Among Ethnically Diverse Urban Families.

Abstract

From a social disorganization standpoint, neighborhood residential instability potentially brings negative consequences to parent-child relationship qualities, but family social support and racial/ethnic identity may modify this association. Using data (n = 3,116) from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods, this study examines associations between neighborhood residential instability and parent-child warmth and conflict, whether family social support moderates associations between residential instability and parent-child relationships, and variation by race/ethnicity. Multilevel models reveal that residential instability undermines parent-child relationship qualities, particularly for non-White individuals. Family support is a protective factor for families in less stable neighborhoods, and specifically buffers the association between neighborhood residential instability and reduced parent-child warmth. Among Hispanics, family support mitigates the association between residential instability and heightened parent-child conflict. Findings highlight residential instability as a detriment to parent-child relationships; families in unstable neighborhoods may benefit from family social support.