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Title: A Structural Model of the Effects of Poverty on the Socio-Emotional Development of Children
Resulting in 1 citation.
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Eamon, Mary Keegan |
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A Structural Model of the Effects of Poverty on the Socio-Emotional Development of Children Ph.D. Dissertation, The University of Wisconsin - Madison, 1998 Cohort(s): Children of the NLSY79, NLSY79 Publisher: UMI - University Microfilms, Bell and Howell Information and Learning Keyword(s): Behavior Problems Index (BPI); Children, Behavioral Development; Home Observation for Measurement of Environment (HOME); Modeling; Parental Influences; Poverty; Social Emotional Development The mother-child data of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth were used to identify the parenting practices that mediate relations between three measures of family poverty--persistent, recent, and multiple transitions--and the socio-emotional development of children 4-5 and 6-9 years old. Poverty and other exogenous variables were hypothesized to influence children's externalizing and internalizing behaviors indirectly by increasing emotional unresponsiveness, physical discipline, fewer stimulating experiences, not encouraging maturity, and a lower quality physical environment. Although model fit comparisons supported a mediation model, the revised structural models provided better fit than the hypothesized and alternative theoretical specifications. Significant effects of poverty were supported in the cross-validation samples. For 4-5 year old children, the effects of persistent poverty on both outcomes were mediated by a lower quality physical environment. The effect of recent poverty on externalizing behaviors was mediated by a lower quality physical environment and by fewer stimulating experiences. In addition to these two constructs, emotional unresponsiveness mediated the effect of recent poverty on internalizing behaviors. Contrary to the hypothesized relations, the indirect and total effects of multiple poverty transitions on both outcomes were beneficial. Effects were mediated by a lower quality physical environment and fewer stimulating experiences. For 6-9 year old children, persistent poverty influenced externalizing behaviors indirectly, with a lower quality physical environment and fewer stimulating experiences significantly contributing to this effect. The effects of persistent and recent poverty on internalizing behaviors were direct. Recent poverty had no effect on externalizing behaviors, and multiple poverty transitions had no effect on either outcome. Theoretical, intervention, and social policy implications are discussed. |
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Bibliography Citation
Eamon, Mary Keegan. A Structural Model of the Effects of Poverty on the Socio-Emotional Development of Children. Ph.D. Dissertation, The University of Wisconsin - Madison, 1998. |