Maternal parenting stress and child externalizing behaviors: Low-income as a context

Abstract

This study tested the transactional associations of maternal parenting stress and child externalizing behaviors in the context of socioeconomic disadvantage. We employed a multiple group random intercept cross-lagged panel model (RI-CLPM) to analyze four waves of data from 4065 families from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study (at age 3, 5, 9, and 15; 51.96% boys; 48.78% Black, 30.33% White). Results revealed within-family associations between maternal parenting stress and child externalizing behaviors. These results were driven by families with income-to-needs ratios lower than two (mean cross-lagged standardized effects across time; child-driven = 0.15 and parent-driven = 0.12). Moreover, the child-driven effects from child externalizing behaviors to maternal parenting stress became larger as children aged. The findings contributed to the understanding of the associations between child externalizing behaviors and parenting stress in the context of financial hardship and highlighted the significance of support to families with scarce economic resources.