Neighborhood cohesion as a buffer against hostile maternal parenting.
This study explored the moderating effects of children's neighborhoods on the link between hostile parenting and externalizing behavior. Participants were 1st- or 2nd-grade children in an urban northeastern community. Children were administered the Parenting and Neighborhood scales of the Child Puppet Interview, and mothers completed questionnaires on neighborhood quality and parenting practices. Census tract measures of neighborhood quality and teachers' reports of children's externalizing behavior also were obtained. Results indicated that children's and mothers' perceptions of neighborhood involvement-cohesion buffered the link between hostile parenting and externalizing problems. Children's externalizing behavior was unrelated to census tract variables. Findings highlight the protective effect of neighborhood social cohesion and the utility of including young children's perspectives in research on neighborhoods and families.
Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, PA 15213, USA. jss4@pitt.edu
Jennifer S
JS
Silk
Frances M
FM
Sessa
Amanda Sheffield
AS
Morris
Laurence
L
Steinberg
Shelli
S
Avenevoli
D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D005260:Female; D006791:Hostility; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D016487:Parenting; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires