A test of the Family Stress Model on toddler-aged children's adjustment among Hurricane Katrina impacted and nonimpacted low-income families.
Hurricane Katrina dramatically altered the level of social and environmental stressors for the residents of the New Orleans area. The Family Stress Model describes a process whereby felt financial strain undermines parents' mental health, the quality of family relationships, and child adjustment. Our study considered the extent to which the Family Stress Model explained toddler-aged adjustment among Hurricane Katrina affected and nonaffected families. Two groups of very low-income mothers and their 2-year-old children participated (pre-Katrina, n = 55; post-Katrina, n = 47). Consistent with the Family Stress Model, financial strain and neighborhood violence were associated with higher levels of mothers' depressed mood; depressed mood was linked to less parenting efficacy. Poor parenting efficacy was associated to more child internalizing and externalizing problems.
Scaramella
Laura V
LV
University of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA 70148, USA. lscarame@uno.edu
Sohr-Preston
Sara L
SL
Callahan
Kristin L
KL
Mirabile
Scott P
SP
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D004190:Disasters; D018479:Early Intervention, Educational; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008145:Louisiana; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology; D010552:Personality Assessment; D011203:Poverty / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012931:Social Environment; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications*; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology