The Influence of Acculturation On Hispanic Fathers' Aggressive Parenting Practices

Background: We examine Hispanic father's nativity (foreign-born or U.S.-born), along with two other measures of acculturation as predictors of whether fathers use harsh punishment toward young children. We hypothesize that greater degree of acculturation is associated with more aggressive discipline. Prior research suggests that acculturation may moderate Hispanic parents' disciplinary practices. Less acculturated Hispanic mothers engage in less verbal punishment (Berlin et al., 2009) and being foreign-born Hispanic is associated with less maternal spanking (Taylo et al., 2009). Studies with Hispanic fathers are few, but suggest that they are less likely to endorse or engage in aggressive parenting practices compared to White and African American fathers (Caughy & Franzini, 2005; Lee, Guterman, & Lee, 2008).

Method: We used data from Hispanic fathers who participated in the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS), a longitudinal, community-based sample of diverse urban families. We conducted path analyses in MPlus 5.2 to examine predictors of fathers' harsh parenting practices toward their 5-year old children, measured with Parent-Child Conflict Tactics Scale, with special attention to father's acculturation as measured by: nativity status, endorsement of traditional gender norms, and rate of religious attendance. Models also accounted for a wide range of family, father and child characteristics including: family income, intimate partner aggression and violence (IPAV), father's age, education, alcohol use, stress and involvement with child, and child's externalizing and other behavioral indicators. We examined changes in harsh parenting by assessing predictors of harsh parenting at 5-years of age while controlling for harsh parenting at 3-years.

Results: When compared with Black and White fathers, Hispanic fathers were less likely to engage in both physical and psychological aggression toward their 5 year old children (F(3)=7.4 & F(3)=6.4 respectively) with much of this difference due to the practices of foreign-born Hispanic fathers. In models predicting physical and psychological punishment at 5-years, Hispanic fathers born outside the U.S. were significantly less likely to engage in both forms of harsh parenting (physical â = -.18, p < .01; psychological â = -.27, p < .01). In models assessing change in aggressive discipline, foreign-born fathers were less likely to increase their level of harsh punishment (physical â = -.15, p < .05; psychological â = -.20, p < .05). In all models, father's nativity was the strongest and most consistent predictor of harsh parenting. Other factors such as father's heavy alcohol use, IPAV, and child externalizing were also significant predictors in some models.

Implications: This study shows that among a wide range of possible predictors, father's nativity status emerges as the strongest predictor of harsh punishment, with foreign-born fathers less likely to engage in such parenting practices. The clinical significance of nativity status overshadows issues such as alcohol use, IPAV, and parenting stress. Other studies have found that Hispanic acculturation is associated with greater Child Protective Services involvement (Detlaff, Earner & Phillips, 2009). Preventative interventions aimed at decreasing risk of child maltreatment should address acculturation related changes in parenting practices among Hispanic fathers. Further research is needed to understand such changes.