Parenting and Economic Hardships on Child Abuse: Sociocultural Considerations Among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

Background: Asians have one of America’s fastest growth out of any major racial group between 2000 and 2015 (Zhai & Gao, 2009). Asian Americans have a long history of social stress and challenges across a continuum of transition and adaptation to a new culture under varying sociocultural and economic conditions. Families experiencing multiple stressors are at risk of family violence or child maltreatment, contributing to the intergenerational transmission of trauma. Despite the awareness of stressors among Asian Americans, there is little knowledge on how stressors lead to various types of child abuse (non-violent discipline, psychological aggression, physical assault, and neglect). This study explores how mother’s parental characteristics, parental aggravation, and economic hardship, are associated with child abuse among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

Methods: This study is a secondary analysis of data from the fifth wave (at child age 9) of the Fragile Families and Child Well-being Studies (FFCWS). A cross-sectional data analysis (n = 145) of Asians and Pacific Islanders from the original FFCWS dataset was used for multiple and logistical regressions. Mother’s demographic variables; age, income, level of education, foreign-born status, number of children in the household, marital status, and child's’ gender) were controlled for the analysis. Economic hardship was measured with 10 items from the Survey of Income and Program Participation and Social Indicator Survey. Parental aggravation was measure with four items from the JOBS Child Outcomes Study and the Child Development Supplement of The Panel Study of Income Dynamics. Child maltreatment (including non-violent discipline, psychological aggression, physical assault, and neglect) was measured with 14 items from the Parent Child Conflict Tactics Scales and five items from CTSPC’s supplemental scale on neglect.

Results: Mother’s economic hardship was positively associated with the non-violent discipline (b=4.99, p<.01). Mother’s economic hardship was positively associated with psychological aggression (b=2.61, p<.05), and parental aggravation were positively associated with psychological aggression (b=4.65, p<.05). Physical assault was predictive of economic hardship (OR = 1.19, 95%; CI: .88, .161) and parental aggravation (OR = 2.28, 95%; CI: 1.10, 4.69). Mother’s aggressive parenting was positively associated with neglect (b=.88, p<.05).

Conclusions & Implications: Study findings present that mother’s economic hardship and parental aggravation were associated with various types of child abuse among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. As child abuse is detrimental to child development, social work practitioners and researchers should be aware of how maternal stressors might be associated with each type of child abuse. The varied characteristics of Asian Americans are emphasized in their traditional values and child-rearing practices. Social workers should comprehend the common stressors for Asian American families following their collective history of diaspora and continued progress in Western society. Social workers may benefit from a well-grounded understanding of sociocultural variations when addressing family issues among ethnic minorities to help children flourish.