Family Stress Processes Underlying Paternal Neglect Risk in Families with Low Income

Background and Purpose: In 2020, over 44% of victims of child maltreatment, including child neglect, were maltreated by fathers. Although prior research has identified paternal risk factors (e.g., poverty, depression) associated with child maltreatment, less is known about the mechanisms underlying these factors and child maltreatment, including paternal child neglect risk. As such, the current study used the Family Stress Model to examine the mediating pathways between material hardship and paternal (and maternal) child neglect risk.

Methods: Participants were from the Building Strong Families project, a sample of racially diverse (37.91% Black; 26.88% White; 23.47% Latinx; and 11.74% other) father-mother families with preschoolers and from low-income backgrounds (N = 858). Material hardship was defined as families’ difficulties making ends meet in the areas of paying for utilities, rent, and healthcare. Parental depressive symptoms were measured with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Destructive interparental conflict was measured with items assessing moderate verbal aggression by both parents. Fathers’ and mothers’ detachment and lack of warmth in their parenting were examined as child neglect risk outcomes of interest. We employed Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with both parents’ data entered in the model. We tested indirect effect using bootstrapped confidence intervals.

Results: The SEM model had good fit, χ²(44) = 89.71, p < .001, RMSEA = 0.04, 90% CI[0.03, 0.05], CFI = 0.96, SRMR = 0.01. Material hardship was significantly linked with higher levels of both maternal depressive symptoms (Β = 0.10, 95% CI [0.04, 0.16], p = .001) and paternal depressive symptoms (Β = 0.05, 95% CI [0.004, 0.10], p = .039). Maternal depressive symptoms were significantly linked with higher levels of mothers’ destructive conflict (Β = 0.33, 95% CI [0.21, 0.44], p < .001). Similarly, paternal depressive symptoms were linked with significantly higher levels of fathers’ destructive conflict (Β = 0.37, 95% CI [0.24, 0.51], p < .001). Paternal depressive symptoms were also significantly linked with higher levels of mothers’ destructive conflict (Β = 0.17, 95% CI [0.04, 0.30], p = .022). Maternal destructive conflict was subsequently and significantly linked with higher levels of maternal detachment (Β = 0.25, 95% CI [0.14, 0.40], p < .001). Maternal depressive symptoms were significantly linked with lower levels of maternal warmth (Β = -0.05, 95% CI [-0.09, -0.02], p = .007). Similarly, paternal depressive symptoms were significantly linked with lower levels of paternal warmth (Β = -0.09, 95% CI [-0.17, -0.02], p = .017). Test of indirect effects confirmed that all indirect effects of interests were significant.

Conclusions and Implications: Fathers with low income share both similar and different pathways with mothers by which material hardship impacts their child neglect risk. Importantly, material hardship may be operating through fathers’ mental health problems in its association with lower levels of paternal warmth, controlling for maternal effects. In terms of implications, state and federal policies and programs should address poverty-impacted fathers’ everyday material hardship needs and their negative impact on paternal mental health to reduce fathers’ risk of child neglect early on.