The Moderating Effect of Physical Punishment Norms on the Association between Perceived Neighborhood Collective Efficacy and Subsequent Parenting Behavior

Background and Purpose: Emerging research explores how community-based factors influence parenting and youth outcomes. Neighborhood collective efficacy (NCE), encompassing social cohesion and social control, has been understudied in its connection to parenting. However, higher NCE is associated with lower levels of violence, lower parental stress, and increased positive youth behavior. This study aims to examine the connection between perceived NCE and parenting behavior and investigate how perceived norms regarding the use of corporal punishment (CP) might moderate this relationship.

Methods: The baseline data of 823 mothers recruited at WIC clinics in New Orleans between 2014-2018 were used in these analyses. Perceived NCE was measured using the 10-item Collective Efficacy Scale. Parenting was measured through scales from the Parenting and Family Adjustment Scale (PAFAS): Positive parenting practices (18 items), coercive parenting (5 items), and positive encouragement (3 items); CP usage was measured by a single item coded into a trichotomous variable. The three moderating variables examined were perceived support of CP by neighbors (4 items), by mother's key support person (4 items), and by the professional that mother's trusted most for parenting advice (4 items). Analyses included bivariate and multiple linear regression, testing interaction effects of moderating variables, and ordered logistic regression. Adjusted models included potential confounders (social support, parental stress, community violence exposure, parenting class enrollment) and key demographic characteristics. Longitudinal analyses using baseline and 4-year follow-up data are forthcoming.

Results: Most mothers (70%) reported spanking their child at least once in the past month, and also reported high levels of positive parenting behavior. Moderate support of spanking was reported by identified key support persons (most often either the child's father (38%) or the mother’s mother (24%), and trusted professionals (most often reported as social workers/mental health professionals (41%) or pediatricians (16%)). In unadjusted and adjusted models, significant yet weak associations were observed between perceived NCE and all four parenting behaviors assessed: perceived NCE was associated with an increase in positive parenting practices (B=.07, p=.001) and in positive encouragement (B=.014, SE=.006, t=2.41, p=.01); a decrease in coercive parenting (B=-.041, p=.001) and a decrease in odds of using CP (OR=-.024, p=.007). There were significant interactions between perceived NCE and perceived support of CP by professionals (B=-.003, p<.05) and key support persons (B=-.004, p<.05) on mothers' use of positive encouragement. These results indicate that as mothers' perceived NCE and perceived support of CP increased, by either key support persons or professionals, the use of positive encouragement with the child decreased.

Conclusion: These results add to the emerging evidence base that perceived NCE is associated with positive parenting behaviors. However, these results challenge the positive relationship between perceived NCE and positive parenting behavior when support for harmful parenting, such as use of CP, is present in the parent’s support system. This underscores the necessity for concurrent interventions aimed at improving NCE while also shifting norms away from supporting CP use and fostering support for positive parenting practices.