Household Chaos Moderates Indirect Pathways Involving Domestic Violence, Parenting Practices, and Behavior Problems among Preschool Children

This study examined the moderating role of household chaos in indirect pathways involving domestic violence (DV), parenting practices (punitive discipline and responsive), and preschool children ’s internalizing and externalizing symptoms. We hypothesized that high levels of household chaos would amplify links between domestic violence and parenting difficulties, and that parenting difficulties would in turn predict child behavior problems. Participants in this multimethod (survey, semi-s tructured interview, child protection records) study included 274 preschool children (Mage = 50.86 months) and their primary caregivers who were assessed in the home at two time-points spaced 6 months apart. Child welfare documentation of moderate-severe maltreatment within the last 6 months was present for 52% of children, 44% were in households characterized by DV, and most fami lies qualified for public assistance. Hypotheses were tested using path analysis with manifest variables within a structural equation modeling framework. All models provided excellent fit to the data. DV was associated with punitive discipline practices only when household chaos was high. Punitive d iscipline practices in turn predicted greater child externalizing symptoms 6 months later. Follow-up analyses revealed that the moderating role of chaos was specific to DV, rather than general to other forms of adversity (child maltreatment, lifetime contextual stressors, traumatic events). This in teraction b...
Source: Journal of Family Violence - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research