Extending the Family Stress Model (FSM) to Common Couple Violence among African American Young Adults

• In Event: 381 - Section on the Sociology of the Family Refereed Roundtable Session and Business Meeting
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: Table 02. Couple Relationships

Abstract

There is currently a lack of research on the long-term impact of familial economic pressure on young adult romantic relationships. However, one important precursor to common couple violence (CCV) in young adulthood may be the experience of economic hardship in the family of origin. As suggested by the Family Stress Model, economic hardship is childhood is likely to compromise familial relationships leading to depression, caregiver conflict, and ineffective parenting practices. These family experiences, in turn, are likely to lead to an increased risk of partner violence in young adulthood. Using a sample of 233 African-American families, the goal of the current study is to extend the FSM to common couple violence utilizing longitudinal data spanning over 10 years. Results of structural equation modeling largely replicate previous findings on the FSM. Specifically, economic pressure was related to increased caregiver depression, which in turn, was a significant predictor of caregiver conflict. Caregiver conflict also exerted a direct effect on ineffective parenting practices. Furthermore, ineffective parenting in adolescence was a predictor of CCV in young adulthood, and ineffective parenting mediated the association between caregiver conflict and CCV among our sample of African-American families. Thus, this study is among the first to provide evidence of a long-term impact of childhood economic pressure on partner aggression in young adulthood. The findings of this study point to the importance of early interventions with families facing economic hardship given the long-term impact of such experiences on young adult offspring in the current study.

Authors

• Tara Elizabeth Sutton, University of Georgia

• Leslie Gordon Simons, University of Georgia