1-103 - Charting a New Direction in Examining and Supporting Low-income Families with Young Children: Person-centered Approaches

Session Type: Paper Symposium

Integrative Statement

Recently research has turned to person-centered approaches to analyze parenting processes. While most research utilizes variable-centered, person-centered approaches consider each individual’s pattern of parenting processes. Individuals sharing similar patterns are grouped together.

The papers presented in this symposium employ person-centered approaches to identify parenting profiles across groups of low-income parents. Findings illuminate variability in parenting within these groups and offer insights to intervention programs working with similar populations.

The first paper draws from the Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Project (17 sites, n = 2,121). Six variables shown responsive to program intervention were selected. Four profiles emerged: 1) supportive, 2) engaged but punitive, 3) disengaged and punitive, and 4) disengaged. Demographics were examined as predictors of profile membership.

The second paper was drawn from the Educare Implementation Study data (12 sites, n = 1,657). Four profiles appeared, ranging from low resource, high stress, and low engagement to high resource, low stress, and average engagement. Differences between profiles and characteristics found to predict profile membership are discussed.

The third paper, also from the EHSREP dataset (17 sites, n = 2,631) selected 13 variables emphasizing parenting behaviors. Three profiles emerged: 1) developmentally supportive, 2) unsupportive, and 3) negative, consistently across three time periods. Differences between profiles and predictors of profile membership were examined. Further, the profiles correlated to child outcomes at age three. Similarities and differences of this study’s profiles to those found in the first and second papers are discussed, enhancing the knowledge of parenting practices in these groups.

Sub Unit

• Parenting & Parent-Child Relationships

Chair

• Jan Esteraich, University of Nebraska, Lincoln

Discussant

• Catherine C. Ayoub, Harvard University

Individual Presentations

• Parenting Profiles: Using a Person-centered Approach to Examine Patterns of Parenting in Early Head Start Parents - Presenting Author: Jan Esteraich, University of Nebraska, Lincoln; Helen H Raikes, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Iheoma U. Iruka, University of Nebraska

• Profiles of Parenting for Low-Income Families: Findings from the Educare Implementation Study - Presenting Author: Iheoma U. Iruka, University of Nebraska; Gary Bingham, Georgia State University; Sheridan Green, University of Denver; Brenda Jones Harden, University of Maryland, College Park; Jan Esteraich, University of Nebraska, Lincoln

• Understanding Dimensions of Parenting in Low-Income Mothers - Presenting Author: Gina Cook, California State Univ Stanislaus; Lori A Roggman, Utah State Univ