Adaptation of the Family Stress Model: Youth Perceptions of Financial Hardship on Stress

• In Event: Poster Session 01
  In Poster Session: PS 01 Topic - Family Context & Processes

Abstract

Introduction: The economic circumstances of families in the U.S. have diverged, with rising levels of income and wealth inequality and heightened income volatility (Morduch & Siwicki 2017). A large literature has considered how economic disadvantage shapes important family processes, including parents’ feelings of distress, parent-child interactions, and in turn child and youth behavioral development. The majority of research, including the Family Stress Model, presumes that economic disadvantage and financial strain exert indirect effects on youth through parents and parenting practices and largely ignores any direct effects that may emerge as adolescents become increasingly aware of family economic circumstances. However, as youth age, they gain a better understanding of their family hardship, the thoughts and feelings of others (Hughes & Leekam, 2004; Carlson et al, 2013), as well as their family’s position within social and economic hierarchies (McLoyd, 1990; Mistry et al, 2009; Hardaway & McLoyd, 2009; McLoyd et al, 2009; McLoyd & Wilson, 1990).

Specific Aims: In the current study, we extend the Family Stress Model to consider direct links between family income and youth stress, effects that do not operate through parents. Additionally, we consider whether youth report of hardship (Frankham et al, 2020), a source of risk for adolescents, may be pathways through which income influences adolescent stress.

Study Population: This study draw data from the Family Income Dynamics study (FInD) a 9-month longitudinal study of a large, racially and socioeconomically-diverse cohort of youth (ages 14-16 years; N = 85) and their parents, with dense sampling (every month) of economic circumstances, family processes, and youth perceptions of hope and hardship.

Methods: Monthly families complete a dense sampling of financial resources adapted from Hill and collegues, 1992. Measures of youth and parents’ perceptions of economic and material hardship were adapted from measures of hardship Conger et al, 1994; and material hardship Sullivan et al, 2008. Additionally, teen and parent perceived stress was measured using the Perceived Stress Scale (Cohen et al, 1994). Future analysis will use data assessing teen hope, measured with the Child Hope Scale (Snyder et al, 1997).

Results: Preliminary results of a mixed effects model, which takes into account the nesting of observations within youth, are found in Table 1. In model 1, it can be seen that the association between monthly income and perceived stress failed to reach statistical significance (B =-0.07, p =0.12). However, Table 2. Model 3 reveals a significant relation between monthly income and youth reports of financial hardship (B = -0.08, p =0.01). Additionally, Table 1. Model 2 shows that increases in financial hardship are related to elevations in perceived stress in adolescents (B =0.23, p =0.00), suggesting that there are fully indirect effects of monthly family income on youth stress that operate through financial hardship (B=0.02, Z= -2.18, p<0.03). Future analyses will consider whether these results are robust to the inclusion of parent’s perceptions of financial hardship and stress and will examine whether youth perceptions of hope serve to buffer adolescents from stress elevations associated with low levels of income.

Authors

• Daniesha S. Hunter-Rue, University of Pittsburgh
  Presenting Author

• Elizabeth Votruba-Drzal, University of Pittsburgh
  Non-Presenting Author

• Portia Miller, University of Pittsburgh
  Non-Presenting Author

• Jamie L Hanson, University of Pittsburgh
  Non-Presenting Author