(SDAS) Homelessness, Parenting, Child Development and Mental Health
Grantee: University of Illinois
Principal Investigator: Jung Min Park
Project Number: R40MC21508
Project Date: 2/1/2011
Age group(s)
- Perinatal/Infancy (0-12 months)
- Toddlerhood (13-35 months)
- Early Childhood (3-5 years)
- Middle Childhood (6-11 years)
- Adolescence (12-18 years)
Abstract
Family homelessness is on the rise. Approximately two million Americans experience homelessness each year. Families with children comprise over one third of the homeless population on any given night. According to the 2009 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report to Congress, the number of homeless families grew by 30% from 2007 to 2009. Homelessness is associated with physical, developmental, behavioral and emotional problems for children. Parenting behavior plays a key role in child development and mental health; negative parenting is considered a risk factor for inadequate development and adverse mental health outcomes, whereas optimal parenting may protect against such problems. Homelessness often undermines caregiving and parent-child relationships, thus parenting behavior may play an important mediating role in the relationship between homelessness and child outcomes. The literature provides limited evidence about the extent to which homelessness per se contributes to child development and mental health, and about the manner in which family homelessness is associated with child outcomes. With growing family homelessness, this knowledge is critical to improve the well-being of the children in homeless families. We propose to use data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFS), a cohort study involving 4,898 families with children in 20 large U.S. cities who have been followed since their birth in 1998 to 2000. The specific aims of this proposal are to 1) determine the extent to which homelessness is associated with child cognitive development and mental health, controlling for other individual and familial characteristics, 2) investigate whether homelessness is associated with less optimal parenting behavior, and 3) examine whether parenting behavior mediates the relationship between homelessness and child outcomes. Data sources include the main FFS survey data as well as data from collaborative projects following up the FFS sample: the medical records from the child' s birth, and two In-Home Assessments. We will use fixed-effects regression models that not only adjust for dependence resulting from the use of repeated measures but also control for any time-invariant, unobserved covariate. The proposed study addresses MCHB' s Strategic Research Issue IV to promote the healthy development of MCH populations, conducting a longitudinal study of health and normative development in a special population of children, those of homeless backgrounds. Findings of the proposed study will contribute to developing and guiding effective strategies to prevent inadequate cognitive development and poor mental health outcomes during childhood for this vulnerable population.Publications
Listed is descending order by year published.
Park JM, Fertig A, Ostler T. Physical and psychological aggression toward a child among homeless, doubled-up, and other low-income families. J Social Service Research. 2015;41(3):413-23.
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