Faculty Sponsor
Hannah White
Final Abstract for URS Program
Black mothers from lower socioeconomic status experience the highest stress levels in the United States due to structural and societal disadvantage, and one study shows parenting stress for Black mothers increases as children age from 5 to 8 years old. Stress is a well‑established risk factor for maladaptive parenting practices, including harsh parenting, and can influence these behaviors in ways that extend beyond parents’ conscious control. However, no studies have investigated Black mothers’ parenting stress trajectories from toddlerhood to adolescence, nor whether these trajectories relate to harsh parenting. To address this discrepancy, the present study conducted a multilevel analysis using data from the longitudinal Future Families and Child Wellbeing Study to examine (1) Black mothers’ parenting stress trajectories from child ages 3 to 15 years and (2) whether child age moderates the association between parenting stress and harsh parenting (i.e., psychologically and physically aggressive discipline). Results found that (1) maternal stress decreased from 3 to 9 and 3 to 15 years, and (2) a significant positive interaction between stress and child age on harsh parenting at ages 9 and 15, but not 5, such that the relationship between stress and harsh parenting became stronger as children aged. This study contributes to the field’s understanding of parenting practices across diverse demographics and promotes equitable and representative scientific literature. Limitations and future directions are discussed.
Presentation Type
Visual Presentation
Document Type
Article
Included in
Child Psychology Commons, Developmental Psychology Commons, Multicultural Psychology Commons