![Masters Theses](../../assets/md5images/ebc0648ded2cd429f55e0a2fe4407546.gif)
Masters Theses
Date of Award
5-1997
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science
Major
Child and Family Studies
Major Professor
Cheryl Buehler
Committee Members
Jo Lynn Cunningham, Greer Litton Fox
Abstract
Using a sample of 335 preadolescent youth, three statistical models (additive, interactive, and exponential) were tested to examine how multiple family risk factors-overt interparental conflict, low parenting quality, and economic hardship-operate in conjunction with one another to predict youth problem behaviors. Findings from this study largely supported the additive effects of individual family stressors but only in the case of externalizing problem behavior. In addition, demographic variables were important moderators of the relationship between cumulative risk exposure and externalizing problem behaviors. The additive model accounted for more variance in externalizing problem behavior in older youth and those residing in two-parent households. with low parenting quality contributing the greatest amount of variance. For internalizing problem behavior, economic hardship was the only significant risk factor. Although at a broad level, the results of this study support the idea of cumulative effects of multiple family risk factors on youth psychological adjustment, this study also highlights the complexity underlying the associations between specific risk factors and varying indices of youth problem behaviors.
Recommended Citation
Gerard, Jean Marie, "Multiple family risk factors and youth problem behaviors. " Master's Thesis, University of Tennessee, 1997.
https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_gradthes/10527