Citation

Scaramella LV, Sohr-Preston SL, Callahan KL, Mirabile SP. J. Clin. Child Adolesc. Psychol. 2008; 37(3): 530-541.

Affiliation

University of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA 70148, USA. lscarame@uno.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/15374410802148202

PMID

18645744

PMCID

PMC2893557

Abstract

Hurricane Katrina dramatically altered the level of social and environmental stressors for the residents of the New Orleans area. The Family Stress Model describes a process whereby felt financial strain undermines parents' mental health, the quality of family relationships, and child adjustment. Our study considered the extent to which the Family Stress Model explained toddler-aged adjustment among Hurricane Katrina affected and nonaffected families. Two groups of very low-income mothers and their 2-year-old children participated (pre-Katrina, n = 55; post-Katrina, n = 47). Consistent with the Family Stress Model, financial strain and neighborhood violence were associated with higher levels of mothers' depressed mood; depressed mood was linked to less parenting efficacy. Poor parenting efficacy was associated to more child internalizing and externalizing problems.

Language: en