@article{ref1,
title="Material hardship and child neglect risk amidst COVID-19 in grandparent-headed kinship families: the role of financial assistance",
journal="Child abuse and neglect",
year="2021",
author="Xu, Yanfeng and Jedwab, Merav and Soto-Ramírez, Nelís and Levkoff, Sue E. and Wu, Qi",
volume="121",
number="",
pages="e105258-e105258",
abstract="BACKGROUND: COVID-19 has exacerbated material hardship among grandparent-headed kinship families. Grandparent-headed kinship families receive financial assistance, which may mitigate material hardship and reduce child neglect risk. <br><br>OBJECTIVE: This study aims to examine (1) the association between material hardship and child neglect risk; and (2) whether financial assistance moderates this association in a sample of kinship grandparent-headed families during COVID-19. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: Cross-sectional survey data were collected from a convenience sample of grandparent-headed kinship families (not necessarily child welfare involved) (N = 362) in the United States via Qualtrics Panels online survey. <br><br>METHODS: Descriptive, bivariate, and negative binomial regression were conducted using STATA 15.0. <br><br>RESULTS: Experiencing material hardship was found to be associated with an increased risk of child neglect, and receiving financial assistance was associated with a decreased risk of child neglect in the full sample and a subsample with household income > $30,000. Receiving financial assistance buffered the negative effect of material hardship on child neglect risk across analytic samples, and receiving SNAP was a significant moderator in the full sample. Among families with a household income ≤ $30,000, receiving SNAP and foster care payments was associated with a decreased risk of child neglect, while receiving TANF and unemployment insurance was associated with an increased risk of child neglect. Among families with household income > $30,000, only receiving SNAP was associated with a decreased risk of child neglect. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests the potential importance of providing concrete financial assistance, particularly SNAP and foster care payments, to grandparent-headed kinship families in efforts to decrease child neglect risk during COVID-19.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0145-2134",
doi="10.1016/j.chiabu.2021.105258",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2021.105258"
}