Pathways from Food and Housing Insecurity to Adolescent Behavior Problems: The Mediating Role of Parenting Stress

Abstract

Unmet basic needs in childhood predict a range of behavior problems, but long-term pathways from childhood food and housing insecurity to adolescent behavior problems are not well understood. Applications of the Family Stress Model suggest parenting stress may mediate this relationship in the transition to adolescence. The present study tested whether the links from childhood food and housing insecurity to adolescent aggressive and depressive behaviors were mediated by parenting stress over 10 years. The analytic sample included 2454 mother-child dyads and skewed socioeconomically disadvantaged. The majority (78%) of mothers were nonwhite, half had not received beyond a high school education, and 60% were single. The first wave of data for the present study occurred when children (48% female) were approximately five years old, with follow-ups at age nine and 15. Structural equation modeling with latent variables showed direct associations from housing insecurity to both behavioral outcomes, and indirect associated from food insecurity to both outcomes via parenting stress. The findings point to the need for screening and supports for food and housing problems in order to prevent long-term mental health consequences.