Family structure, maternal employment, and change in children's externalizing problem behaviour: Differences by age and self-regulation

Abstract

This study used a latent difference score growth model to investigate how changes in family structure (biological father and stepfather residence) and maternal employment are associated with American children's externalizing problem behaviours (EPB) from ages 4–10 and whether these associations vary by children's level of self-regulation. For all 4-year-old children, living with a biological father at age 4 was associated with reductions in EPB at ages 4–6 and later years, with no variation by child self-regulation. Living with a stepfather at age 4 was associated with higher levels of EPB at age 4; however, for less-regulated children, stepfather residence at ages 4 and 8 was associated with reductions in EPB between ages 4–6 and 8–10, respectively. Greater employment hours were associated with increased EPB in the next 2 years for less-regulated children of all ages; however, except for the age 4–6 transition, there was a lagged association that reduced behaviour problems after 2 years and outweighed short-term increases.

Keywords::

• Behavioural problems
• Family structure
• Fathers
• Maternal employment

Acknowledgements

The contribution of Nicole Forry to data preparation is gratefully acknowledged.

Supplementary material

Supplementary Appendix is available via the ‘Supplementary’ tab on the article's online page.

Additional information

Funding

Funding for this research was provided by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development to Cornell University, through a subcontract to the University of Maryland [grant number P01-HD045610].