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Racial Differences in the Relationship between Neighborhood Disorder, Adverse Childhood Experiences, and Child Behavioral Health

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Abstract

The neighborhood and family context in which children grow profoundly influences their development. Informed by ecological systems theory and social disorganization theory, we hypothesized that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) mediate the relationship between neighborhood disorder and child externalizing and internalizing behaviors, and that these pathways vary by race/ethnicity. We conducted secondary data analysis using Fragile Families and Child Well-being study data. To test hypothesized pathways, we performed a mediation path analysis on a sample of 3001 mothers of children (ages 3 and 5) living in 20 U.S. cities. A moderated mediation path analysis was used to test racial/ethnic differences in hypothesized pathways. We found that living in disordered neighborhoods increased children’s likelihood of exhibiting externalizing and internalizing behaviors through childhood ACEs. Compared to Black and Hispanic children, White children’s ACEs were more susceptible to negative neighborhood environment effects, suggesting that White children’s behavioral health may be more indirectly affected by neighborhood disorder. The finding that ACEs mediated the pathway from neighborhood disorder to child behavior problems provides opportunity for child psychiatrists and pediatricians to interrupt negative pathways by providing interventions for children and families. Our findings on racial/ethnic differences highlight the need for culturally sensitive programming to address children’s behavior problems.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, Syracuse University, School of Social Work, 150 Crouse Dr, White Hall 220, Syracuse, NY, 13244, USA

    Xiafei Wang

  2. School of Social Work, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Kathryn Maguire-Jack

  3. College of Social Work, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA

    Sheila Barnhart

  4. College of Social Work, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA

    Susan Yoon

  5. Center for Behavioral Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA

    Qing Li

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Wang, X., Maguire-Jack, K., Barnhart, S. et al. Racial Differences in the Relationship between Neighborhood Disorder, Adverse Childhood Experiences, and Child Behavioral Health. J Abnorm Child Psychol 48, 315–329 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-019-00597-4

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