Neighborhood perceptions and externalizing behaviors during childhood and adolescence: The indirect effect of family socioeconomic vulnerability and parenting practices

• Published in: Children and youth services review Vol. 147; p. 106836
• Main Authors: Amorim dos Santos, Margarida, Santos, Gilda, Sebastião Machado, Mariana, Sofia de Freitas Lino Pinto Cardoso, Carla
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01-04-2023
• Subjects: Children; Externalizing behaviors; Indirect effects; Neighborhood factors; Parenting practices; Youth; Neighborhood factors; Youth; Parenting practices; Children; Indirect effects; Externalizing behaviors
• ISSN: 0190-7409; 1873-7765
• DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2023.106836

•Negative parenting predicts externalizing behavior in late childhood.•Neighborhood disorder is positively linked with externalizing behavior in youth.•Socioeconomic vulnerability influences externalizing behaviors through parenting.
This exploratory study aims to add to previous literature and to analyze how perceived neighborhood and family features, directly and indirectly, influence parenting practices and externalizing behaviors in a Portuguese sample of children, youth and their families.
A cross-sectional design was adopted. Three age groups were created to test these effects across late childhood (7–9 years, n = 83), early adolescence (10 – 13 years, n = 125) and adolescence (14 – 17 years, n = 61). All variables (externalizing behaviors, parenting practices, neighborhood perceived disorder, neighborhood attachment and family socioeconomic vulnerability) were assessed using individual level self-reported measures. Bivariate and OLS regression analysis were conducted and mediational models were tested.
Neighborhood factors have a direct effect on externalizing behavior across the three developmental periods. In late childhood, negative parenting practices play an important role in children’s externalizing behavior. In turn, positive parenting practices are negatively associated with conduct problems in adolescence. The mediational analysis reveals that in childhood, but not in adolescence, family socioeconomic vulnerability indirectly affects externalizing behaviors through negative parenting practices.
The current findings highlight the importance of early intervention across multiple domains of children and youth’s life.