Parenting Practices of Single Mothers: Mediators of Negative Contextual Factors

Abstract

It was hypothesized that the effects of the contextual variables Socioeconomic Disadvantage (SED) and Maternal Antisocial Qualities (MAQ) on Antisocial Behavior Problems (ABP) in boys would be mediated through their disrupting effect on parenting practices. Structural equation models were used to test the hypotheses separately for younger (grades K-2) and older (grades 3-6) boys in a study of recently divorced mothers and their sons. Models for the older boys were replicated in another sample with single mothers. Socioeconomically disadvantaged mothers had less effective discipline, and their sons were at greater risk for antisocial behavior problems in all three samples. With older boys, mothers with antisocial qualities placed their sons at risk for antisocial behavior problems because of disrupted parenting practices. Moreover, in the context of maternal antisocial qualities, socioeconomic disadvantage had no impact on parenting or antisocial behavior problem constructs.