Poverty and Family Stress

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that the experience of long-term poverty effects many child outcomes because the family stress created by this poverty can result in family dysfunction, depression among caregivers and derisory parenting. The author points out that the family-centered approach is a process for providing services to families, which fits many different "content areas" such as support for teen parents, family literacy or education for low-income children; however, it is not a set of exacting practices but rather a "philosophy" in which families are recognized as having unique anxiety, strengths and values. The paper relates adapting and coping strategies, which are designed to make the persons first realize their situation, evaluate them thoroughly and adopt an approach that would be most suited to them.

Table of Contents
Cause
Contributing Factors
Consequences
Challenges
Family-Centered Approach
Ecological Model
Role of Community
Changes

From the Paper:

"Child outcomes of high levels of family stress and ineffective forms of parenting include poor emotional adjustment, which may be externalized as various forms of hostility, or internalized as depression or low self-esteem. Healthy child adjustment, on the other hand, should appear as achievement and on-task behavior in school, persistence in difficult tasks, and enjoyment of daily life. The Family Stress Model is maintained by good evidence from respected psychologists and sociologists. Research findings from as long ago as the depression years of the 1930s; propose that children were protected from the possible adverse consequences of poverty so long as the relationship between adult caregivers was supportive and. Civic participation is also effected, including educational attainment, full-time employment, and positive psychosocial adjustment like self efficacy, lack of depressive symptoms."

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