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The Great Recession and risk for child abuse and neglect

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  • Schneider, William
  • Waldfogel, Jane
  • Brooks-Gunn, Jeanne

Abstract

This paper examines the association between the Great Recession and four measures of the risk for maternal child abuse and neglect: (1) maternal physical aggression; (2) maternal psychological aggression; (3) physical neglect by mothers; and (4) supervisory/exposure neglect by mothers. It draws on rich longitudinal data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, a longitudinal birth cohort study of families in 20 U.S. cities (N=3177; 50% African American, 25% Hispanic; 22% non-Hispanic white; 3% other). The study collected information for the 9-year follow-up survey before, during, and after the Great Recession (2007–2010). Interview dates were linked to two macroeconomic measures of the Great Recession: the national Consumer Sentiment Index and the local unemployment rate. Also included are a wide range of socio-demographic controls, as well as city fixed effects and controls for prior parenting. Results indicate that the Great Recession was associated with increased risk of child abuse but decreased risk of child neglect. Households with social fathers present may have been particularly adversely affected. Results also indicate that economic uncertainty during the Great Recession, as measured by the Consumer Sentiment Index and the unemployment rate, had direct effects on the risk of abuse or neglect, which were not mediated by individual-level measures of economic hardship or poor mental health.

Suggested Citation

  • Schneider, William & Waldfogel, Jane & Brooks-Gunn, Jeanne, 2017. "The Great Recession and risk for child abuse and neglect," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 71-81.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:72:y:2017:i:c:p:71-81
    DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2016.10.016
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    2. Hiilamo, Aapo & Hiilamo, Heikki & Ristikari, Tiina & Virtanen, Petri, 2021. "Impact of the Great Recession on mental health, substance use and violence in families with children: A systematic review of the evidence," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    3. Monahan, Emma Kahle, 2020. "Income instability and child maltreatment: Exploring associations and mechanisms," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    4. Melisa Bubonya & Deborah A. Cobb-Clark & Daniel Christensen & Sarah E. Johnson & Stephen R. Zubrick, 2019. "The Great Recession and Children’s Mental Health in Australia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(4), pages 1-19, February.
    5. Kong, Nancy & Phipps, Shelley & Watson, Barry, 2021. "Parental economic insecurity and child health," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 43(C).
    6. Watson, Barry & Kong, Nancy & Phipps, Shelley, 2022. "Dreaming of a Brighter Future? The Impact of Economic Vulnerability on University Aspirations," IZA Discussion Papers 15539, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    7. Cai, Julie Yixia, 2021. "Earnings instability and child protection: Evidence from state administrative data," SocArXiv y825p, Center for Open Science.
    8. Eleftheria Spyropoulou & Theodore Koutroukis, 2021. "Managing Open School Units Amid COVID-19 Pandemic through the Experiences of Greek Principals. Implications for Current and Future Policies in Public Education," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-13, July.
    9. Elisabetta De Cao, 2017. "The Impact of Unemployment on Child Maltreatment in the United States," Economics Series Working Papers 837, University of Oxford, Department of Economics.
    10. Mila Maeva & Yelis Erolova, 2023. "Bulgarian Roma at the Dawn of the COVID-19 Pandemic," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-18, April.
    11. Schneider, William, 2017. "Single mothers, the role of fathers, and the risk for child maltreatment," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 81-93.
    12. Bullinger, Lindsey Rose & Raissian, Kerri M. & Feely, Megan & Schneider, William J., 2021. "The neglected ones: Time at home during COVID-19 and child maltreatment," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    13. Janet Yuen-Ha Wong & Abraham Ka-Chung Wai & Man Ping Wang & Jung Jae Lee & Matthew Li & Jojo Yan-Yan Kwok & Carlos King-Ho Wong & Anna Wai-Man Choi, 2021. "Impact of COVID-19 on Child Maltreatment: Income Instability and Parenting Issues," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-10, February.
    14. Quetsch, Lauren B. & Jackson, Carrie B. & Onovbiona, Harlee & Bradley, Rebecca, 2022. "Caregiver decision-making on young child schooling/care in the face of COVID-19: The influence of child, caregiver, and systemic factors," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    15. Helton, Jesse J. & Moore, Amy R. & Henrichsen, Courtney, 2018. "Food security status of mothers at-risk for child maltreatment," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 263-269.

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