Associations of parental physical assault and psychological aggression toward children and socioeconomic attainment in early adulthood

Child maltreatment is a critical social issue with profound, long-lasting consequences. This study aims to examine the association between physical assault and psychological aggression of children and young adult socioeconomic status (SES) outcomes at age 22, focusing on education, employment, and income. Using data from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS), we conducted logistic and linear regressions to assess the association between physical assault and psychological aggression at ages 3, 5, and 9 on SES outcomes at age 22. Logistic regression was used for education and employment (dichotomous), and linear regression for income (continuous). Models controlled for mother’s education,income, mental health, and excessive substance use at age 3, as well as young adult race and ethnicity. Results indicated a significant association between psychological aggression at age 3 and SES at age 22, particularly lower educational attainment. These findings highlight the importance of early and targeted interventions to address the educational disruptions caused by psychological aggression and mitigate the long-term effects of such parenting behaviors on socioeconomic outcomes. This study suggests that targeted interventions and policies addressing the long-term educational and socioeconomic associations of physical assault and psychological aggression should be part of efforts to break the cycle of disadvantage. Further research is needed to explore how psychological aggression impacts SES and how resilience can be fostered to improve long-term outcomes.