Publication Date
4-16-2021
Document Type
Article
Publication Title
Social Science & Medicine
Volume
277
DOI
10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.113887
Abstract
Rationale
Child maltreatment and problematic parenting are related to negative outcomes for children. Poor parental health could be a risk factor for problematic parenting through several mechanisms: 1) inadequate emotional regulation and coping; 2) impairment of parental capacity; and, 3) impairment of the parent-child relationship.
Objective
This study examines relationships between self-rated parental health, prescription drug use, and a broad array of negative parenting outcomes.
Methods
A sample of general population parents of children aged ten and younger was recruited from 30 mid-sized cities in California (n = 681). Weighted mixed-effects negative binomial and logistic regression models were used to examine associations between poor parental health, prescription drug use and child maltreatment (physical abuse, supervisory neglect, and physical neglect), and problematic parenting (psychological aggression and corporal punishment).
Results
Parents in poor health used physical abuse, corporal punishment, and psychological aggression more frequently and had higher odds of supervisory neglect. Parents who were taking more prescription medications had higher odds of physical neglect. Exploratory analyses suggested that prescriptions for certain medical conditions both increased and decreased the risk of problematic parenting.
Conclusions
Poor health and prescription drug use are not uncommon and present largely under-recognized risk factors for a spectrum of adverse parenting outcomes. Our study provides additional evidence that parents in poor health are at heightened risk of negative parenting, and need targeted intervention supports to support family well-being.
Funding Number
P60 AA006282
Funding Sponsor
NIAAA
Keywords
Parental health, Child maltreatment, Corporal punishment, Prescription drug use
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Department
Social Work
Recommended Citation
Jennifer Price Wolf, Bridget Freisthler, and Karla Shockley McCarthy. "Parenting in poor health: Examining associations between parental health, prescription drug use, and child maltreatment" Social Science & Medicine (2021). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.113887
Comments
This is the Version of Record and can also be read online here.