Family Instability and Exposure to Violence in the Early Life Course

Abstract

Family instability has been linked with a host of outcomes across the early life course. This study extends this literature by connecting instability with violence in the community by examining the associations among family structure, family structure change, and secondary exposure to violence during adolescence across diverse segments of the population. Using longitudinal data from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods study, we found that living with a single parent and experiencing family structure changes were associated with secondary exposure to violence. Multiple group models suggest that partner change translated into more exposure for boys than girls. Findings also suggest that family instability may lead to more secondary exposure to violence for African American youth.

Family Structure and Secondary Exposure to Violence in the Context of Varying Neighborhood Risks and Resources

“…Living with a single parent and experiencing parental instability were associated with an increase of 18.9 percent and 21.4 percent, respectively, of a standard deviation in a youth’s exposure-to-violence score. These results support Hypothesis 1 and are consistent with prior research documenting associations between family structure, parental instability, and secondary exposure to violence (Zimmerman and Messner 2013; Cavanagh et al 2018).…”

“…In violent neighborhoods, youth deploy complex and adaptable friendship formation strategies in an attempt to protect themselves from violence but may paradoxically end up exposing themselves to more violence (Harding 2009; Chan Tack and Small 2017). The lack of a second parent in the household or disrupted family processes resulting from parental instability may reduce parents’ ability to effectively monitor youth, facilitating interactions with peer groups that increase the risk of secondary exposure to violence (Hair et al 2008; Antunes and Alhin 2015; Cavanagh et al 2018).…”

The Demography of Families: A Review of Patterns and Change

“…Some examples include a study of father loss and telemore length published in the journal Pediatrics by an interdisciplinary team including family demographers, a developmental psychologist, and a pediatrician who specializes in genetics and children's health (Mitchell et al, ). Fowler, Henry, and Marcal () examined both family and housing instability and their connections to adolescent criminal activity (see also Bosick & Fomby, ; Cavanagh, Stritzel, Smith, & Crosnoe, ; Gaydosh & Harris, ; Mitchell et al, ). Perkins () provided a fresh perspective on the concept of instability by focusing on household instability involving nonrelatives.…”

Peer and Community Influences on Adolescent Substance Use in the Context of Adverse Childhood Experiences

“…Third, adolescents with more ACEs by definition experience greater levels of household stress and dysfunction, reflecting greater strain in the parent-child relationship. Greater family instability (Cavanagh et al 2018), lower levels of relationship warmth (Hair et al 2008), and less disclosure from the adolescent (Stattin and Kerr 2000) constrain parents’ ability to monitor adolescents’ behavior (Osgood and Anderson 2004). Lastly, according to conventional social control and attachment theories (e.g., Hirschi 1969), adolescents who feel alienated from their families may spend more time with delinquent peers outside of a supervised setting.…”