Stress and child development: a review of the Family Stress Model

Abstract

In the present report, we provide an illustrative review of the Family Stress Model (FSM) framework [1] to understand how family stress influences children across development in physical, social-emotional, and cognitive domains. We note that the FSM as a theory has evolved through inspection of: (a) new explanatory pathways (mediators); (b) factors that moderate FSM pathways; and (c) joint tests of competing models. Also important, most researchers cited in this review used longitudinal designs to test the proposed causal ordering of FSM pathways, which replicated among a diverse set of families varied in structure, ethnic background, and geographic location. We encourage continued FSM scholarship with prevention and intervention efforts in mind.

Supporting Children's Early Development by Building Caregivers' Capacities and Skills: A Theoretical Approach Informed by New Neuroscience Research

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The early biopsychosocial development of boys and the origins of violence in males

“…Studies have found a number of reasons that might explain the pathways or the connections between fragile families and lower child well‐being (Masarik & Conger, ; Osborne & McLanahan, ; Ribar, ; Waldfogel et al., ). Probabilistically, these factors also reduce the likelihood that the development of the psychological self will progress along healthy lines.…”

Longitudinal Relations of Economic Hardship and Effortful Control to Active Coping in Latino Youth

“…The Family Stress Model (FSM; Conger, Conger, & Martin, 2010) has consistently demonstrated that economic hardship results in greater economic pressure, which impairs the mental health and parenting behaviors of adult family members. Economic stress can result in conflict between caregivers that spills over to the parent-child relationship and thereby results in more negative outcomes for children (e.g., Conger et al, 2010;Conger et al, 2012;Masarik & Conger, 2016) and adolescents (e.g., Conger et al, 1991;Landers-Potts et al, 2015).…”