Financial Strain and Parental Education's Impact on Black Children
Author Information
Author(s): Shervin Assari, Hossein Zare
Primary Institution: Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science
Hypothesis
High financial strain contributes to the diminished returns of parental education for Black children.
Conclusion
High financial strain experienced by middle-class Black families partially explains why the association between parental education and child development is weaker in Black than White families.
Supporting Evidence
- Higher parental education was associated with greater cortical volume in the pooled sample.
- This effect was significantly weaker for Black children.
- Financial strain partially mediated the observed diminished returns of parental education.
Takeaway
This study found that Black children don't benefit as much from their parents' education as White children do, partly because of financial stress in their families.
Methodology
Data were drawn from the ABCD Study, focusing on 7,936 children aged 9-10, using Structural Equation Models to analyze the effects of parental education on cortical volume with financial strain as a mediator.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to reliance on self-reported data and the cross-sectional design.
Limitations
The study is cross-sectional, limiting causal inferences, and relies on self-reported measures of financial strain.
Participant Demographics
Children aged 9-10, with 1,775 identified as Black and 6,161 as White.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Confidence Interval
95% CI = 0.065 to 0.105
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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