Relations between early parenting and child externalizing behavior in families from different sociodemographic backgrounds

78 RELATIONS BETWEEN EARLY PARENI’ING AND CHlLD EXTERNALIZING BEHAVlOR IN FAMKIES FROM IXFFERENT SOCIODEMOGRAPHlC BACKGROUNDS Emily B. Winslow, Daniel S, Sbaw, Joyce L. Giovanuelli, & Eric Delliquadri 604 Old Engine&rig Hall; 401.5 O’Hara Street University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA 15260 Parenting quality has been associated with aspects of children’s functioning across a variety of domains. However, few studies have examined whether relations between parenting and child adjtitment vary according to the sociodemographic citcumstances under which families live. l.n the present study, we investigated relations between parenting characteristics and child externalizing kiivlor as a function of neighborhood context. Three hundred and ten mother-son dyads from lowmc@mefamilies were examined longitudinally when the boys were 18, 24, 42, and 60 months old. Preiiminary analyses on 144 familiesindicated that, for families living in dangerous neighborhoods, mothers who used &f power-assertive techniques at 24 months reported elevated levels of child ti&malizing problems at 42 mouths. Similarly, low Ieveis of involvement and appropriate approval wer+~.associated with increased externalizing behavior only in dangerous neighborhoods. These results are Fonsiste;lr with the hypothesis that relations between parenting and child btivior change as a function of so&demographic context.