Collateral benefits of the family check-up in early childhood: Primary caregivers' social support and relationship satisfaction

Amber D. McEachern, Gregory M. Fosco, Thomas J. Dishion, Daniel S. Shaw, Melvin N. Wilson, Frances Gardner

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

25 Scopus citations

Abstract

This research investigated potential collateral benefits of the Family Check-Up (FCU) intervention, namely, primary caregivers' perceived social support and couple relationship satisfaction. A subsample of 435 low-income families with a 2-year-old child was recruited to participate in a randomized controlled trial assessing preventative effects of the FCU. Longitudinal growth models were used to evaluate intention-to-treat effects of the FCU on increases in primary caregivers' ratings of social support satisfaction with perceived social support and significant-other relationships, and indirect effects on primary caregivers through improvements in children's behavior problems. Support was found for a model in which reductions in child problem behavior from ages 2 to 4 predicted positive change in caregiver-rated social support and relationship satisfaction over a 3-year period. This indirect effects model is discussed with respect to implications for early childhood prevention research focused on improving family functioning.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)271-281
Number of pages11
JournalJournal of Family Psychology
Volume27
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 2013

Keywords

  • Child problem behavior
  • Family check-up
  • Family system
  • Perceived social support satisfaction
  • Relationship with significant others

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Psychology

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