Young Children's Perceptions of their Social Worlds in Single- and Two-Parent,Euro- and Mexican-American Families

Abstract

This investigation examined social support available to Euro- and Mexican-American children (N = 88), as reported by children residing in single- and two-parent homes. Mothers provided descriptions of their own social networks and of their child's adjustment. Child reports of network size and composition varied by ethnicity and maternal marital status, with children from intact, Euro-American homes reporting the fewest network members and those from intact, Mexican-American families reporting the most. No significant group differences emerged in child reports of the amount of, or satisfaction with, support received. The children's reports of total frequency of receiving support were associated with lower rates of externalizing behaviors. Similarly, children whose mothers reported more supportive networks were rated as lower in externalizing behavior, regardless of marital status or ethnicity. In regression analyses, both the mothers' reports of support and the children's reports of support contributed significantly to the prediction of externalizing behaviors.