Parenting and Neighborhood Predictors of Youth Problem Behaviors Within Hispanic Families: The Moderating Role of Family Structure

This study examined the influence of family and neighborhood contexts on Hispanic youth problem behavior. The effects of parents' perceptions of neighborhood context and parenting practices on problem behavior were examined in 167 one-parent (n = 75) and two-parent (n = 92) families. Results from multigroup path analyses showed significant main effects of perceived neighborhood context on parenting practices and on youth problem behavior and significant main effects of parenting practices on problem behavior in one- and two-parent families. Neighborhood context was indirectly related to problem behavior through positive parenting in one-parent families. The results demonstrate that parenting is embedded within greater ecological contexts and show that their relations with youth can vary across family structure. Implications for further longitudinal investigation and prevention research are discussed.