Does asset poverty moderate how food insecurity is associated with adolescent problematic behavior? An application of the family stress model using multi-group path analyses

The Family Stress Model framework suggests that food insecurity could be associated with adolescent problematic behaviors through caregiver psychological distress. While assets such as savings could buffer the impacts of income on food insecurity, it remains unclear whether such moderating effects can be applied to other associations in the Family Stress Model framework. Using the 2017 and 2019 Panel Study of Income Dynamics and 2019 and 2020 Child Development Supplement data including 643 children (Mage = 13.7, SD = 2.6), multi-group path analyses found that the family stress process manifests differently in asset poor families and non-asset poor families. More specifically, the direct and indirect associations embedded by income, food insecurity, caregiver psychological distress, and child problematic behaviors are statistically stronger in the asset poor families than the non-asset poor families. These findings suggest the necessity to offer more comprehensive interventions to address economic needs (i.e., low income, food insecurity) and non-economic needs (i.e., caregiver mental health, child development) for the economically vulnerable.