Risk and protective factors for consistent family routines among caregivers with preschool-age children.

BACKGROUND

Consistent family routines (e.g. bed/wake times, shared meals) are associated with improved child health and behavior, but caregiver risk and protective factors for these routines are poorly understood.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the extent to which caregiver risk (childhood maltreatment history, mental health symptoms) and protective (positive childhood experiences, social support) factors are associated with consistent family routines. We also examine whether caregivers' protective factors mitigate relationships between risk factors and family routine consistency.

PARTICIPANTS AND

SETTING

Caregivers (n = 107 mothers, n = 23 fathers) with children age 3-5 years recruited from community settings.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, caregivers self-reported routines, risk factors, and protective factors using validated measures. We used multivariate linear regression to examine associations between caregiver factors and family routines. We tested moderation using interaction terms.

RESULTS

Caregivers' childhood maltreatment history (β = -0.34(0.06), p = .002, f2 = 0.14) and mental health symptoms (f2 = 0.08-0.18) were associated with less consistent family routines. Positive childhood experiences (β = 0.25(0.63), p = .03, f2 = 0.09) and social support (f2 = 0.14-0.25) were associated with more consistent routines. Childhood maltreatment history remained associated with less consistent routines in models adjusted for mental health symptoms. Social support, but not positive childhood experiences, moderated relationships between caregivers' childhood maltreatment history and less consistent routines (p = .03-0.04), such that this relationship was only present among caregivers reporting low emotional and instrumental support.

CONCLUSIONS

Caregivers with a history of childhood maltreatment or current mental health symptoms may benefit from interventions to help promote consistent family routines. Future longitudinal research may elucidate the role of family routines in the intergenerational transmission of childhood maltreatment and other stressors.