Socioeconomic status, family-related variables, and caregiver–adolescent attachment

Abstract

Associations between financial disadvantage, family structure, and indicators of the caregiver–adolescent relationship and family functioning were examined in a sample of 206 families recruited from low socioeconomic status (SES) communities in Durban, South Africa. Participants included a maternal caregiver and an adolescent (65.5% female) from each family; adolescents were in Grade 7 ( n = 175) or Grade 10 ( n = 31). Data were collected via home interviews. The sample was diverse in terms of race. One-fifth of the sample reported a household income of R1500 or less; two-thirds of the sample earned R5000 per month or less. Median level of caregiver education was Grades 9–11. Just under half (45.1%) of the adolescents lived with both parents. Indicators of SES were household income and maternal education. Since financial resources and family structure are associated, a series of regression analyses with household income, parental education, and family structure as the predictors were used to examine associations with adolescent- and parent-reported family functioning and with youth reports of caregiver support and attachment. In the models predicting adolescent attachment, income was the only unique predictor, with higher household incomes associated with less anxious attachment relationships. For the model predicting perceived support from mother, maternal education was the only unique predictor. Higher maternal education was associated with more perceived support. The models predicting support from father, or parent- or adolescent-rated family functioning were not significant. These data contribute to our understanding of linkages between structural indicators and family relationships.