The impact of poverty and stress on the interaction of Jamaican caregivers with young children

Abstract

This study assesses levels of parent–child interaction, and the impact of poverty and parental stress, using data from a national survey of Jamaican parenting practices. It reveals that 1 in every 4 parents feels trapped/controlled by their responsibilities, with the poor at increased risk of experiencing high levels of stress and their children tending to experience low levels of parent–child interaction and connectedness and subject to harsh corporal punishment. There is, however, an almost universal positive feeling about the parenting role and high reporting of enjoyment derived, suggesting that high stress does not entirely rob parents of their capacity to enjoy parenting and that parents obviously see themselves as doing the best that they can under the circumstances. The study recommends urgent social service support to highly stressed parents and the implementation of national parenting training programmes geared at helping parents to cope and teaching appropriate forms of child discipline.

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