Parent but Not Peer Attachment Mediates the Relations Between Childhood Poverty and Rural Adolescents’ Internalizing Problem Behaviors

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the prospective, longitudinal relations among childhood poverty and rural adolescents' internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors, and the mediational roles of adolescent attachment to parents and peers. Methods: Participants were from a longitudinal study of rural poverty. Two home visits were conducted, roughly four years apart (Time 1: N = 226; Mage = 13.36, 52.7% male; Time 2: N = 215; Mage = 17.47 years, 51.2% male). Each family's income-to-needs ratio was assessed at each visit. At Time 2, participants completed questionnaires reporting their attachments to parents and peers, and their externalizing and internalizing symptoms. Results: Parent attachment was found to mediate the relationship between Time 1 family income-to-needs ratio and Time 2 internalizing problems. The mediational effects of peer attachment predicting Time 2 internalizing or externalizing symptoms were not significant. Conclusions: The long-term impact of childhood poverty on adolescents' parent attachment and their well-being is discussed.