Testing for Plausibly Causal Links Between Parental Bereavement and Child Socio-Emotional and Academic Outcomes: A Propensity-Score Matching Model

Leslie D. Williams, J. Lawrence Aber

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The extant literature on parentally bereaved children has focused almost exclusively on the presence of negative mental health and socio-emotional outcomes among these children. However, findings from this literature have been equivocal. While some authors have found support for the presence of higher levels of internalizing and externalizing problems or mental health problems among this population, others have not found such a relationship. Additionally, study designs in this body of literature have limited both the internal and external validity of the research on parentally bereaved children. The present study seeks to address these issues of internal and external validity by utilizing propensity-score matching analyses to make plausibly causal inferences about the relationship between bereavement and internalizing and externalizing problems among children from a nearly nationally representative sample. This study also extends examination of the influence of parental bereavement to other domains of child development: namely, to academic outcomes. Findings suggest a lack of support for causal relationships between parental bereavement and either socio-emotional or academic outcomes among U.S. children. The plausibility of assumptions necessary to draw causal inferences is discussed.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)705-718
Number of pages14
JournalJournal of Abnormal Child Psychology
Volume44
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - May 1 2016

Keywords

  • Academic outcomes
  • ECLS-K
  • Internalizing and externalizing problems
  • Parental bereavement
  • Parentally bereaved children
  • Propensity-score matching
  • Quasi-experimental
  • Socio-emotional outcomes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Developmental and Educational Psychology
  • Psychiatry and Mental health

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