Stress and child development: a review of the Family Stress Model

• We reviewed empirical studies informed by the Family Stress Model framework.
• We found general empirical support for the Family Stress Model among diverse families.
• Economic stress influences child development across many domains via a suite of mechanisms.
• The Family Stress Model framework has been expanded upon and elaborated in unique ways.
• Continued Family Stress Model scholarship is needed for practical purposes.

In the present report, we provide an illustrative review of the Family Stress Model (FSM) framework [1] to understand how family stress influences children across development in physical, social–emotional, and cognitive domains. We note that the FSM as a theory has evolved through inspection of: (a) new explanatory pathways (mediators); (b) factors that moderate FSM pathways; and (c) joint tests of competing models. Also important, most researchers cited in this review used longitudinal designs to test the proposed causal ordering of FSM pathways, which replicated among a diverse set of families varied in structure, ethnic background, and geographic location. We encourage continued FSM scholarship with prevention and intervention efforts in mind.