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.