Trajectories of change in caregiver social supports: Associations with child maltreatment among families with child welfare involvement

BACKGROUND: Evidence suggests that families with child welfare contact experience substantially limited access to social supports, a key protective factor against child maltreatment. OBJECTIVE: This study examined dynamic trajectories of caregivers' functional social supports (i.e., confidant, instrumental, and affective support) over time in relation to risk for maltreatment. METHODS: Participants were 707 caregivers of infants and toddlers with child welfare contact. Repeated-measures latent class analysis was used to profile trajectories of caregiver social supports across a five-year period. RESULTS: Five distinct trajectories of caregivers' social supports were identified with differential risks for maltreatment: "High-Stable Support" (23%), "Low-Stable Support" (30%), "High-Low Support" (17%), "Volatile Support" (12%), and "Resilient Support" (19%). Caregivers with "Low-Stable Support" and "Volatile Support" had significantly higher risks of emotional (M = 3.27, SE = 0.26, p < .01 and M = 3.34, SE = 0.53, p < .05, respectively) and physical abuse (M = 0.07, SE = 0.02, p = .001 and M = 0.05, SE = 0.02, p < .01, respectively), compared to caregivers with "High-Stable Support." Additionally, caregivers with "Low-Stable Support" were significantly more likely to engage in neglect (M = 0.50, SE = 0.10, p < .01), compared to caregivers with "High-Stable Support." CONCLUSIONS: Efforts to reduce maltreatment necessitate not only the facilitation of caregivers' access to social supports that can offer guidance, tangible assistance, and emotional care, but also assurance of the sustained availability and dependability of such supports.