# Neurocognitive, Emotional, and Behavioral Costs for Adolescents Due to Diminished Returns of Parental Employment on Trauma

## TL;DR

The study finds that parental employment offers less protection against trauma for Black adolescents compared to White adolescents, contributing to racial disparities in cognitive and behavioral outcomes.

## Contribution

This study applies the Minority Diminished Returns framework to show racial disparities in the protective effects of parental employment on trauma and child outcomes.

## Key findings

- Parental employment is less protective against trauma for Black children compared to White children.
- Higher trauma and stress levels in Black families with employed parents may contribute to cognitive and behavioral disparities.
- The findings suggest that socioeconomic status benefits are unequally distributed across racial groups.

## Abstract

Parental employment is a significant social determinant of children’s developmental outcomes, shaping their cognitive and behavioral trajectories. However, the effects of parental employment may not be equally protective across racial groups. The Minority Diminished Returns (MDRs) framework suggests that socioeconomic status (SES) factors, such as employment, yield fewer protective benefits for Black families compared to White families.

This study investigates the diminished returns of parental employment on trauma and associated neurocognitive and behavioral outcomes in children, with a focus on racial variation in these effects.

Using data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study, a large and diverse sample of children was analyzed. We applied MDRs theory and social determinants of health frameworks to examine the association between parental employment, trauma, and children’s cognitive and behavioral outcomes. The analysis controlled for family SES, neighborhood factors, and racial group differences.

Preliminary findings suggest that while parental employment is generally protective against trauma, the strength of this association is diminished for Black children. Black families with employed parents experience higher levels of trauma and stress compared to their White counterparts, which may contribute to racial disparities in cognitive and behavioral outcomes.

Parental employment may not equally buffer against trauma-related risks for Black children, reflecting the broader pattern of diminished returns for racially disadvantaged groups. These findings highlight the need for policies addressing the unequal benefits of SES across racial groups.