ABSTRACT
Hardship within families multiplies the impact of economic stress in that individual responsibilities become social obligations for maintaining not only one's own welfare but also the economic health of the family unit. Adults in the family must direct their attention to their own, one another's and their children's material well-being. In many cases, children also assume a significant portion of the burden for maintaining the family's financial solvency. This chapter begins with an overview of the findings in relation to the model of family stress and in relation to earlier research on families and economic hardship. It considers the methodological significance of the results. Finally, the chapter examines the role that these families' experiences might play in the development of social services and policies designed to reduce the adverse impact of economic stress on children and adults.
