About this paper symposium

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Panel information
Panel 21. Social Policy

Paper #1
Paid Family Leave and Child Maltreatment Prevention: A Scoping Review of Socioecological Factors
Author information	Role
Dr. Jennifer Tanis, PhD, LMSW, Hope College, USA	Presenting author
Rebekah Yurschak, BASW, Hope College, USA	Non-presenting author
Abstract
Introduction Socioeconomic disadvantage and financial instability significantly increase family stress levels, leading to heightened interpersonal conflict and, in some cases, harsh or neglectful parenting practices (Conger & Conger, 2002). These conditions contribute to an elevated risk of child maltreatment, highlighting the importance of addressing key risk factors such as economic instability and parental stress. Research suggests that economic policies, including paid family leave (PFL), can mitigate these risks by offering economic support to families (Fortson et al., 2016; Maguire-Jack et al., 2022; Tanis et al., 2024). The socioecological model offers a comprehensive framework for examining child maltreatment prevention by considering the interconnected influences of individual, family, community, and societal risk factors. This scoping review uses the socioecological model to explore how state-level PFL policies impact child maltreatment risk factors at various levels of influence and identify their potential as a protective intervention. Methods This scoping review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA framework extension for scoping reviews (Tricco et al., 2018). Through a two-stage data collection process, a thorough literature search was conducted between October 2022 and January 2023, resulting in 5,600 unique studies. These studies were then screened for eligibility, and ultimately, 38 studies met the criteria for data extraction. Data extraction captured key details from each included study, and thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006) identified key themes that were then refined through an iterative coding process. Results Four primary themes were identified: child outcomes, parent outcomes, family outcomes, and labor market outcomes, which readily mapped onto the socioecological model of child maltreatment prevention. The majority of studies focus on the impact of PFL on parents, with only 29% addressing child-specific outcomes. The findings suggest that PLF positively influences child health, with evidence supporting increased vaccination rates, reduced hospitalizations, and enhanced cognitive development. PFL is also associated with lower rates of prenatal and perinatal mortality, low birth weight, and premature births—factors associated with heightened child maltreatment risk. Moreover, PFL supports healthier parent behaviors such as strategic birth spacing, breastfeeding, and stress reduction, which contribute to improved parental mental health and overall family functioning. Regarding family and labor market outcomes, PFL appears to reduce poverty and food insecurity while promoting labor force participation, though findings reveal complexities. PLF is linked to higher maternal unemployment rates and reduced household savings in some cases. Notably, the review underscored the need for equity considerations. While PFL benefits are often more pronounced among vulnerable populations—such as low-income families—some studies indicated that PFL tends to disproportionately benefit more privileged groups, particularly White, middle-income, and highly educated parents. Conclusion This scoping review highlights the potential of PFL to improve family well-being across multiple domains. By situating these findings within the socioecological model, the review enhances our understanding of how PFL can be leveraged to strengthen family functioning and serve as a primary prevention strategy for early childhood maltreatment.

Paper #2
State Paid Family Leave Policies and Infant Maltreatment
Author information	Role
Dr. Sacha M. Klein, PhD, MSW, Michigan State University, United States	Presenting author
Dr. Jennifer Tanis, PhD, LMSW, Hope College, United States	Non-presenting author
Hannah Boyke, MSW, Michigan State University, United States	Non-presenting author
Abstract
Introduction Growing research points to economic policies as protective mechanisms for vulnerable families. Research on pediatric abusive head trauma suggests that paid family leave (PFL) may protect infants in the general population from physical abuse. This study expands on this research to examine the association of state-level PFL policies with infant (ages 0–1) maltreatment rates. Methods A state-level panel dataset was constructed from the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (2002–2019) data on infant maltreatment investigations among four states with PFL (California, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island) and 36 states without PFL. A piecewise longitudinal model and a nested model comparison were conducted to estimate the treatment effect of PFL on the population rate of infant maltreatment investigations. Supplementary analyses examined the moderating effect of three covariates. Results PFL reduced the linear rate of change in infant maltreatment rates in the states where it was enacted by a factor of 0.979 for each year post-policy implementation compared to states without such policies, B = -0.021, SE = 0.008, 95 % CI = [−0.036, -0.005]. Examining treatment states only, the slope of infant maltreatment became significantly shallower post-policy implementation, χ2(1) = 3.178, p = .075. Interactions testing the moderating effects of family poverty and adults with less than high school education were significant, B = -0.304, 95 % CI = [−0.564,-0.052]; B = -0.511, 95 % CI = [−0.799,-0.249], respectively, suggesting that the protective effects of PFL were more pronounced in states with higher poverty rates and fewer high school graduates. Conclusion Results suggest that PFL may have a beneficial effect on infant maltreatment rates and adds to growing evidence that policies aimed to support household economic stability could be a vital child maltreatment prevention policy tool.

Paper #3
Association between Paid Family Leave and Intimate Partner Violence During the Perinatal Period
Author information	Role
Dr. Bart Klika, PhD, Prevent Child Abuse America, United States	Presenting author
Eric Thibodeau, Prevent Child Abuse America, United States	Non-presenting author
Abstract
Introduction Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a public health problem with serious social, emotional, and physical consequences (Leemis et al., 2022). Research demonstrates that women’s IPV victimization during pregnancy up to a year following birth (i.e., perinatal period) can lead to deleterious consequences for the mother and the developing child (Cha & Masho, 2014; Currie et al., 2022; Hahn et al., 2018). Identifying strategies to prevent IPV from occurring during the perinatal period could improve outcomes for mothers and their children. A growing body of research has examined the effects of concrete and economic support policies, like paid family leave (PFL), on reducing family violence. One study found that, compared to states without PFL, California’s state PFL program was associated with reductions in hospital admissions for abusive head trauma (Klevens et al., 2016). A similar trend in reduced child abuse and neglect was reported by Tanis and colleagues (2024) comparing states with and without state-sponsored PFL policies. However, only one study from Australia has documented a reduction in IPV following receipt of PFL (Gartland et al., 2011). The current study explores the association between receipt of PFL and IPV for U.S. women employed during the perinatal period. Methods Data for this study are drawn from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment and Monitoring System (PRAMS). The sample was restricted to women who reported employment during the perinatal period and were thus eligible for PFL. IPV victimization was measured through mother self-report. If a woman reported any paid leave during the perinatal period, she was considered to have received PFL. Analyses controlled for SES, marital status, maternal age, race, and ethnicity. Two approaches were used to estimate average treatment effects: Structural equation modeling (SEM) and propensity score analysis with inverse probability weights. Results The model using SEM found that PFL was a significant predictor of IPV victimization (probit coefficient = -0.189, p-value = 0.001), representing a 28.9% reduction in the odds of reporting IPV victimization. The propensity score analysis found similar results where the mean rate of IPV for the group receiving PFL was 2.8% while the mean rate for the group not receiving PFL was 4%. This represents an approximately 30% difference. Conclusion Using multiple analysis approaches, this study documents an association between PFL and self-reported IPV victimization for women employed during the perinatal period. These results build on a growing body of research documenting the effects of concrete and economic support policies in reducing multiple forms of violence. Implications for policy and research will be discussed during the presentation.

Paper #4
Paid Family Leave Program Design and Postnatal Health for Parents and Children
Author information	Role
Cynthia A. Osborne, Ph.D., Vanderbilt University, United States	Presenting author
Sean Craig, JD, MA, Vanderbilt University, United States	Non-presenting author
Abstract
Introduction Paid family and medical leave (PFML) programs enable parents to take time away from work to recover from childbirth and bond with new children during the most critical period of their development. In the absence of a national program, a growing number of states have enacted PFML policies of their own. Although access to leave is linked with improvements in maternal and child wellbeing, most of the extant literature is based on a few state programs (principally California’s) where bonding leave available to all parents was added to longstanding medical leave programs. Thus, by necessity, the evidence conflates the impact of PFML on parents and children with the impact of the specific design decisions made in the early states. As additional states have adopted PFML, variation in program design, especially in the generosity of the benefit, has increased dramatically. The consequences of this variation are not yet understood. In this study, we examine the connection between the specific parameters of a PFML program and a variety of outcomes related to maternal and child wellbeing. We theorize that, by making it easier for parents to take more leave, more generous programs will be associated with better outcomes, such as increased duration of breastfeeding and reduced incidence of postpartum depression. Methods We leverage data from Phase 8 of the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), encompassing births between 2016 and 2021 inclusive. The study period includes the start of PFML in Washington state, the District of Columbia, and Massachusetts, as well as expansions in New York and New Jersey. We supplement difference-in-difference models centered on specific policy changes with pooled multivariate regressions examining across-program associations between design parameters and outcomes. Results Preliminary results suggest that Washington’s 2020 adoption of PFML produced as much as a 4 percentage point increase in the rate of breastfeeding at the time of interview (typically 4 to 5 months). Among states with active PFML programs during the study period, mothers who lived in states where benefits for low-wage earners were more generous, in turn, were more likely to initiate breastfeeding and tended to breastfeed for longer durations. Conclusions Future analyses will examine the effects of PFML program parameters on incidents of maternal depression and postpartum medical care. Implications for how this research can help states optimize PFML program will be explored during the presentation.

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