This study investigated the effects of the Socioeconomic status (SES) community on the physical and social environment, maternal psychology, parenting values, parenting practices, and child development. It examined whether the effects of poverty as is noted in mostly North American research would be replicated in a collectivistic Latin society such as the Dominican Republic. The participants were 80 three year-olds, 154 six year-olds, 141 eight year-olds and their primary caregivers, with participants equally divided between the Campos (small agricultural villages) and higher SES San Cristobal. Maternal figures completed the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), Parenting Stress Index- Short Form (PSI-SF), Interpersonal Support Evaluation List (ISEL), Rank Order of Parental Values (ROPV), Child Development Inventory (CDI), and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). During a home visit, the researcher completed the Home Observation and Measurement of the Environment (HOME) Inventory and obtained information to fill out the physical and social environment measures. The Self-Perception for Children and the Peer Nomination and Assessment measures were administered to the children in the school setting. Teachers also completed the SDQ and provided information on children’s academic performance. MANOVAs confirmed our first hypothesis that the Campos and San Cristobal environments are significantly different (p < .001) on all measures of the physical and social environment, with San Cristobal children benefiting overall from a better developmental context. Secondly, Campos mothers reported significantly (p < .001) more interpersonal support and less parental distress relative to their more affluent counterparts. These findings are contrary to those of present North-American research. We propose that belonging to a collectivistic culture may shield mothers from some of the pernicious effects of poverty. An examination of the SES/community effect demonstrated that San Cristobal parents provide a more stimulating (p < .001) and emotionally supportive (p < .001) HOME environment for their children than do Campos parents. MANOVAs conducted on child outcome measures revealed that Campos children were weaker then their San Cristobal counterparts on most developmental scales and all academic subjects (p < .001). Also, San Cristobal parents reported more prosocial behaviours for their children relative to Campos parents (p < .001), and San Cristobal children reported a more positive view of their social interactions and abilities as well as more satisfaction with their lives (p < .001) than the less affluent Campos children. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)