A process model of the implications of spillover from coparenting conflicts into the parent-child attachment relationship in adolescence

Examining the link between parental relationship functioning and parent sensitivity: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Fathers remain neglected in attachment research, despite paternal sensitivity being important for children's development. Past research suggested that fathers' parenting may be influenced by contextual factors, including relationship functioning between parents.

OBJECTIVE

This meta-analysis examined the association between paternal sensitivity and parental relationship functioning, and compared the magnitude of associations to those of maternal sensitivity.

METHOD

A search conducted across five databases up to February 2023 yielded 44 studies and N = 4,616 fathers (mean father age: 31.7 years; mean child age: 19.1 months). All studies included an observational measure of paternal sensitivity and a measure of parental relationship functioning.

RESULTS

Paternal sensitivity was positively associated with the quality of the co-parenting relationship (r = .13, 95% CI [.01, .25]) and parental romantic relationship (r = .09, 95% CI [.03, .15]).. Associations were similar for mothers and fathers.

CONCLUSION

This study contributes to our understanding of factors that enhance paternal sensitivity.

IMPLICATIONS

The results of this research may inform family-wide intervention and prevention efforts to support child well-being.

Beyond form: The value of systems conceptualizations of function in increasing precision and novelty in the study of developmental psychopathology

Developmental psychopathology has successfully advanced an understanding of risk and protective factors in multivariate models. However, many areas have relied on top-down approaches that define psychological constructs based largely or solely on their physical form. In this paper, we first describe how top-down approaches have significantly hindered progress by generating generic risk and protective models that yield little more than the conclusion that axiomatically positive and negative factors respectively beget an interchangeable array of positive and negative child sequelae. To advance precision and novelty as central priorities, we describe behavioral systems frameworks rooted in evolutionary theory that infuse both form (i.e., what it looks like) and function (what it is designed to do) into psychological constructs. We further address how this paradigm has generated new growing points for developmental models of interparental relationships and parenting. In the final section, we provide recommendations for expanding this approach to other areas of developmental psychopathology. Throughout the paper, we document how the focus on functional patterns of behavior in well-defined developmental contexts advance precision and novelty in understanding children's response processes to threats, opportunities, and challenges in associations between their developmental histories and their psychological sequelae.

Parenting and mental health in protracted refugee situations: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Refugees' parenting behaviour is profoundly influenced by their mental health, which is, in turn, influenced by their situation of displacement. Our research presents the first systematic review on parenting and mental health in protracted refugee situations, where 78% of all refugees reside.

METHODS

We pre-registered our protocol and screened documents in 22 languages from 10 electronic databases, reports by 16 international humanitarian organisations and region-specific content from the top 100 websites for each of the 72 countries that 'host' protracted refugees. Our criteria were empirical papers reporting parenting and parental mental health data on refugees who are in a protracted refugee situation. Studies including only internally displaced or stateless persons were excluded.

RESULTS

A total of 18,125 documents were screened and 30 studies were included. We identified a universal pathway linking macro-level stressors in protracted refugee situations, such as movement restrictions and documentation issues, to symptoms of depression and anxiety, which, in turn, led to negative parenting practices. Addtionally, culture-specific pathways were observed in the way parental mental health and parenting were expressed. Situational (e.g., overcrowding) and relational factors (e.g., spousal dynamics) modulated both of these pathways. Biases in the research included the over-representation of specific protracted refugee situations, overreliance on self-reported data, and a heavy focus on mothers while neglecting fathers and other caregivers. Longitudinal research is needed to clarify the directionality and causality between specific macro-level stressors in a given protracted refugee situation and parental mental health and practices. Refugees were rarely consulted or involved in the design of research about their parenting and parental mental health.

CONCLUSION

In recognising the existing links between protracted refugee situations, parental mental health, and parenting, our systematic review calls for a shift in thinking: from focusing solely on the micro aspects that affect 'refugee parenting' to understanding and tackling the broader macro-level stressors that drive them. We urge for larger and long-term research efforts that consider diverse protracted refugee situations, greater investment in science communication and diplomacy with governments, and stronger implementation of durable solutions by states to alleviate the roots of refugee parents' distress and negative parenting practices.

Pathways of Intergenerational Risk: Examining the Association Between Maternal Adverse Childhood Experiences and Child Socio-Emotional and Behavioral Concerns at 8 Years of Age

Support has been found for the intergenerational transmission of risk from maternal adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) to child outcomes. Less research has focused on longitudinal psychosocial pathways that account for this transmission. In the current study, path analysis examined mediating pathways (i.e., maternal adult attachment insecurity, romantic relationship functioning, and maternal anxiety and depression symptoms) in the association between maternal ACEs and internalizing and externalizing concerns among their child at eight years of age. Participants included 1,994 mother-child dyads from a prospective longitudinal cohort sample. Maternal ACEs were significantly associated directly with child internalizing concerns (β = .06, p = .025) and indirectly via both maternal attachment anxiety and avoidance, lower romantic relationship functioning, and depression, (β = .002, p = .006; β = .003, p = .005, respectively). Maternal ACEs were directly associated with child externalizing concerns (β = .06, p = .018) and indirectly via both maternal attachment anxiety and avoidance, lower romantic relationship functioning, and depression, (β = .001, p = .008; β = .002, p = .010, respectively). This study identified several maternal risk factors that have implications for downstream internalizing and externalizing concerns among their children.

An intergenerational study of parental bonding on perceptions of parental and spousal criticism and marital relationship quality in Singapore

Criticism is a form of interpersonal social rejection and destructive conflict behavior which has been associated with poor relationship outcomes in both parent-child and marital relationships. However, the role of the individual's perceptions of parental and spousal criticism in influencing the perceptions of criticism of other members in the family unit has not been examined. This study investigated the associations between parental bonding and perceptions of parental and spousal criticism across generations in Singapore. In all, 134 Singaporean married parent dyads (G2) and one child (G3) of each dyad were recruited. G2 parent participants completed the Perceived Criticism measure for their parents (G1) and spouses, the Parental Bonding Instrument and the Quality of Marriage Index. G3 children participants completed the Perceived Criticism measure for their parents (G2). Path analysis found that G2 perceptions of parental bonding were significant predictors of G2's perceptions of G1 parental criticism, which significantly predicted both G2's perceptions of spousal criticism and G3's perceptions of G2 parental criticism. Perceptions of spousal criticism were also found to predict marital relationship quality in G2 participants. Findings highlight the intergenerational transmission of perceptions of criticism across relationships in the family unit, providing support that parenting practices and communication patterns in one generation can predict those in the next generation in the Singaporean context. Future studies can look to replicate the findings in other cultures and include further investigations into sibling relationships as well.

Network analysis of the relationship between non-suicidal self-injury, depression, and childhood trauma in adolescents

BACKGROUND

Non-suicidal self-injury seriously harm the physical and mental health of adolescents. The aim of the current study was to explore the relationship between non-suicide self-injury, depression, and childhood trauma from the perspective of symptoms in adolescents.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted in four junior high middle schools and collected 2640 valid questionnaires. There were 1329 male students and 1311 female students. The age of the participants ranged from 11 to 17 years old, with a mean age of 13.3 (± 0.94) years. Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), depressive symptoms, and childhood trauma were assessed using the Adolescent Self-Harm Scale, the Childhood Depression Scale, and the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, respectively. A network analysis was performed.

RESULTS

In the network, NSSI, depressive symptoms, and childhood trauma were closely related. Negative self-esteem in the depressive symptoms and emotional abuse in childhood were the most central nodes. Negative self-esteem and negative mood were directly connected to NSSI, other nodes of depressive symptoms appeared to be indirectly connected to NSSI through these two nodes. Emotional abuse was the only node in childhood trauma categories directly connected to NSSI. Nodes of other categories of childhood trauma (physical neglect, physical abuse, emotional neglect, and sexual abuse) were indirectly connected to NSSI through emotional abuse.

CONCLUSIONS

NSSI, depression, and childhood trauma of teenagers were closely related. Individuals who have suffered emotional abuse in childhood were more likely to have depressive symptoms and NSSI. Improving negative self-esteem and negative emotions and reducing emotional abuse may be beneficial in alleviating depression and reducing NSSI in adolescents.

How Coparenting Is Linked to Depression among Chinese Young Girls and Boys: Evidence from a Network Analysis

This study aimed to explore the relationship between parental coparenting and depression among Chinese young adolescents and potential gender differences via network analysis. Thus, 793 fourth-grade students (girls: 281 (35.40%), Mage = 9.99 years, SD = 0.59 years) were recruited from three primary schools in Northern China. The young adolescents rated their depression and perceived paternal and maternal coparenting. Network analysis was used to detect the central nodes and bridge mechanisms among coparenting and depressive components. The results indicated that paternal and maternal consistency as well as maternal conflict were the most central components in the coparenting-depression network. Paternal consistency, maternal conflict and paternal disparagement in coparenting, as well as somatic complaints and positive affect in adolescents' depression, exhibited high bridge strengths, suggesting those constructs served as vital bridges to connect the two subnetworks. Moreover, paternal consistency showed a higher bridge strength in the boys' network than the girls' one, whereas the edge linking adolescents' positive affect to paternal disparagement and integrity was stronger in the girls' network. This study contributes to the understanding of associations between parental coparenting and young adolescents' depression and offered insights into targeted interventions for early adolescent depression by enhancing parental coparenting.

Gendered Parenting: Maternal Son Preference and Depressive Symptoms in Chinese Early Adolescents

This study focused on the nuanced phenomenon of gendered parenting by exploring how maternal son preference is associated with depressive symptoms among Chinese early adolescents. Focusing on 1093 junior high school students from a relatively affluent city in Western China, this study examined the mediating roles of mother-child attachment and father-child attachment as well as the moderating role of school connectedness in the relationship between maternal son preference and depressive symptoms. The results revealed a noteworthy positive correlation between maternal son preference and depressive symptoms among female adolescents, with no significant association observed in males. In addition, mother-child attachment and father-child attachment mediated the relationship between maternal son preference and girls' depressive symptoms, supporting the "spillover effect" and "crossover effect". Moreover, a moderation effect analysis indicated that a higher level of school connectedness can buffer the effect of maternal son preference on girls' depressive symptoms, while a lower level of school connectedness can enhance the effect of maternal son preference on girls' depressive symptoms. In addition, maternal son preference was negatively correlated with boys' depressive symptoms in relation to high school connectedness. These insights help enhance people's understanding of gendered parenting, emphasizing the enduring necessity of addressing son preference within the broader context of promoting gender equality.

The role of parenting practices in parent and child mental health over time

BACKGROUND

Parent and child mental health has suffered during the pandemic and transition phase. Structured and shared parenting may be intervention targets beneficial to families who are struggling with parent or child mental health challenges.

AIMS

First, we investigated associations between structured and shared parenting and parent depression symptoms. Second, we investigated associations between structured and shared parenting and depression, hyperactivity/inattention and irritability symptoms in children.

METHOD

A total of 1027 parents in two-parent households (4797 observations total; 85.1% mothers) completed online surveys about themselves and their children (aged 2-18 years) from April 2020 to July 2022. Structured parenting and shared parenting responsibilities were assessed from April 2020 to November 2021. Symptoms of parent depression, child depression, child hyperactivity and inattention, child irritability, and child emotional and conduct problems were assessed repeatedly (one to 14 times; median of four times) from April 2020 to July 2022.

RESULTS

Parents who reported higher levels of shared parenting responsibilities had lower depression symptoms (β = -0.09 to -0.32, all P < 0.01) longitudinally. Parents who reported higher levels of shared parenting responsibilities had children with fewer emotional problems (ages 2-5 years; β = -0.07, P < 0.05), fewer conduct problems (ages 2-5 years; β = -0.09, P < 0.01) and less irritability (ages 13-18 years; β = -0.27, P < 0.001) longitudinally. Structured parenting was associated with fewer conduct problems (ages 2-5 years; β = -0.05, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Shared parenting is beneficial for parent and child mental health, even under chaotic or inflexible life conditions. Structured parenting is beneficial for younger children.

Physical Violence and Scapegoating Within the Family: An Exploration of Biblical Texts and Contemporary Psychology

To understand physical violence in the family, it is important to define the role of the victim. The term "scapegoat" is a universal anthropological concept, often used in sociological theories, where a certain group of people and/or minorities are often victimized or blamed (e.g., social ills). We may note that the phenomenon of scapegoating is most clearly expressed in the Bible. Therefore, we will use relevant biblical texts that refer to parental use of corporal punishment in which a child is scapegoated and/or victimized by parental violence. In this sense, the Bible is the most profound explanation and manifestation of the cultural, social, and especially religious development of humanity. At the same time, the concept of scapegoating is also demonstrated in psychology and therapy, where it also serves as a basis for understanding, for example, physical violence in the family, and where it is also crucial to define the role of the victim. In this article, therefore, we will explain the biblical background of this concept and highlight two basic dynamics of violence against children in the family: when the child is the "scapegoat" for unresolved tensions in the family and when the child becomes the "sacrifice" or victim of the dysregulated emotional response of his or her parents.

Colombian Adolescents’ Perceptions of Violence and Opportunities for Safe Spaces Across Community Settings

During adolescence, access to safe environments is critical for healthy development. This study analyzed adolescents’ perceptions of safety in personal and public spaces in the semi-rural community of Santa Ana, Colombia on the Island of Barú (95.8% of inhabitants live in poverty). We used thematic analysis to explore adolescents’ experiences and reflections to identify the factors influencing their perception of safety across different community spaces. Four gender-segregated focus group discussions were held with 40 adolescents (20 male and 20 female) from ages 13 to 17 ( M = 14.4, SD = 1.2). Most of them self-identified as Black (86%). The more recurrent spaces in the adolescents’ conversations were the streets, the school, the local sports field, individual homes, and commercial sound system parties known as “Picos.” Adolescents perceived the school as the safest space, while the “Picos” were the most unsafe. The other spaces were considered mixed, meaning that their perceived safety shifts and depends on the presence of certain factors. These factors were risky behaviors, group affiliation, designated authority roles and the relevance of time. The authors discuss the importance of addressing the factors that inform adolescents’ safety perception, particularly within low resource settings cross-culturally.

Fathers and mothers' parenting stress and adolescent depressive symptoms: the mediating roles of overt and covert coparenting conflict behaviors

BACKGROUND

It is yet to be clarified if and how parenting stress was linked to adolescent depressive symptoms during the pandemic.

OBJECTIVES

This study adopted an interdependent approach to examine the relationship between parenting stress and adolescent depressive symptoms in Chinese families. It then examined the mediating effects of overt and covert coparenting conflict behaviors.

METHODS

As a national survey, data were obtained from different regions in China. Fathers, mothers, and adolescents from 1031 families participated in this study. The fathers and mothers reported parenting stress; the adolescents rated their fathers and mothers' overt and covert coparenting conflict behaviors and their own depressive symptoms.

RESULTS

Maternal parenting stress was related to adolescent depressive symptoms through the mediating effects of paternal overt and maternal covert coparenting conflict behaviors. Both paternal and maternal parenting stress were directly related to adolescent depressive symptoms. However, maternal parenting stress had a more substantial effect on adolescent depressive symptoms than paternal parenting stress.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings support the effects of parenting stress on adolescent depressive symptoms. The study also highlights the mediating roles of paternal overt and maternal covert coparenting conflict behaviors in relationships.

One more step in the study of children's daily stress: The spillover effect as the transfer of tension in family and school environments

Introduction

The spillover effect is the psychological overflow due to daily stress in one context and the transfer of its consequences to another close environment. The aim is to explore the spillover effect in conflicts within the family, on the one hand, and school with peers on the other hand, as an inferred measure of daily stress according to the literature.

Method

The study consisted of a sample of 208 6-year-old students and their families. A methodology based on daily report records was used, by means of two ad hoc checklists with simultaneous measurements, for 2 consecutive weeks and 3 academic years, for both family and school contexts. A repeated measures design, together with a nonparametric statistical data analysis with Friedman's test and contrast measures, was used.

Results

Daily stress shows significant differences in the family setting throughout the week (χ ² = 32.44; p = 0.000) and at different times of the day (χ ² = 29.65; p = 0.000). In the school setting, differences were found across the different days of the week (χ ² = 36.96; p = 0.000). Spillover effect has been discovered between conflicts at home in the evening and conflicts at school. At the same time, conflicts at school are related to conflicts at home from Wednesday onward.

Discussion

The results suggest further research on daily stress through the interrelation of the different contexts, as well as the impact that moments of conflict may have on the psychological and emotional development of the child.

Maternal positive coparenting and adolescent peer attachment: Chain intermediary role of parental involvement and parent–child attachment

This study investigated the relationship between maternal positive coparenting and adolescent peer attachment, and the intermediary role of parental involvement and parent–child attachment in 1,807 families using the maternal positive coparenting scale, the parental involvement scale, and the parent and peer attachment scale. The results showed that maternal positive coparenting behaviour, parental involvement, parent–child attachment, and peer attachment had significant positive relationships, and maternal positive coparenting had a positive correlation with adolescent peer attachment. Moreover, parental involvement and parent–child attachment played a significant mediating role between maternal positive coparenting behavior, including unity and consistent behavior, and adolescent peer attachment, respectively, which consisted of a sole intermediary role of parental involvement; a single intermediary role of parent–children attachment; and a chain intermediary role of parental involvement and parent–children attachment. Hence, maternal positive coparenting was positively associated with adolescent peer attachment, in which parental involvement and parent-child attachment served as a crucial bridge.

Triadic family structures and their day-to-day dynamics from an adolescent perspective: A multilevel latent profile analysis

Relationship structure (patterns of relative closeness among multiple family members) and dynamics (changes in relationship structures overtime) are two main aspects of family system functioning, yet empirical tests of these concepts lag behind theory. Recent growth in advanced methods for complex data structures makes it possible to empirically capture structures and dynamics within multiple family relationships overtime. To answer how relationship structure may fluctuate from day to day, this study used multilevel latent profile analysis (MLPA) as an innovative and feasible method to capture mother-father-adolescent (MFA) relationship structures and dynamics on a daily basis. Using daily adolescent reports of mother-father (MF), mother-adolescent (MA), and father-adolescent (FA) closeness from 144 two-parent families for up to 21 days, we identified six day-level MFA structures: Cohesive (33% of days; three close dyads), Mother-Centered (9%; closer MF, average MA, less close FA), Adolescent-Centered (4%; less close MF, closer MA and FA), MA-Coalition (3%; closer MA, less close MF and FA), Disengaged (23%; three less close dyads), and Average (28%; three approximately average dyads). We identified five types of MFA dynamics at the family level: Stable Cohesive (35% of families; exhibited Cohesive structure most days), Stable Disengaged (20%; Disengaged structure most days), Stable MA-Coalition (3%; MA-Coalition structure most days), Stable Average (24%; Average structure most days), and Variable (17%; varied among multiple structures). Methodologically, daily diary designs and MLPA can be useful tools to empirically examine concrete hypotheses of complex, non-linear processes in family systems. Substantive and methodological implications are discussed.

The Capacity to Be Alone Moderates Psychopathological Symptoms and Social Networks Use in Adolescents during the COVID-19 Pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic, adolescents could not leave their house freely, meet up with friends, or attend school; previous literature showed that youths under enforced confinement or quarantine were five times more likely to suffer from psychopathological symptoms and use social networks sites (SNs) greatly. This study aimed to verify whether the quality of the parent-adolescent relationship could predict youths’ psychopathological symptoms and their SN use during the pandemic, and to evaluate the possible moderator role of their the capacity to be alone. Seven hundred and thirty-nine (n = 739) adolescents were recruited from the general population during the COVID-19 lockdown in Italy, and they were administered The Capacity to be Alone Scale, The BSMAS, the YSR, and the Perceived Filial Self-efficacy Scale. Our results confirmed a direct effect of the perceived filial self-efficacy on the psychopathological symptoms so that a poorer perceived quality of the relationship with the caregivers predicted higher psychopathological symptoms in youths. Moreover, greater social networks use was predictive of psychopathological symptoms in adolescents. Our results also showed a significant interaction effect between adolescents’ perceived filial efficacy and the capacity to be alone on SN use and on psychopathological symptoms. These results suggest that youths’ response to the confinement during the pandemic is influenced both by individual characteristics (the capacity to be alone) and by relational variables (the perceived filial self-efficacy).

Coparenting Problems and Parenting Behavior as Mediating Links Between Interparental Conflict and Toddlers' Adjustment Difficulties in Germany

Objective: Interparental conflict has long been acknowledged as a major risk factor for the well-being of children. Empirical studies reveal clear associations between children's maladjustment and frequent destructive conflicts between their parents (van Eldik et al., 2020). Existing research suggests that interparental conflict spills over from the couple to the coparental relationship, undermining parents' skills to cooperate and their parenting competencies. This study addresses the effects of interparental conflict on the behavioral and emotional problems of toddlers. Methods: The analyses were based on longitudinal data from the German Family Panel pairfam. The sample comprised information on N = 828 anchor participants (59.9 % female) and their 3- to 5-year-old children. Results: As expected, the effects of interparental conflict on children's behavioral and emotional problems were mediated by coparenting problems and in part also by negative parenting. Further analyses comparing mothers and fathers revealed a stronger direct path of interparental conflict on coparenting for mothers. Conclusions: The findings provide support for the significance of the interparental relationship and coparenting quality for child development, even in this young age group, and point to the importance of early prevention.

Mother-Child and Father-Child Relationships in Emerging Adults from Divorced and Non-Divorced Families

The main aim of this study was to analyze the associations between parental divorce and interparental conflict with the quality of parent-child relationships. Specifically, we analyzed trust, communication and alienation in both father-child and mother-child relationships in a sample of 1078 Spanish emerging adults from divorced and non-divorced families. The interaction between parental divorce and conflict was also analyzed. In support of our expectations, parental divorce was associated with lower trust and communication, along with higher alienation in father-child and mother-child relationships. When interparental conflict was included, parental conflict was more strongly associated with lower trust and communication in mother-child relationships, and higher alienation in both mother-child and father-child relationships. However, parental divorce was still associated with low trust and communication with fathers, when interparental conflict and the interaction between parental divorce and conflict were added. In summation, our results suggest that both parental divorce and conflict should be taken into account in the study of the consequences of family-related stress variables on adult children’s wellbeing. These findings add to the current literature and contribute to better comprehend the effects of parental divorce and conflict on both mother-child and father-child affective relationships in an understudied cultural context. The implications, limitations and future research recommendations are discussed.

Quality of coparenting and infant-mother attachment: The mediating role of maternal emotional availability

Increasing attention has been paid to the influence of family contextual factors in predicting infant attachment security. However, little is known about the influence of coparenting quality on attachment. The goal of the present study was to examine the associations among parental perceptions of coparenting quality, quality of mothering (as indexed by maternal emotional availability), and infant-mother attachment. Parental reports of positive and negative coparenting quality, maternal emotional availability, and infant-mother attachment were assessed in 152 infants and their parents at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months postpartum. Direct and indirect effects were assessed within a structural equation modeling framework to examine: (a) direct effects of mother-reported coparenting on infant-mother attachment, (b) indirect effects of mother-reported coparenting on infant-mother attachment through maternal emotional availability, and (c) indirect effects of father-reported coparenting on infant-mother attachment through maternal emotional availability. Results indicated that there was an indirect, but not direct, association between mother-reported coparenting quality across the first year of life and infant-mother attachment at 1 year through maternal emotional availability across the first year. Father-reported coparenting across infants' first year was not associated with infant-mother attachment at 1 year. Post hoc analyses revealed that mothers' perceptions of coparenting at 1 month were indirectly linked to attachment at 1 year through maternal emotional availability across the first year. Findings highlight the importance of coparenting quality, especially in the early postpartum, in organizing quality of parenting and infant attachment. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Coparenting Alleviated the Effect of Psychological Distress on Parental Psychological Flexibility

Parenting is full of challenges and responsibilities. It is particularly important for parents to be open to parental difficult experiences and adopt behaviors consistent with self-chosen values, which termed as parental psychological flexibility (PPF). However, few studies have focused on the effect of psychological distress (anxiety and depression) on different components of PPF. This study examined the effect of psychological distress on the three components of PPF (cognitive defusion, committed action, and acceptance) as well as the role of coparenting quality in Chinese parents. A total of 462 parents of children aged 1–18 years completed self-report measures of anxiety, depression, coparenting, and PPF. Our results revealed that higher level of PPF went along with less anxiety and depression, while it was also associated with better coparenting quality. Coparenting partially mediated the effect of anxiety on cognitive defusion and acceptance and fully mediated the effect of depression on cognitive defusion and acceptance. Moderation analyses showed that the link between anxiety and cognitive defusion, as well as the link between anxiety and acceptance were moderated by coparenting. We discussed the implications of coparenting as a protective factor in alleviating the negative effect of psychological distress on PPF.

Bidirectional Spillover in the Family across the Transition to Parenthood

Although family systems theory posits reciprocal causality between subsystems of the family, such as intimate partner violence exacerbating harsh parenting and vice versa, longitudinal studies with cross-lagged models have been used infrequently to test these principles. As guided by the spillover model, this study examined bidirectional associations between couple dysfunction, parent-child aggression risk, and child functioning across the transition to parenthood to determine whether and how disruptions in one subsystem relate to problems in other family subsystems. Participants were 201 first-time mothers and 151 fathers from a diverse community sample, evaluated during pregnancy, and reassessed two more times through their child's first 18 months of life. Individual and dyadic path model results indicate bidirectional spillover effects between parent-child aggression risk and child functioning for both mothers and fathers, and spillover from parent-child aggression risk to couple dysfunction for mothers but not fathers. However, limited spillover effects were identified between couple functioning and child adjustment, in contrast to previous work. Findings suggest that spillover can happen reciprocally and early in the family, supporting transactional models of behavior and highlighting the need for early family level intervention.

The predictive role of marital satisfaction on the parental agreement

Aim

The aim of this study was to investigate the predictive role of marital satisfaction on similarities in parenting styles.

Design

The present cross-sectional study was conducted on 617 Iranian father-mother dyads in 2018.

Methods

During a systematic sampling method, Afrooz Marital Satisfaction Scale and Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire were administered. The data were analysed using a t test, a chi-square test, one-way ANOVA and logistic regression.

Results

Results showed that 71.47% of the couples exhibited agreement in parenting styles and that 82.50% reared their children in an authoritative manner. The logistic regression indicated that increased marital satisfaction among fathers (AOR: 3.19; CI: 2.06, 4.92) and mothers (AOR: 2.74; CI: 1.76, 4.25) could elevate the odds of correspondence in parenting styles. The findings suggest that agreement on parenting styles should be considered when evaluating marital satisfaction in couples. Intervention targeting marital satisfaction to improve parental agreement is recommended.

Integrating a multilevel approach to examine family conflict and parent-adolescent physiological synchrony

The present study investigated physiological synchrony across mothers, fathers, and adolescents during a conflict discussion. In particular, a multilevel, within-dyad approach was used to parameterize synchrony within the parasympathetic nervous system. Moreover, we examined how domains of conflict within the larger family system influenced the level of synchrony between family members. Participants were 191 families with adolescents (M age = 12.4 years), whose respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) were measured during a triadic family conflict discussion. On the minute-to-minute basis, mothers and adolescents as well as mothers and fathers exhibited positive RSA concurrent synchrony, whereas no such concordance was observed between adolescents and fathers. In addition, the presence of conflict between parents with respect to coparenting moderated the level of mother-adolescent synchrony such that no concordant RSA synchrony emerged between mother and adolescents under high levels of coparenting conflict. In contrast, general interparental conflict did not moderate levels of physiological synchrony among any of the dyads. Findings suggest that mothers may be particularly physiologically in tune with family members in the context of conflict discussions and specific domains of family conflict may influence concordant physiological dynamics. Taken together, this is one of the first studies to examine physiological synchrony during the adolescent period and results suggest this may be an important developmental period for these dynamics. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Coparenting Conflict Behavior, Parent-Adolescent Attachment, and Social Competence with Peers: An Investigation of Developmental Differences

Coparenting conflict, which refers to the conflict between parents regarding parenting, has played a central role in children's development and adjustment. The perspective of family and peer systems linkage has suggested that coparenting conflict is linked to peer-related development, but this view has yet to be clarified. This study aimed to investigate the relationships among coparenting conflict behavior, parent-adolescent attachment, and social competence with peers as well as the developmental differences of these relationships in early, middle, and late adolescence within Chinese families. Families (N = 808) that included fathers, mothers, and focal adolescents (53% female, M_age = 13.66 ± 2.53) participated in this study. Fathers and mothers reported their coparenting conflict behaviors separately, and the adolescents rated parent-adolescent attachment and social competence with peers. Results showed that fathers' overt coparenting conflict behavior was related to social competence with peers through the indirect effects of father- and mother-adolescent attachments, whereas mothers' covert coparenting conflict behavior was related to social competence with peers through the indirect effect of mother-adolescent attachment in the total sample. The multigroup analysis revealed that these relationships were significant in early and late adolescence. In addition, fathers' covert coparenting conflict behavior was related to mother-adolescent attachment in late adolescence and all the relationships were insignificant in middle adolescence. The findings support the systematic perspective of family-peer system linkage and highlight the gender differences of parents in the effects of coparenting conflict on social competence with peers and the developmental differences during adolescence.

Attachment behavior and hostility as explanatory factors linking parent-adolescent conflict and adolescent adjustment

This study examined whether adolescents' behavior in a support-seeking context helped to explain associations between increases in mother-adolescent conflict during early adolescence and changes in adolescents' internalizing and externalizing symptoms. A sample of 194 adolescents aged 12 to 14 (51% female) and their mothers were followed over 1 year. Mother-adolescent pairs participated in a speech task introducing an external social stressor into the parent-child relationship. Using a latent difference score model, adolescents' observed attachment behavior and hostility were compared as potential explanatory processes. Analyses suggest specificity in the spillover process from conflict to adolescent behavior in a nonconflictual parent-child interaction context, with hostility uniquely linking increasing mother-adolescent conflict and externalizing problems, and disruptions in adolescent attachment behavior uniquely explaining the link with internalizing problems. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Coparenting Behavior, Parent-Adolescent Attachment, and Peer Attachment: An Examination of Gender Differences

Coparenting relationship has been linked to the development and adaptation of adolescents. However, whether and how fathers and mothers' individual behaviors in coparenting relationships are linked to peer outcomes of boys and girls during adolescence have yet to be clarified. The present study addresses this gap in knowledge by examining the relationships among coparenting behavior, parent-adolescent attachment, and peer attachment of adolescents and the gender differences of these relationships. Families (N= 820) that included fathers, mothers, and focal adolescents (53% female, M_age = 13.70 ± 2.51) participated in this study. The fathers and mothers reported their coparenting behavior to their spouse and the adolescents completed the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment. Structure equation modeling in the total sample revealed that maternal positive and paternal negative coparenting behaviors were related to peer attachment through the indirect effects of father- and mother-adolescent attachments. Multi-group analysis revealed that father- and mother-adolescent attachments had strong predicting effects on the peer attachment of offsprings with the same sex. Maternal positive coparenting behavior was related to the peer attachment of boys and girls through the indirect effects of the father- and mother-adolescent attachments. Paternal negative coparenting behavior had a double-edged effect on girls' peer attachment and was not related to boys' peer attachment. This study extended the perspective of a family-peer system linkage by providing evidence that parents' individual behavior in the coparenting process was linked to adolescents' peer outcome. Moreover, this research suggested that encouraging mothers to enhance their positive relationship with fathers and preventing fathers from overtly pursuing conflicts and covertly disparaging mothers may be effective methods to promote adolescents' peer relationships.

Self-perceived Coparenting of Nonresident Fathers: Scale Development and Validation

This study reports on the development and validation of the Fatherhood Research and Practice Network coparenting perceptions scale for nonresident fathers. Although other measures of coparenting have been developed, this is the first measure developed specifically for low-income, nonresident fathers. Focus groups were conducted to determine various aspects of coparenting. Based on this, a scale was created and administered to 542 nonresident fathers. Participants also responded to items used to examine convergent and predictive validity (i.e., parental responsibility, contact with the mother, father self-efficacy and satisfaction, child behavior problems, and contact and engagement with the child). Factor analyses and reliability tests revealed three distinct and reliable perceived coparenting factors: undermining, alliance, and gatekeeping. Validity tests suggest substantial overlap between the undermining and alliance factors, though undermining was uniquely related to child behavior problems. The alliance and gatekeeping factors showed strong convergent validity and evidence for predictive validity. Taken together, results suggest this relatively short measure (11 items) taps into three coparenting dimensions significantly predictive of aspects of individual and family life.

Changes in Couple Relationship Dynamics among Low-Income Parents in a Relationship Education Program Are Associated with Decreases in Their Children's Mental Health Symptoms

Witnessing intimate partner violence (IPV) among parents negatively impacts millions of children in the United States each year. Low-income families are disproportionately affected by IPV compared to middle- and high-income individuals, and are beginning to be the focus of IPV secondary prevention interventions, including relationship education programs. Despite these developments, few studies have examined changes in psychosocial functioning among children of parents participating in relationship education programs. The current study examined the extent to which changes in specific couple dynamics among individuals from low-income backgrounds participating in a couple relationship education program, Within My Reach, were associated with changes in child mental health symptoms. A second purpose of this paper is to examine whether changes in parent–child relationship quality mediates the association between changes in couple dynamics and changes in child mental health difficulties. Participants (n = 347) were parents who participated in Within My Reach as part of programming offered at a large community agency. Decreases in negative couple conflict behaviors, including conflict engagement, withdrawal and compliance, over the course of the program were linked to decreases in child mental health difficulties. In addition, increases in parent–child relationship quality partially mediated the associations between decreases in compliance, as well as increase in overall couple relationship quality, and decreases in child symptoms. Community-based couple relationship education programs for low-income families can potentially have multiple positive impacts throughout the family system, including for children.