Poster #17 - Constructive and destructive interparental conflict, parenting, and coparenting alliance

• In Event: 3-001 - Poster Session 2 during Breakfast

Abstract

Destructive (hostility, aggression) and constructive (respect, support) interparental conflict has predicted differences in parenting (Cummings & Davies, 2002). Whereas destructive conflict relates to unsupportive parenting (Sturge-Apple et al., 2006), sparse evidence suggests that constructive conflict is associated with parental sensitivity (McCoy et al., 2013). Our understanding of links between constructive conflict and parenting as well as coparenting behaviors is limited. The majority of research has relied on middle-class married parents and less is known of family processes in other family configurations (e.g., cohabiting couples). A major contribution of this study is the simultaneous examination of mothers’ and fathers’ constructive and destructive conflict in relation to supportive and harsh parenting behaviors and coparenting across three different family structures (N=2,648): married (N=620), cohabiting (N=984), and romantically uninvolved couples (N=1,044).
Data are from the Building Strong Families project that included low-income unmarried couples at recruitment. Analyses were based on data collected when children were 36-months-old. Approximately 31%/26% mothers/fathers were Caucasian, 63%/68% mothers/fathers identified as African American, and 24%/24% mothers/fathers were Hispanic.
Conflict was measured through parental reports (1=often happen to 4=never happen): 9-item destructive (“When we argue, I feel personally attacked my partner”; αs=.88) and 8-item constructive (“I feel appreciated by my partner”; αs=.87; Hershey et al., 2008). Parenting was observed during semi-structured Two-Bag parent-child interactions (NICHD, ECCRN, 1999). The internal consistency for supportive and harsh parenting was αs=.84/.68 and αs=.86/.70 for mothers/fathers. Coparenting was measured with parent reports on the 10-item Parenting Alliance Inventory (1=strongly agree to 5=strongly disagree; “My child’s other parent and I are a good team”; α=.95/.94 for mothers/fathers; Abidin & Brunner, 1995).
Multi-group path analysis (see Figure 1) was tested using Mplus 7.3. Missing data were handled with FIML. The paths between conflict behaviors and outcome variables did not predict differences in parameters across family structures (see Table 1). The final model (baseline model with additional control variables) provided an excellent fit to the data, χ2(42) = 88.95, p < .01; RMSEA = .03 (90% CI = [.02, .03]); CFI = .99; SRMR = .01.
Consistent with the spillover hypothesis (behaviors expressed in one family dyad transfers over to another; Cox & Paley, 2003), destructive conflict was negatively related to coparenting alliance, and constructive conflict was positively associated with coparenting alliance for fathers and mothers. Fathers’ destructive conflict related positively to harsh parenting. Findings suggest focusing on promoting adaptive conflict management behaviors across diverse family structures.

Authors

• Olena Kopystynska, The University of Arizona
  Presenting Author

• Melissa Barnett, University of Arizona

• Melissa Curran, The University of Arizona

• Xiaomin Li, The University of Arizona