Efficacy of Parent-Focused and Child-Focused Interventions on Interparental Conflict

• In Event: Poster Session 05
  In Poster Session: PS 05 Topic - Prevention and Interventions

Abstract

Infancy is a period when interparental conflict, or conflict between parents, markedly increases as parents adjust their routines to accommodate the needs of their new child, often resulting in increased relationship stress (Grant et al., 2012). Children, including infants, are attuned and susceptible to the consequences and benefits of interparental conflict and existing literature demonstrates strong ties between early interparental conflict and later developmental outcomes (Davies & Cummings, 1994; Du Rocher Schudlich et al., 2011). Constructive interparental communication strategies – using behaviors such as problem solving, emotional support, or affection during discussions (Goeke-Morey et al., 2003) – have been linked to positive developmental outcomes in children such as emotional security (Davies & Cummings, 1994). Conversely, destructive interparental communication styles – using behaviors such as hostility, withdrawal, or aggression during discussions (Goeke-Morey et al., 2003) – have been associated with negative developmental outcomes in infants and children such as reduced cognitive ability (Pendry & Adam, 2013) and increased risk for internalizing and externalizing behavior problems (Cummings et al., 2012; Davies et al., 2016). Given the documented consequences of constructive and destructive interparental communication, it is crucial to help parents with infants protect the communication quality in their relationship in an effort to prevent negative cascading developmental effects and help support optimal development in their infants, including cognitive and socio-emotional functioning.

In a 2 X 2 randomized control trial, we evaluated the efficacy of two intervention programs designed to promote parental sensitivity to their child through videoplay and/or coach parents on their communication techniques with one another. We expected that couples receiving the parent focused but not the child-focused intervention would show improvements in communication behaviors. 270 mother-father-infant families participated in a 6-month visit (V1) where interparental conflict was assessed observationally via a structured problem-solving task (ref), followed by either a child-focused, parent-focused, child-and-parent-focused, or attention control conditions. When the child was 12-months (V2), interparental conflict was reassessed. Data collection is ongoing and currently 59 6-month and 12-month visits are coded, entered, and showing good interrater reliability (ICCs ≥ .80). Preliminary results show promising intervention effects, particularly for reducing destructiveness (Table 1). Destructiveness for fathers individually and as a couple were significantly lower for those participating in the parent-focused intervention compared to the child-focused or control conditions. In addition, moderation analyses testing the extent to which the intervention effects at V2 depended on initial levels of conflict in V1 revealed that fathers and the overall couple dynamic demonstrated a reduction in destructiveness after receiving the parent-focused intervention, when compared to the child-focused intervention or the control condition (Figure 1). Constructiveness was not significantly influenced by intervention condition. Coding for at least 200 6-month and 12-month visits will be completed by early March.

Results highlight the importance of learning more effective communication skills to reduce negative and unproductive conflict tactics. Results further highlight the importance of considering initial levels of conflict in determining the efficacy of interventions.

Authors

• Amanda L Nowak, University of Notre Dame
  Non-Presenting Author

• Abigail L. Mills, University of Notre Dame
  Presenting Author

• Kathleen Nanette Bergman, University of Notre Dame
  Non-Presenting Author

• Samantha Murray, Colorado State University
  Non-Presenting Author

• E. Mark Cummings, University of Notre Dame
  Non-Presenting Author

• Julie M Braungart-Rieker, Colorado State University
  Non-Presenting Author