Summary
Utilizing an Actor-Partner Interdependence model and a sample of 199 low-income couples who were expecting or had recently given birth, we investigated the association of men's and women’s couple conflict, coparenting alliance quality, and both instrumental and emotional social support with their reported relationship quality. Results indicated that men’s and women’s coparenting alliance quality was associated with their own reported relationship quality. Additionally, men’s instrumental social support and women’s emotional social support were associated with their own reported relationship quality. Lastly, men’s couple conflict was associated with women’s relationship quality. These findings contribute to the literature on (a) the transition to parenting, (b) dyadic relational processes in low-income families, and (c) the role of external social support in couple relationship functioning. Given the situational stressors low-income couples experience, our results suggest a focus on co-parenting education and identification of beneficial sources of support.

Objectives

• To examine the association between men’s and women’s reports of coparenting alliance quality with their reported relationship quality.
• To examine the association between men’s and women’s reports of couple conflict with their reported relationship quality.
• To examine the association between men’s and women’s reports of instrumental and emotional support with their reported relationship quality.

Subject Codes: relationship quality, coparenting, conflict
Population Codes: low income, prenatal or infants, couples/coupled
Method and Approach Codes: actor-partner interdependence model (APIM), quantitative methodology, dyadic analysis

Summary
As one of only a handful of studies to assess fathers’ secure base script knowledge using the Attachment Script Assessment, this paper examined the roles of parents’ sex, demographic characteristics, and verbal intelligence in mothers’ and fathers’ performance on the Attachment Script Assessment. Results were nuanced but suggested that there are some sex differences on the Attachment Script Assessment, such that fathers may perform more poorly than mothers when assessed continuously. However, fathers were no less likely to exhibit secure base script knowledge than mothers when this knowledge was assessed categorically. Additionally, it seems that mothers’ verbal intelligence and demographic characteristics of fathers play a role in performance on the Attachment Script Assessment. Future studies on secure base script knowledge should include fathers and consider the use of dyadic or systemic methods in order to achieve greater understanding of the roles of secure base script knowledge in family processes.

Objectives

• Examine whether demographic factors and verbal intelligence are associated with secure base script knowledge for fathers and mothers
• Examine similarities and differences in fathers’ and mothers’ secure base script knowledge
• Examine correspondence between mothers’ and fathers’ secure base script knowledge

Subject Codes: fatherhood, relationships, parenting
Population Codes: biological parent
Method and Approach Codes: quantitative methodology, translational, narrative

Summary
The goal of this work was to advance research on paternal parenting. Guided by the Determinants of Parenting Process Model (Belsky, 1984), we applied a person-centered approach to examine the impact of fathers' psychological distress, destructive interparental conflict, and social support on their parenting behaviors: nurturance, harsh discipline, and involvement. The data were drawn from a federally funded Responsible Fatherhood initiative programs consisting of community sample of fathers (N=1,800). Our findings revealed three profiles of fathers who share similar characteristics, which in turn were differentially linked to parenting behaviors. A notable finding regarding profiles was that when fathers struggle in one domain, they are likely to experience difficulties in other domains. This suggests that intervention should be designed to address more than one concern. We also found differences in parenting by fathers' residential status. Interventions need to help residential fathers identify alternatives to harsh discipline.

Objectives

• To examine the exerted influence of fathers' personal characteristics (psychological distress), family context (destructive interparental conflict), and social support on parenting behaviors: nurturance, harsh discipline, and involvement.
• To identify groups of fathers who share similar characteristics through a person-centered approach.
• To demonstrate that individuals who struggle in one domain (e.g., social support) are likely to experience challenges in other domains (e.g., destructive conflict) and offer suggestions on how to encourage responsible fatherhood by father residential status.

Subject Codes: fatherhood, mental health, family processes
Population Codes: communities, general, inclusive of adults, biological parent
Method and Approach Codes: quantitative methodology, parenting education, interventions

Summary
Clinical and empirical literatures have highlighted the value of attending to distinct dyads within stepfamilies to ensure the needs of various relationships are being met. From a family systems perspective, the growth and maintenance of positive dynamics within one dyadic relationship can yield gains in other relationships and shape the larger stepfamily environment. Research seeking to link information about dyads and the larger stepfamily system is often marked by single-informant data or measures that represent individual-level constructs. Using a sample of 291 stepparent-parent dyads, our study uses multi-informant data and common fate modeling to assess three dyad-level constructs (i.e., marital quality, marital confidence, stepparent-child relationship quality) as correlates of three stepfamily-level constructs (i.e., cohesion, expressiveness, harmony). Findings illustrate meaningful linkages among dyadic relationships and broader, stepfamily-level dynamics. Our results foreground the role of stepparent-child relationship quality in shaping various aspects of the stepfamily environment.

Objectives

• To highlight dynamics within particular dyads that influence the larger stepfamily environment.
• To highlight the empirical value of collecting data from multiple informants in stepfamilies to model associations between dyad- and family-level constructs.
• To encourage ongoing scholarly focus on stepfamilies and optimal strategies for supporting their functioning and well-being.

Subject Codes: family processes, family functioning, relationship quality
Population Codes: blended/stepfamilies, remarried family, stepchild
Method and Approach Codes: quantitative methodology, dyadic analysis, structural equation modeling (SEM)

Summary
This study applied a family systems perspective to evaluate whether coparenting and resident and non-resident fathers’ reports of parenting quantity and quality were associated with observations of children’s self-regulation. Participants were drawn from of a longitudinal study of low-income families (n = 257). When children were 2-4 years old (Wave 1), fathers reported on aspects of their parenting. When children were 3-6 years old (Wave 2), observations of children’s self-regulation were obtained in a gift wrap and snack delay task. Multi-group path analyses indicated that resident fathers’ harsh parenting at Wave 1 predicted lower levels of child self-regulation at Wave 2. Resident fathers’ frequency of involvement during the previous year predicted greater levels of children’s self-regulation at Wave 2. Non-resident fathers’ reported hours of involvement when children were 2 years old predicted greater levels of child self-regulation at Wave 2. Coparenting was not associated with child self-regulation.

Objectives

• Examine whether fathers’ parenting quantity (i.e., hours of involvement) and parenting quality (i.e., self-reports of authoritative or harsh parenting behaviors) predict young children’s self-regulation.
• Examine whether coparenting cooperation predicts young children’s self-regulation.
• Compare whether patterns of associations differ for resident versus non-resident fathers.

Subject Codes: fatherhood, parenting, family processes
Population Codes: early childhood, low income
Method and Approach Codes: longitudinal research, path analysis