Intimate Partner Violence, Maternal Gatekeeping, and Child Conduct Problems
Bharathi J Zvara1, W Roger Mills-Koonce2, Martha Cox1
1University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Family Relations
|September 26, 2017
Summary
Intimate partner violence is linked to child conduct problems, with harsh parenting by fathers acting as a key pathway. Maternal gatekeeping can worsen these negative child outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Family Studies
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant stressor within families.
- Child conduct problems are a major concern in developmental psychology.
- Parenting behaviors play a crucial role in child development and adjustment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the mediating role of parenting behavior in the IPV-child conduct problem relationship.
- To examine the moderating effect of maternal gatekeeping on these associations.
- To understand the complex interplay of child, family, and contextual factors in rural poverty settings.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study design with a sample of 395 participants from rural poverty areas.
- Analysis of parenting behaviors, intimate partner violence, and child conduct problems.
- Statistical modeling to assess mediation and moderation effects.
Main Results:
- Father's harsh-intrusive parenting behavior was identified as a significant mediator linking IPV to child conduct problems.
- Maternal encouragement of fathers with high harsh-intrusive parenting was associated with problematic child outcomes.
- Findings highlight the detrimental impact of specific parenting dynamics within the context of IPV.
Conclusions:
- Harsh-intrusive parenting by fathers is a critical pathway through which IPV negatively affects child conduct.
- Maternal gatekeeping, when promoting negative fathering interactions, exacerbates risks for children exposed to IPV.
- Interventions should consider addressing fathering practices and maternal gatekeeping strategies in families experiencing IPV.
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