Dynamic interdependence in parenting behavior: The role of family and child risks

The present study investigated the interdependence in the moment-to-moment fluctuations in parenting behavior during a triadic family interaction. Furthermore, by considering parenting interdependence within the broader family context, we also evaluated the role of various family risks (i.e., family instability, coparenting conflict, child externalizing problems) on parenting behavior interdependence. Participants were 192 families with an adolescent (M_age = 12.4 years), and maternal and paternal parenting behavior were separately rated on a minute-to-minute basis during a triadic family conflict discussion. Between mothers and fathers, various patterns of interdependence in parental sensitivity and disengagement emerged such that on the minute-to-minute basis, (a) greater maternal sensitivity was linked to greater paternal disengagement, (b) greater maternal disengagement was linked to higher paternal sensitivity, and (c) greater maternal disengagement was associated with lower paternal disengagement. Furthermore, multiple family risk factors moderated the magnitude of parenting interdependence, with the pattern of the moderations being generally consistent such that greater family risks were associated with more dampened parenting interdependence. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).