Constructive and destructive interparental conflict, parenting entropy, and child ADHD symptoms

This multi-method, multi-informant, three-wave longitudinal study sought to examine how maternal and paternal parenting entropy might operate as indirect factors in the link between interparental conflict and the development of child attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms during early childhood. Participants were 235 families with a young child (Wave one: M_{child age} = 2.97 years, N_girls = 130, Child race/ethnicity: 56.2% White, 21.3% African American, 16.2% Mixed race) followed over three annual waves. We observed constructive and destructive interparental conflict during an interparental conflict discussion task and created parenting entropy based on multiple aspects of molar-rated parenting behavior during parent-child interaction. Child ADHD symptoms were reported by both parents over time. Findings indicated that only greater maternal parenting entropy operated as the indirect factor linking interparental conflict with elevated risks for child ADHD symptoms over time (Association with Maternal Parenting Entropy: Constructive conflict: β = -0.23, Destructive conflict: β = 0.17; Maternal parenting entropy in association with Child ADHD symptoms: βs range: [0.16, 0.17]). Follow-up tests comparing the role of constructive vs. destructive forms of interparental conflict highlighted the role of constructive interparental conflict. Findings highlighted potential targets to mitigate the risks associated with unpredictable parenting behavior.