Inter-parent childrearing disagreement, but not dissimilarity, predicts child problems after controlling for parenting effectiveness

UBC Faculty Research and Publications

Inter-parent childrearing disagreement, but not dissimilarity, predicts child problems after controlling for parenting effectiveness Chen, Mandy Yao-Min; Johnston, Charlotte

Abstract

Parental differences regarding childrearing may be operationalized as actual dissimilarity in the parenting actions or goals of the parents, or as perceived conflict or disagreement related to these dissimilarities. This study tested whether these two types of parental differences are each associated with child problems, independent of the contributions of parenting effectiveness. A community sample of 160 couples with a first-born child participated. Mothers and fathers independently completed measures of childrearing disagreement, parenting behaviors and goals, and child behavior. Inter-parent childrearing disagreement accounted for unique variance in child internalizing and externalizing problems, even after controlling for family income, marital satisfaction and parenting effectiveness. Dissimilarity in mother and father parenting behaviors (but not goals) was associated with child problems at the bivariate level, but not after controlling for parenting effectiveness.

Item Metadata

Title	Inter-parent childrearing disagreement, but not dissimilarity, predicts child problems after controlling for parenting effectiveness
Alternate Title	Childrearing disagreement
Creator	Chen, Mandy Yao-Min; Johnston, Charlotte
Contributor	Child and Family Research Institute
Date Issued	2012
Description	Parental differences regarding childrearing may be operationalized as actual dissimilarity in the parenting actions or goals of the parents, or as perceived conflict or disagreement related to these dissimilarities. This study tested whether these two types of parental differences are each associated with child problems, independent of the contributions of parenting effectiveness. A community sample of 160 couples with a first-born child participated. Mothers and fathers independently completed measures of childrearing disagreement, parenting behaviors and goals, and child behavior. Inter-parent childrearing disagreement accounted for unique variance in child internalizing and externalizing problems, even after controlling for family income, marital satisfaction and parenting effectiveness. Dissimilarity in mother and father parenting behaviors (but not goals) was associated with child problems at the bivariate level, but not after controlling for parenting effectiveness.
Subject	childrearing disagreement; coparenting; preschool age; internalizing; externalizing
Genre	Article; Postprint
Type	Text
Language	eng
Date Available	2016-02-12
Provider	Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
Rights	Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 Canada
DOI	10.14288/1.0224114
URI	http://hdl.handle.net/2429/56989
Affiliation	Arts, Faculty of; Psychology, Department of; Other UBC
Citation	Chen, M., & Johnston, C. (2012). Interparent childrearing disagreement, but not dissimilarity, predicts child problems after controlling for parenting effectiveness. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 41, 189-201.
Publisher DOI	10.1080/15374416.2012.651997
Peer Review Status	Reviewed
Scholarly Level	Faculty
Copyright Holder	Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
Rights URI	http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/ca/
Aggregated Source Repository	DSpace

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