Couple interaction and child social competence: The role of parenting and attachment

Abstract

The current study examined the association between positive couple interaction and child social competence as mediated through positive parenting and parent–child attachment security. Prospective, longitudinal data came from 209 mothers, fathers, and their biological child. Information regarding observed positive couple interaction, observed positive parenting, and parent–child attachment security were assessed when the child was 2–4 years old, and child social competence was assessed at 5 years old. Mothers and fathers were analyzed separately in the model. Results indicated that for both mothers and fathers, positive couple interaction was indirectly associated with child social competence through positive parenting and parent–child attachment. These pathways remained statistically significant even after child social competence at age 2–4 was taken into account. Results suggest that couple interaction spills over into parenting which impacts parent–child attachment, which is associated with positive child developmental outcomes.

Economic Pressure, Parent Positivity, Positive Parenting, and Child Social Competence

“…This supports earlier findings which demonstrated associations in positivity (Neppl et al 2015) and positive parenting between mothers and father using the APIM (Daniel et al 2016;Neppl et al 2015Neppl et al , 2018. However, we were not able to support interdependent associations between maternal or (paternal) positivity and their partner's positive parenting.…”

“…In addition, according to Kenny and colleagues, a mother and father from the same family are not independent, thus a research model should consider the family unit and the dynamic interdependent relationship between mother and father (Cook and Kenny 2005;Kenny and Ledermann 2010;Ledermann et al 2011). Indeed, research has shown significant associations between mother and father positivity and mother and father positive parenting (Neppl et al 2015(Neppl et al , 2018, as well as the interdependent lagged associations between mother and father warm parenting using Actor-Partner Interdependent models (Daniel et al 2016). Results demonstrate that a mother (or father) who showed higher positivity and positive parenting styles were more likely to have a partner who also showed positivity and positive parenting (Neppl et al 2015(Neppl et al , 2018.…”

“…Indeed, research has shown significant associations between mother and father positivity and mother and father positive parenting (Neppl et al 2015(Neppl et al , 2018, as well as the interdependent lagged associations between mother and father warm parenting using Actor-Partner Interdependent models (Daniel et al 2016). Results demonstrate that a mother (or father) who showed higher positivity and positive parenting styles were more likely to have a partner who also showed positivity and positive parenting (Neppl et al 2015(Neppl et al , 2018. Furthermore, Daniel and colleagues found that a mother (or father) who showed positive parenting were more likely to lead to a partner's positive parenting style across time (Daniel et al 2016).…”

Media Use of Mothers, Media Use of Children, and Parent–Child Interaction Are Related to Behavioral Difficulties and Strengths of Children

“…Similar to the media use of children and mothers, dysfunctional parent–child interactions have been shown to be associated with behavioral difficulties in young children [8,22]. Furthermore, infrequent interactions between parents and children could be linked to lower prosocial behavior in children [8], whereas positive parenting and parent–child attachment have been shown to be related to more social competence [23].…”

Anxious-Preoccupied Attachment to Father: Does Permissive Parenting Contributed?

“…The attachment fostered by the caregivers (fathers) and their children is a provision that will be brought to their social world through social interaction. This will also be an ability for them to adapt with their social environment (Neppl, et al, 2019). Good relationship with caregivers will make a child have secure attachment and develop good interaction with other people, which leads them to have a good social adjustment (Fatmawati, 2020).…”