Journal of Family Psychology最新文献

Immigrant mothers and children in Hong Kong are at a high risk of developing anxiety. The multidimensional model of resilience emphasizes the pivotal role of intergenerational interactions across resilience-supporting systems at both the individual and family levels in safeguarding mental health. However, the interacting processes by which the multilevel resilience of mothers and children mitigate their mental health risks remain unclear. This cross-sectional study examined the intergenerational dynamics between individual and family resilience in mitigating anxiety among 200 immigrant mother-child dyads in Hong Kong. The actor-partner interdependence moderation model was used to analyze how individual resilience interacted with family resilience to counteract the anxiety of immigrant mothers and children. The results showed that there was intergenerational interdependence between mothers' and children' individual resilience and family resilience. Mothers' individual resilience interacted with their family resilience to protect against their anxiety. Notably, the results demonstrated protective intergenerational effects from mothers to children, in which both mothers' and children's individual resilience interacted with mothers' family resilience to counteract children's anxiety. In conclusion, mothers' family resilience functions as a buffer against anxiety among mothers and children when they have low individual resilience. By clarifying the intergenerational interactions of multilevel resilience, our findings call for mother-child dyadic interventions targeting those with low individual and family resilience to promote their emotional well-being. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

Previous research suggests that increased parental stressful life events are associated with increased risks for children's internalizing symptoms. Despite the strong support for this model, limited prior work has explored the mechanism underlying this association. The purpose of this study was to investigate the longitudinal relationships between the history of maternal and paternal stressful life events experienced during adolescence, parent-child relationship quality, and internalizing symptoms in young adulthood. Participants for the present study included 923 adolescents (T1: M_age = 17.0, T2: M_age = 23.3, 50.8% identified as female) and their parents from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. Maternal- and paternal-specific structural equation models were conducted to examine the relationship between parental stressful life events in middle adolescence and internalizing symptoms in young adulthood through parent-child relationship quality while controlling for key covariates. Father-reported stressful life events during the previous year were associated with less positive father-reported father-child relationship quality during adolescence, which was associated with an increased risk for internalizing symptoms in young adulthood. Mother-reported stressful life events did not predict mother-child relationship quality in adolescence. However, mother-child relationship quality in adolescence was associated with young adult internalizing symptoms. The indirect effects linking stressful life events to internalizing symptoms through parent-child relationship quality were not significant for either mothers or fathers. These results highlight the significance of paternal stressful life events for parent-child relationship quality and the importance of father-inclusive parenting interventions that could address these dynamics. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

Children's self-regulation skills have important developmental implications for a variety of outcomes, and parenting practices are instrumental in shaping these self-regulatory skills. Given the variations in associations observed across different populations and inconsistencies in measurement methods, we specifically evaluate different dimensions of parenting styles regarding how behaviors promote, suppress, or passively contribute to child independence and development of self-regulation skills. We utilize a meta-analytic approach to investigate whether different types of parenting engagement predict children's self-regulation abilities and evaluate moderation effects attributed to measurement strategies, sample characteristics, study design, and publication source qualities. Random-effects models with the 62 total included studies yielded significant main effects for supportive (k = 42) parenting and suppressive (k = 50) parenting, but not passive (k = 10) parenting. Parenting style reporting method was confirmed to be a significant moderator for supportive parenting, suppressive parenting, and passive parenting. Findings of the present study emphasize the benefits of supportive parenting and the detriments of suppressive parenting in fostering self-regulation skills across childhood and adolescence. While the directionality of these associations was unsurprising, the alignment in magnitude and therefore near-perfectly antagonistic roles for establishing children's independent regulation is a striking new contribution to developmental science. The inclusion of passive parenting did not yield significant main effects for the child self-regulation outcome, but the positive trend observed provides a baseline for future reviews to build upon. Implications for these meta-analyses include tailoring of intervention programs to include responsive parenting practices and strategies to reduce punitive discipline approaches. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

Couples living with low incomes in the United States experience greater relational distress relative to couples with more financial resources. Drawing from the family stress model, which argues that economic strain is a catalyst for relational distress, one approach to improve the relationships of couples with low incomes might be addressing and ameliorating families' financial difficulties. This study tested this possibility using secondary data from the Baby's First Years project, a randomized controlled trial of ongoing unconditional cash transfers to mothers. We examined the impact of receiving $333/month (relative to $20/month in a control group) on mothers' relationship quality and relationship status at 1 and 2 years postrandomization, which included the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Multigroup models and path analyses were employed to investigate moderators and potential mechanisms contributing to differences across conditions. Randomization into the higher cash condition was not associated with relationship quality at Year 1 (b = -0.02, p = .792) or Year 2 (b = -0.02, p = .613). Likewise, there were no significant direct effects of cash assistance on relationship status at Year 1 (OR = 0.94, 95% CI [0.62, 1.42]) or Year 2 (OR = 0.79, 95% CI [0.52, 1.20]). There was minimal evidence that effects were significant for a subset of mothers, and there were no significant indirect effects on the relational outcomes through individual or economic factors. Results of this study indicate that additional resources are likely needed to alleviate low-income couples' financial strain and improve intimate bonds. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

Reports the notice of retraction of "Perceptions of partner responsiveness across the transition to parenthood" by Dave Smallen, Jami Eller, W. Steven Rholes and Jeffry A. Simpson (Journal of Family Psychology, 2022[Jun], Vol 36[4], 618-629; see record 2021-73549-001). The article is being retracted at the request of Dave Smallen, W. Steven Rholes, and Jeffry A. Simpson. Another author, Jami Eller, was unable to be reached. In the process of replicating analyses for the study, these authors found that the descriptive statistics replicated, as did the analyses supporting Hypotheses 1 and 3. However, Hypotheses 2 and 4 were no longer supported (i.e., the interaction effects were not statistically significant at p < .05). (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2021-73549-001.) This longitudinal study examined associations between perceptions of partner responsiveness and relationship satisfaction of each partner (new parents) across the first 2 years of a chronically stressful life event-the transition to parenthood. Responsiveness indexes the degree to which partners respond to each other with understanding, validation, and care. Consistent with prior work, lower ratings of responsiveness receipt and provision predicted declines in relationship satisfaction across the transition. These effects, however, were moderated by parental stress, such that among new parents who reported experiencing higher levels of parental stress, providing higher levels of responsiveness to partners was associated with declines in relationship satisfaction. Conversely, under lower stress, relationship satisfaction benefited from higher levels of both providing and receiving responsiveness. All of these effects held when controlling for both partners' levels of agreeableness, neuroticism, support-seeking, income, and work-family conflict. Post hoc moderation analyses revealed that high stress partners who reported providing higher responsiveness reported larger declines in relationship satisfaction if they scored higher in attachment avoidance or had more negative social exchanges with their partner. We discuss these novel stress moderation results in light of the need to and meaning of engaging in responsiveness, especially during chronically stressful periods of life. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

This longitudinal study sought to elucidate the role of mothers' early depressive symptoms and recent peer victimization, both independently and interactively, in the development of children's behavioral problems in middle childhood. Mothers (N = 1,090) reported their depressive symptoms from infancy through first grade and rated children's behavioral problems when children were in the third, fourth, and fifth grades. Peer victimization was reported by teachers when children were in the third grade. Analyses of growth modeling showed that mothers' early depressive symptoms and recent peer victimization independently predicted high levels of behavioral problems, particularly externalizing problems, adjusting for mothers' recent depressive symptoms. Moreover, supporting the stress sensitization model, mothers' early depressive symptoms interacted with recent peer victimization to predict developmental trajectories of internalizing but not externalizing problems. Children with high levels of mothers' early depressive symptoms tended to develop persistent and high levels of internalizing problems even in the condition of low levels of peer victimization. The findings clarify the patterns of longitudinal associations between these risk factors and behavioral adjustment and highlight the interactive role of early and recent risk factors, particularly mothers' depressive symptoms and peer victimization, in understanding the development of behavioral problems in middle childhood. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

The association between prenatal stress factors and infant sleep has been examined in the literature, however, the mechanisms explaining this association remain unclear. The present study examined the indirect association between prenatal stress and infant sleep problems via maternal emotional distress and maternal sensitivity in distress-eliciting context in a three-wave longitudinal study that followed 299 mothers from pregnancy until the infants were 6 months old. Expectant mothers reported demographics, prenatal stress (i.e., stressful life events, neighborhood violence, income) and emotional distress (i.e., depressive symptoms, trait anxiety, emotion regulation difficulties, and personality characteristics) Prior to the 2-month laboratory visit, mothers reported their depressive symptoms and state anxiety. During the 2- and 6-month laboratory visits, maternal sensitivity in distress-eliciting context was assessed during the still-face episode of the still-face paradigm. Mothers reported infant sleep problems at 6 months. Consistent with hypotheses, prenatal stress predicted higher perinatal emotional distress which in turn was significantly associated with lower maternal sensitivity. Further, maternal sensitivity was significantly associated with fewer infant sleep problems. The indirect pathway from prenatal stress to infant sleep problems via elevated maternal emotional distress and compromised maternal sensitivity was statistically significant. The findings affirm the need for policies and interventions to better support mothers exposed to prenatal stress and/or experiencing emotional distress to ensure optimal infant sleep outcomes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

The postpartum period can be challenging for relationships, yet it is also rife with opportunities for connection. One way of promoting connection within couples is through capitalization (disclosing a positive event to a partner). The effects of capitalization are shaped by partners' responses to the disclosure, with active and constructive responses being linked with better relationship outcomes relative to passive or destructive responses. Across 21 days of daily diaries completed between 3 and 4 months postpartum, we examined how new parents' (N = 240 couples) responses to capitalization of positive parenting events were associated with their own and their partners' daily sexual and relational well-being. On days when birthing parents and their partners perceived greater active-constructive responses than usual, they reported higher sexual desire and relationship satisfaction, and partners reported lower conflict and perceived their partners as being more responsive; when partners perceived greater active-constructive responses, birthing parents reported greater relationship satisfaction and perceived their partners as being more responsive. On days when birthing parents perceived more passive-constructive responses, partners perceived them as being less responsive, whereas when partners perceived more passive-constructive responses from birthing parents, they reported lower relationship satisfaction and perceived birthing parents as being less responsive, and both they and birthing parents reported greater sexual distress. These findings highlight the importance of emotionally engaged partner responsiveness in shaping relational and sexual well-being in postpartum couples. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

Coparenting is an essential skill, particularly during early childhood; however, increased parenting stress during the postpartum period may undermine parents' abilities to coparent effectively. Research examining protective factors that reduce parenting stress is critical for family well-being. The present study aimed to identify key intrapersonal and interpersonal resources during pregnancy, an ideal intervention period, that are associated with lower levels of postpartum parenting stress to promote adaptive coparenting. A total of 157 mixed-sex couples completed questionnaires and lab tasks during pregnancy and when their child was 1 and 2 years of age. A significant negative association was observed between prenatal parental psychological flexibility (i.e., the ability to accept distressing emotional experiences while maintaining present-moment engagement in behaviors that serve one's values) and postpartum parenting stress, regardless of parent gender. This association was (marginally) stronger to the extent that couples demonstrated high mutual cooperation, attunement, responsiveness, and warmth in their relationship (i.e., mutually responsive orientation [MRO]). Further, across all levels of interparental MRO, (lower) parenting stress at 1 year mediated the link between prenatal psychological flexibility and coparenting quality at 2 years. Psychological flexibility also demonstrated a direct effect on coparenting, independent from parenting stress, suggesting other unmodeled mechanisms, and MRO had a positive interaction with psychological flexibility, suggesting that psychological flexibility might compensate for a lack of MRO to directly promote adaptive coparenting. These findings have important theoretical and clinical implications, highlighting the importance of both intrapersonal (internal) and interpersonal (external) regulatory resources in reducing parenting stress and improving coparenting relationship quality. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

The present study examined the longitudinal, bidirectional associations between early adolescents' electronic media use and family conflict across 3 years using data from the ABCD study (T1; N = 11,787). Findings indicated that more overall electronic media use was related to later increases in family conflict, whereas the reverse association was not supported. Further analyses examined associations by unique types of electronic media. Social electronic media use at T1 in girls was related to less family conflict at T2, yet more family conflict at later timepoints. These findings suggest that more overall electronic media use promotes later conflict throughout early adolescence and that girls' use of social types of media may be especially disruptive in families as they progress through early adolescence. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).