Coparenting: Mediating the relationship between harsh parenting and parent engagement using Actor-Partner Interdependence Mediation Model

AbstractCoparenting and parent engagement are important protective factors for children, but a dearth of research limits our understanding of whether coparenting mediates the relationship between harsh parenting and parent engagement in an interdependent model. The current study sought to examine the indirect effect of coparenting on the relationship between mother and father harsh parenting and engagement. Using Actor Partner Interdependence Mediation Model (APIMeM) with dyadic data from the Supporting Healthy Marriage evaluation, this study examines the indirect effects of coparenting on the relationship between harsh parenting and parent engagement with diverse couples (N = 6268 couples). Fathers’ harsh parenting significantly decreased father’s coparenting (p < .001) and increased mothers’ engagement (p < .05) and mother’s harsh parenting decreased both their co-parenting (p < .001) and fathers’ co-parenting (p < .05). Actor-actor indirect effects were significant for coparenting on the relationship between harsh parenting and parenting engagement. Results demonstrate that harsh parenting has direct effects on coparenting, but not on parent engagement, while coparenting mediates the relationship between harsh parenting and parent engagement for actor and some partner indirect effects. This study provides evidence of the relationship between harsh parenting and coparenting, with further evidence of the importance of coparenting as a protective factor for families in which parents demonstrate harsh parenting behavior.Keywords: Actor partner interdependence modelcoparentingfatherharsh parentingmotherparent engagement Author contributionsAll authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation and analysis were performed by Mark Trahan, Jangmin Kim and Mi Jin Choi. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Mark Trahan and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Data availability statementThis publication is a secondary data analysis and has not been registered separately from the original study. Results from this study have not previously been presented or published.Additional informationFundingThere are no financial or non-financial conflicts of interest. No funding was received to support the preparation of this manuscript.Notes on contributorsMark H. TrahanDr. Mark H. Trahan PhD, LCSW, is an Associate Professor who serves as the Chair of the Department of Social Work at Appalachian State University. Dr. Trahan completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Texas at Austin, followed by the pursuit of his master’s and doctoral degrees in social work at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work. His doctoral research was particularly focused on the intricate realm of paternal self-efficacy. Dr. Trahan is renowned for his dedication to the field of social work, where his research revolves around paternal self-efficacy and co-parenting dynamics, with a particular emphasis on the experiences of low-income fathers. His innovative approach extends to the utilization of cutting-edge technology, particularly in the design, prototyping, implementation, and evaluation of virtual reality/augmented reality (VR/AR) solutions aimed at enhancing paternal efficacy. His expertise in the intersection of technology and social work is further underscored by his prior work, which involved the development of virtual reality environments and mindfulness-based interventions tailored to address social anxiety and avoidance symptoms in student veterans. Dr. Trahan adeptly employs a combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods to analyze data. His work has been recognized through publication in high-impact factor journals in both psychology and social work. As an educator, Dr. Trahan has extensive experience teaching micro-direct practice courses, utilizing simulation-based roleplay to enhance student learning outcomes. His commitment to fostering the next generation of social work professionals is evident in his scaffolding of learning through experiential learning. Beyond his academic and research contributions, Dr. Trahan has made significant contributions at the national level, notably serving on the Society for Social Work and Research Special Interest Group dedicated to father-related research. Additionally, he has served as a member of the editorial board for Research on Social Work Practice.Jangmin KimAssistant Professor Jangmin Kim joined the University at Buffalo in 2022. Kim’s research interests are broadly in macro practice working with organizations and communities, particularly within child welfare and other systems of care for children, youth, and families. Drawing a social justice perspective, his recent research focuses more on organizational interventions to develop a culturally responsive and trauma-informed workforce, implement family-centered practice, and address racial disproportionality and disparities in the child welfare system. In addition, he is committed to developing transformative collaboration that brings multiple stakeholders together to promote system changes and provide effective services that enhance the well-being of historically traumatized and oppressed children, youth, and families. Prior to joining UB, he worked as an assistant professor in the School of Social Work at Texas State University. He was also a principal investigator on the Title IV-E Child Welfare Partnership program that collaborated with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services to advance the child welfare workforce. Kim earned a Ph.D. in social work with an external minor in non-profit management from Indiana University, where he received the Chancellor’s Scholar Award (IUPUI campus). He earned his MSW from Portland State University, another MSW from Jeonbuk National University (Korea), and a BA in Social Welfare from Jeonju University (Korea).Mi Jin ChoiDr. Mi Jin Choi joined Texas State University in 2018. She holds degrees from the University at Albany, the State University of New York (Ph.D.), and the Ewha Womans University in South Korea (MSW and BA). She has completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Mental Health Law and Policy at the University of South Florida. She has earned a Fellowship for University-Based Doctoral Candidates and Faculty for Research in Child Maltreatment, which is funded by the Children’s Bureau, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, and the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Dr. Choi’s areas of research and expertise are childhood adversity, child maltreatment, family poverty, out-of-home placement (foster care, formal kinship care, and informal kinship care), child welfare workforce (child welfare training and trauma-informed self-care), and quantitative research. The focus of her current projects is primarily on investigating the intertwined relationship among child abuse and neglect, poverty, implementation of Alternative Response (differential response), and out-of-home placement service provision.