Actor–Partner Model of Parenting and Co-Parenting Practices and Youth Resilience During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The present research examined parents' perspectives of co-parenting and supportive and hostile parenting as predictors of youth resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were 47 mother/father dyads who had at least one K-12 child (M_age = 11.40, SD = 3.92). Mothers and fathers each completed an online survey that measured parenting, co-parenting, and youth resilience during the pandemic. Data were analyzed using the actor–partner interdependence model. Results revealed a positive relationship between mother supportiveness and perceived youth resilience; in contrast, increased father supportiveness was associated with lower perceived youth resilience. For both mothers and fathers, increases in their own hostility were associated with decreased perceived youth resilience and more positive co-parenting predicted greater resilience. Overall, findings showed that maternal supportiveness, parent hostility, and co-parenting were significantly related to youth resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study highlights the role of maternal supportiveness in youth resilience and the importance of including mother and father perspectives when examining the effects of parenting. Findings also have implications for family interventions and policies that facilitate youth resiliency by demonstrating the need to address both parent–child and co-parenting relationships during times of adversity.