Implications of unique and shared variance of interparental conflict and child emotional insecurity through parental depressive symptomology.

Abstract

The goal of this study was to unpack processes that may lead to child emotional insecurity. Guided by the emotional security theory (EST/EST-R), we examined the mediational role of parental depressive symptomology between interparental conflict (IPC), both constructive and destructive, and child emotional insecurity at age 36-months. We partitioned unique variance of IPC from shared using an extension of the common fate model. We used two-wave data from the Building Strong Families project, which consisted of racially diverse couples/parents (N = 4,424) who were low income and unmarried at the conception of their child. We found gendered differences for how mothers and fathers experience IPC, with mothers more influenced by their relational circumstances. We also found that fathers were vulnerable to experiencing depressive symptoms following aspects of destructive IPC. Consistent with EST-R, constructive IPC did not promote emotional security in children. Rather, both destructive and constructive IPC related to greater levels of emotional insecurity, with destructive IPC showing stronger effects. Proposed mediation was found for fathers only. Our findings may appeal to scholars who focus on untangling the complexity of IPC and intervention specialists and clinicians interested in a process-oriented approaches to the development of child psychopathology.