Maternal parenting as a mediator of the relationship between intimate partner violence and effortful control

Abstract

The current study examined the relationship between intimate partner violence (IPV), maternal parenting behaviors, and child effortful control in a diverse sample of 705 families living in predominantly low-income, rural communities. Using structural equation modeling, the authors simultaneously tested whether observed sensitive parenting and/or harsh-intrusive parenting over the toddler years mediated the relationship between early IPV and later effortful control. Results suggest that parenting behaviors fully mediate this relationship. Although higher levels of IPV were associated with both higher levels of harsh-intrusive parenting and lower levels of sensitive supportive parenting, only sensitive supportive parenting was associated with later effortful control when both parenting indices were considered in the same model.

Figure 1

Final Model in which Parenting is Included as a Mediator Note: χ² (77, N = 705) = 78.62, p =.43, CFI = 1.00, TLI = 1.00, RMSEA = 0.01. CTS = Physical violence subscale of the Conflict Tactics Scale, PCX = Observational codes from the parent-child Interaction, Inhibitory Control = Inhibitory control subscale of the Children’s behavior questionnaire (CBQ), Atten. Focusing = Attentional focusing subscale of the CBQ. All paths depicted are significant, p < .05. All parameter estimates are standardized.