Finances, depressive symptoms, destructive conflict, and coparenting among lower-income, unmarried couples: A two-wave, cross-lagged analysis.

Abstract

Following from an adapted family stress model (FSM), we used two-wave, secondary data from the Building Strong Families project, focusing on 4,424 primarily lower-income, unmarried couples expecting their first child together. We used cross-lagged analyses to test the directionality of the associations among financial difficulties, depressive symptoms, destructive interparental conflict, and coparenting alliance for both fathers and mothers when children were 15 and 36 months old. Two of the three hypotheses provided support for the FSM. First, destructive conflict predicted coparenting alliance (but not the reverse). Specifically, higher destructive conflict at 15 months for both fathers and mothers predicted lower coparenting alliance at 36 months for both fathers and mothers. Second, depressive symptoms predicted destructive conflict (but not the reverse). Specifically, fathers' (but not mothers') higher depressive symptoms at 15 months predicted both their own and mothers' higher destructive conflict at 36 months. Contrary to predictions, financial difficulties did not predict depressive symptoms; instead, we found support for the reverse: For mothers only, higher depressive symptoms at 15 months predicted higher financial difficulties at 36 months. Collectively, the results support the use of the FSM to understand the directionality of associations among key risk factors, especially depressive symptoms and destructive conflict, for primarily lower-income, unmarried couples expecting their first child together.

Material Hardship in Families With Low Income: Positive Effects of Coparenting on Fathers’ and Mothers’ Parenting and Children’s Prosocial Behaviors

“…Expanding on this work, researchers have also tested the FSM with racially diverse samples and have found support for the model ( Conger et al, 2002 ; Parke et al, 2004 ; Masarik and Conger, 2017 ; Gard et al, 2020 ; Curran et al, 2021 ; Lee et al, 2021 ). For example, Lee et al (2021) recently applied the FSM to a sample of BSF families and found that fathers’ depressive symptoms was a mediating path between material hardship, but not income poverty, and destructive interparental conflict.…”

“…For example, Lee et al (2021) recently applied the FSM to a sample of BSF families and found that fathers’ depressive symptoms was a mediating path between material hardship, but not income poverty, and destructive interparental conflict. Curran et al (2021) also applied the FSM to a BSF sample and showed in cross-lagged panel models that fathers’ depressive symptoms at the 15-month follow-up predicted higher levels of destructive interparental conflict at the 36-month follow-up, but not vice versa. Both studies underscore the centrality of paternal mental health as a significant factor affecting family processes, namely interparental relationship quality.…”

“…Prior studies have examined the links between material hardship, coparenting alliance, and responsive parenting behaviors ( Gershoff et al, 2007 ; LeBaron et al, 2020 ; Curran et al, 2021 ). Coparenting alliance is often characterized by both parents’ investments in their children, a respect for each other’s judgment about child rearing, and a desire to communicate child-related information ( Weissman and Cohen, 1985 ; Feinberg, 2003 ).…”

Introduction to the Special Issue on Couples, Families, and Finance

“…Second, four of the studies included data from two or more members of the family or household (e.g., Gibby et al who included both spouses from married households; Allsop et al who included data from mothers, fathers, and a selected child in the household). Additional research including data from two or more members allows researchers to understand the perspectives of multiple reports vs only one reporter specific to finances (Curran et al 2021;Serido and Deenanath 2016). For the studies in this special issue that included romantic partners, all were specific to differentsex couples.…”

“…Longitudinal finance data also allow other tests to be conducted, including the examination of questions such as temporal ordering of finances in associations with other study constructs (e.g., are there unidirectional-or bidirectional-associations between finances and depressive symptoms for relational partners entering parenthood together? ; Curran et al 2021). As another example, longitudinal data can be used to test both initial levels and over-time changes in finances in relation to other study variables (e.g., finances, depressive symptoms, relationship satisfaction for emerging adults as they transition to adulthood; Li et al (2019Li et al ( ), 2020).…”