Work

Interparental conflict dynamics across the transition to parenthood and infant behavioral problems: The roles of maternal sensitivity and infant negative affect

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: The transition to parenthood often involves heightened and fluctuating interparental conflict, which may affect parenting and child outcomes. This study followed 212 primiparous mothers (Meanage = 25.3, SD = 5.5; 63% European American) and infants from pregnancy to age 2, examining whether interparental conflict lability (prenatal, 6 months, and 1 year) predicted infant behavioral problems (2 years) via maternal sensitivity to distress and nondistress (1 year), and whether infant negative affect (6 months and 1 year) moderated these pathways. Greater conflict lability predicted lower maternal sensitivity. Sensitivity to nondistress mediated the associations with internalizing problems, and predicted fewer externalizing problems among infants with low negative affect but more externalizing problems among infants with extreme negative affect. Implications are also discussed.

Source: Child Development

DOI: 10.1093/chidev/aacag045

Authors: Nan Zhou, Jinhui Qiao, Yu Chen, Esther M Leerkes, Hongjian Cao

Institutions: University of Macau, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, University of Hong Kong

Language: English

Topic: Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development

Subfield: Clinical Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funders: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Universidade de Macau, National Institutes of Health