Does Paternal Support Reduce Maternal Harsh Parenting from Violence Exposure in Community?

Background/Significance: Harsh parenting practice is related to serious child behavioral problems.  It may also lead to child maltreatment.  Research has identified personal victimization history as one of the major risk factors for the use of harsh parenting practice for mothers.  Nonetheless, despite the disconcerting rates of community violence exposure experienced by mothers, there is scant research on the adverse impact from such violence within this group while domestic violence and child maltreatment history have received much attention on parenting practice.  Likewise, there is insufficient insight about the role of father in regards of the effect from maternal victimization in community, although numerous studies found maternal parenting practice is influenced by father’s care and support for mother.  In neighborhoods where mothers are challenged by high prevalence rate of community violence, fathers could be more inaccessible to mothers and children due to higher incarceration rate than other areas. Subsequently, it is imperative to identify whether father’s support could serve as a protective factor on maternal harsh parenting from mother’s exposure to community violence. 

Methods: Data from the longitudinal Families and Child Wellbeing (FFCW) study were used for statistical analyses in this study.  Harsh parenting was measured by psychological aggression and physical aggression (subscales from the Conflict Tactics Scales).  Community violence exposure was measured by two sub-scales: (1) direct experience/victimization; and (2) witness (e.g., saw someone being beaten).  Paternal support measured concrete supports for mother.  Other factors controlled in the analyses were: maternal substance use, social support, domestic violence experience, and maternal depression.

Results: The average age of mothers in this study was 25.86 (SD=6.13), and about 21% of mothers were white, 47% black, and 31% other race.  Thirty-three percent of mothers witnessed violence and 5% of mothers experience direct victimization in community.  Bivariate analyses showed that mothers who experienced community violence were significantly more likely to engage in harsh parenting.  Regression analyses revealed that witnessing violence in community was associated with mother’s report of both psychological and physical aggression against children, while direct victimization was associated with more psychological aggression only.   Paternal support was predictive of less maternal physical aggression against children.  Domestic violence in the form of psychological abuse of mother, maternal substance use, and depression were predictive of both types of maternal harsh parenting practice. 

Conclusions:  Study results showed that exposure to community violence, domestic violence, substance use, depression, and lack of paternal support all had negative effects on maternal parenting behaviors.  Health professionals and service providers need to be aware that these “invisible” types of maternal victimization (e.g., witnessing violence, psychological domestic violence) are associated with more harsh parenting practice. Identifying these issues and providing necessary interventions are crucial.  Additionally, reduction in substance use and depression should also be part of intervention and prevention strategies.  This study underscores the importance of engaging fathers given their involvement could have a positive effect on mother’s parenting behaviors.  This proactive approach could lead to decrease in maternal harsh discipline, and consequently, preventing child maltreatment.