Parent, Child and Family Factors Associated With Interparental Conflict: A Study of Parents Seeking Support From a Community Health Service in the Postnatal Period

ABSTRACTInterparental conflict is common in families with young children, and this can impact infants' health and development. Therefore, understanding risk factors for interparental conflict in the early parenting period is needed to inform early identification and support efforts. The present study aimed to identify parent, child and family factors associated with interparental conflict in the first postnatal year. Secondary analyses of self‐report data from 175 mothers and 175 fathers of children aged 0–12 months (169 parent couples) participating in a co‐parenting programme in Melbourne, Australia, were conducted. Multiple regression results revealed that lower co‐parenting support, higher depressive symptoms and more children in the family were associated with mothers' and fathers' reports of interparental conflict. Additionally, for mothers only, infant crying concerns were associated with interparental conflict. Mothers also reported significantly more interparental conflict, depression, anxiety and stress symptoms and lower co‐parenting support than fathers in the same family. These findings underscore the importance of screening both parents for depression and targeting multiple aspects of family life in the postnatal period to reduce interparental conflict and improve family functioning.