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Abstract
Substantial research has focused on the negative associations of coparenting conflict with parental psychological distress, parenting, and child outcomes. However, significantly less attention has been given to coparenting conflict occurring within single parent and minority families. The current study examines the relation between coparenting conflict and parenting behaviors in single parent, economically disadvantaged African American families using structural equation modeling (Lisrel 8.3). Participants included 234 mother-child dyads. The model examined hypotheses that coparenting conflict related to parenting both directly and indirectly through maternal psychological distress. It also was hypothesized that perceived social support from friends would moderate the relation between coparenting conflict and parenting by reducing the negative associations of coparenting conflict with maternal psychological distress. Results indicated that the model fit the data well: Coparenting conflict related to parenting both directly and indirectly through maternal psychological distress. However, contrary to the hypothesis that moderation would occur along the indirect path, social support moderated the direct relation between coparenting conflict and parenting. Implications of the findings are discussed.