Parents’ perception of child behavior, parenting stress, and child abuse potential: Individual and partner influences

Based on the Social Information Processing model of parenting risk for child abuse, the present study examined the associations between mothers\u2019 and fathers\u2019 perception of child behavior and child abuse potential, as well as whether parenting stress mediates the association between these constructs. Two hundred and fifty-nine mother-father couples raising preschool children answered the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), the Parenting Stress Index (PSI), and the Child Abuse Potential Inventory (CAPI). The results of dyadic path analysis showed that perception of child behavior was related to heightened parenting stress and abuse potential in both mothers and fathers. Concerning partner effects, we found that mothers\u2019 perception of child behavior problems was positively associated with fathers\u2019 parenting stress and that the higher the mothers\u2019 distress, the higher the fathers\u2019 risk of physical abuse. Finally, parenting distress partially mediated the association between parents\u2019 perception of child behavior and child abuse potential, with mothers\u2019 perception of their children as problematic showing a significant indirect effect through distress on their own abuse risk and on fathers\u2019 CAP as well. These findings suggest that parental distress may represent a critical mechanism by which parents\u2019 negative views of their children contribute to abuse potential. Moreover, mothers seem to influence fathers\u2019 tendency towards abusive behaviors