The Impact of the Family Foundations Program for Expectant Couples On Partner Aggression and Parent-Child Aggression

Victimization and exposure of parents and children to family aggression, including both partner and parent-child aggression, has serious developmental and health consequences for children (Tolan, Gorman-Smith, & Henry, 2006). The economic, social, and health costs associated with family aggression—both psychological and physical aggression—suggest that effective prevention approaches are needed. However, few prevention programs addressing family violence have been rigorously evaluated, and studies have demonstrated small effects at best (Pinquart & Teubert, 2010; Whitaker & Niolon, 2009). Despite the co-occurrence of partner and parent-child aggression within families (e.g., Slep & O’Leary, 2005), prevention programs have typically not addressed both types of family aggression simultaneously. In addition, some studies suggest that participants with pre-existing risk factors may benefit more from prevention programs (e.g., Stoolmiller, Eddy, & Reid, 2000). The current study examines the impact of an innovative program for expectant couples on both partner and parent-child aggression at child age 3, including moderation of effects by prenatal conflict.

Methods. A sample of 169 expectant couples was randomized to intervention and control conditions. Most (82%) couples were married and most were Non-Hispanic White. Intervention families participated in Family Foundations, a series of eight classes delivered before and after birth, which has previously been shown to improve coparenting, parenting, and parent and child adjustment. Home visits to collect data on family violence were conducted prenatally and at child age 3 years.

Results. Descriptive statistics suggested high frequency of psychological partner aggression and physical parent-child aggression: Mothers and fathers engaged in an average of 18.5 and19.8 acts of psychological aggression toward their partner and 9.6 and 9.0 acts of physical aggression toward their child in the past year, respectively.

Significant program effects indicated reduced psychological partner aggression by fathers and reduced physical parent-child aggression by mothers for couples with frequent prenatal psychological partner aggression. Reduced psychological partner aggression by fathers was also found among couples with severe prenatal physical partner aggression.

Conclusions. Efforts to prevent children’s exposure to family aggression may most benefit couples exhibiting prenatal relationship risk. Couple aggression should be identified prenatally so that couples deemed at high risk can be provided with preventive services; however, it is not yet known whether program implementation limited to high-risk couples would yield the same benefits.