Positive parental engagement: Investigating the role of the mother–father relationship.

= 3,780 mother-father dyads)-and guided by family systems theory-we tested a series of path analysis models. Positive relationship experiences predicted positive parental engagement over time (from child's birth-5 years of age) for both mothers and fathers. Furthermore, strength of associations between positive relationship experiences and positive parental engagement largely did not differ based on family structure, poverty, or race. These findings highlight the importance of investigating the mother-father relationship using a family systems framework to better understand positive parental engagement. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).