Papers by Kenneth Leonard
Personal Relationships, 2010
This study examined longitudinal data linking marital aggression with child peer competence in ki... more This study examined longitudinal data linking marital aggression with child peer competence in kindergarten. The study compared 3 conceptual models for understanding the relation between marital aggression and child peer competence. Model 1 examines the direct effects of marital aggression, parental alcoholism, and parenting on child peer competence; Model 2 posits that this relation is mediated by child social problem-solving abilities (social information processing theory); whereas Model 3 proposes that the relation is mediated by parental warmth/ sensitivity (spillover theory). Structural equation modeling was most supportive of Models 1 and 3, indicating that parenting behavior, but not social problem solving, partially mediates the relation between marital conflict and child peer competence.
Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 2012
The direct and interactive effects of alcohol expectancies for aggression, dispositional hostilit... more The direct and interactive effects of alcohol expectancies for aggression, dispositional hostility, and heavy alcohol consumption on alcohol-related physical aggression were examined across the first four years of marriage in a sample of 634 newlywed couples. For husbands, alcohol aggression expectancies predicted increases in alcohol-related aggression; across husbands and wives, however, aggression expectancies were not found to interact with hostility or alcohol consumption to predict physical aggression. Consistent with previous research, hostility and alcohol consumption interacted with each other to predict alcohol-related aggression. Specifically, for both husbands and wives high in dispositional hostility, heavy alcohol consumption was positively associated with the occurrence of alcohol-related aggression; for those low in dispositional hostility, however, there was no association between alcohol consumption and alcohol-related aggression. Findings are contrasted with previous longitudinal research on alcohol aggression expectancies and physical aggression in married couples. The article discusses the extent to which findings may vary depending on whether expectancies are assessed in relation to alcohol's effect on one's own behavior versus alcohol's effect on others' behavior.
Addictive Behaviors, 2009
a b s t r a c t a r t i c l e i n f o Given the documented association between paternal alcoholis... more a b s t r a c t a r t i c l e i n f o Given the documented association between paternal alcoholism and negative parenting behaviors, the purpose of this study was to examine longitudinally whether marital satisfaction mediates this relationship. Participants consisted of 197 families (102 without an alcoholic father, 95 with an alcoholic father) who were assessed at three time points: when children were 12, 24, and 36 months old. Results indicated that paternal alcoholism at 12 months was associated with decreased marital satisfaction at 24 months for both mothers and fathers. Marital satisfaction at 24 months in turn was associated with decreases in parental warmth and sensitivity at 36 months. Furthermore, marital satisfaction mediated the association between paternal alcoholism and parental warmth and sensitivity for both mothers and fathers. The implications of these findings for interventions for alcoholic families are discussed.
Violence in Intimate Relationships, 2000
ABSTRACT
Alcohol Health Research World, 1996
Drug and Alcohol Dependence, Jan 12, 2007
With the transition into marriage, marijuana and other substance use tends to decline; however, t... more With the transition into marriage, marijuana and other substance use tends to decline; however, this is not true for all individuals. The objective of this work was to examine the impact of premarital individual and partner psychological health and substance use behaviors on the likelihood of using marijuana over the first four years of marriage. Couples' (N = 634) marijuana use, other substance use, and psychological variables were assessed at the time they applied for their marriage license and then again at the first, second and fourth anniversaries. Generalized Estimating Equation models were used to estimate the risk for using marijuana over the first four years of marriage after controlling for the natural decrease in risk associated with time and other relevant sociodemographic variables.
J Fam Violence, 1992
Page 1. Journal of Family Violence, Vol. 7, No. 4, 1992 Prevalence and Distribution of Premarital... more Page 1. Journal of Family Violence, Vol. 7, No. 4, 1992 Prevalence and Distribution of Premarital Aggression Among Couples Applying for a Marriage License Iris G. McLaughlin, 1 Kenneth E. Leonard, 1 and Marilyn Senchak 1 ... Arias et al. ...
Psychol Addict Behav, 1998
Page 1. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors 1998. Vol. 12. No. 1,62-70 Copyright 1998 by the Educat... more Page 1. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors 1998. Vol. 12. No. 1,62-70 Copyright 1998 by the Educational Publishing Foundation 0893-164X/98«3.00 Alcohol Use Among College Students as a Function of Their Typical Social Drinking Context ...
Cmaj Canadian Medical Association Journal Journal De L Association Medicale Canadienne, 1996
Page 1. As far as surveying the member-ship before taking a position, as Dr. Barbara J. Kane sugg... more Page 1. As far as surveying the member-ship before taking a position, as Dr. Barbara J. Kane suggests, if we are getting emotional arguments from the bulk of our profession who are concentrated in big cities where crime is ...
Infant Behav Develop, 1998
Although the importance of parent-infant attachment and the development of self-regulation are co... more Although the importance of parent-infant attachment and the development of self-regulation are considered to be two salient issues of infancy, few studies have examined these processes among infants of alcoholic fathers, or those with problem drinking mothers (postnatal alcohol problems, minimal pregnancy drinking). The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships among parental alcohol problems, parent-infant attachment, and infant empathy toward parent and stranger. It was hypothesized that parental alcohol problems would be associated with higher levels of insecure father-infant and mother-infant attachment relationships at 12 months of infant age. Parental alcohol problems were also expected to be related to lower infant self-regulation or empathy at 18 months of infant age. It was hypothesized that this relationship may be mediated by the quality of parent-infant attachment at 12 months.
Development and Psychopathology, Feb 1, 1999
The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between fathers' alcoholism and the qua... more The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between fathers' alcoholism and the quality of parent-infant interactions during free play. A related goal was to study the potential mediating or moderating role of comorbid parental psychopathology, such as depression and antisocial behavior, difficult infant temperament, and parental aggression. The sample consisted of 204 families with 12month-old infants (104 alcoholic and 100 control families), recruited from New York State birth records. Results indicated that fathers' alcoholism was associated with a number of other risk factors (depression, antisocial behavior, and family aggression). Fathers' alcoholism was also associated with more negative father-infant interactions as indicated by lower paternal sensitivity, positive affect, verbalizations, higher negative affect, and lower infant responsiveness among alcoholic fathers. As expected, fathers' depression mediated the relationship between fathers' alcoholism and sensitivity, while maternal depression mediated the association between maternal alcohol problems and maternal sensitivity. Parents' psychopathology did not moderate the association between alcoholism and parent-infant interactions. The results from the present study suggest that the origins of risk for later maladjustment among children of alcoholic fathers are apparent as early as infancy and highlight the role of comorbid parental risk factors.
Psychology of Addictive Behaviors Journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors, Mar 1, 2009
This study tested a conceptual model predicting children's social competence in a sample of child... more This study tested a conceptual model predicting children's social competence in a sample of children with alcoholic and non-alcoholic parents. The model examined the role of parents' alcohol diagnoses, depression, and antisocial behavior at 12-18 months of child age in predicting parental warmth/ sensitivity at 2 years of child age. Parental warmth/sensitivity at 2 years was hypothesized to predict children's self-regulation and externalizing behavior problems at 3 years. Parenting, self-regulation, and behavior problems were expected to predict social competence in kindergarten. Structural equations modeling was supportive of this model. Fathers' alcohol diagnosis was associated with lower warmth/ sensitivity. Lower maternal warmth/sensitivity at 2 years was predictive of lower child self-regulation at 3 years. Parenting, self-regulation, and externalizing behavior problems were predictive of social competence in kindergarten, although associations varied by reporter (parents or teacher). There was a direct association between fathers' alcohol diagnosis and father reports of social competence, and between fathers' depression and teacher reports of social competence. The study elucidates developmental processes in predicting social competence and the role of fathers' alcoholism and associated risk factors in this process.
Psychol Addict Behav, 1997
Previous work by the authors has suggested that alcohol's impact on the marital functioning ... more Previous work by the authors has suggested that alcohol's impact on the marital functioning of alcoholics is influenced by the drinking pattern of the alcoholic. This article addresses whether alcohol differentially influences the sequential interactions of episodic and steady alcoholics and their wives. Log-linear analyses examined antecedent–consequence patterns for the 30 steady and 19 episodic alcoholics and their wives reported on by T. Jacob and K. E. Leonard (1988). These couples participated in marital interactions during a drink night and a no-drink night. The results suggested minimal differences between episodic and steady alcoholics or between no-drink and drink night. Wives of episodic alcoholics tended to decrease their negative reactions to husband problem solving on drink versus no-drink night. Wives of steady alcoholics tended to decrease their negative reactions to husband negativity on drink night.
Abstract 1. Traditionally, research on risk factors for alcohol and drug abuse and dependence in ... more Abstract 1. Traditionally, research on risk factors for alcohol and drug abuse and dependence in adults has focused on individual risk factors and has not considered other risk factors. It is important to consider a wider range of risk factors because an extensive ...
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Papers by Kenneth Leonard