The Differential Effects of Coparenting on Mothering and Fathering
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Bell, Brandi LaKeisha
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Abstract
The family is comprised of various subsystems, including parent-child, coparenting, and marital relationships (Volling, Kolak, & Blandon, 2009), which influence one another (Jia & Schoppe-Sullivan, 2011). Whereas some literature has illustrated that coparenting was differentially related to mothers’ and fathers’ parenting (Volling et al., 2009, Pedro, Ribeiro, & Shelton, 2012), other studies have not supported these findings (Coiro & Emery, 1998, Ponnet et al., 2013). Thus, the primary aim of this investigation was to examine whether coparenting is differentially related to mothering and fathering. Marital distress and family earner status were examined as moderators between coparenting and maternal and paternal parenting. Additionally, due to the lack of longitudinal research examining these associations, the third aim of this investigation was to examine whether the associations between coparenting and maternal and paternal parenting were stable over an almost three-year period. Eighty-two children, along with their parents, participated in the study at Time 1 and 41 children participated, with their parents, at Time 2. Mothers and fathers were surveyed and observed interacting with their children. Correlation and regression models revealed that coparenting was more strongly associated with fathering at the first time-point; however, coparenting was more strongly associated with mothering at the second time-point. Marital distress and family earner status were not found to moderate associations between coparenting and parenting. The current study highlights the importance of supportive coparenting relationships in positive parenting practices, which ultimately influences children’s development.
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Coparenting, mothering, fathering