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From the moment they become pregnant, future parents anticipate how they will coordinate, support and divide the tasks related to their child. This is known as co-parenting. Research carried out in three french gynaecology-obstetrics departments and in social network examined fathers' perceptions of co-parenthood and sought to determine whether these were in line with scientific conceptions of the concept., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Background: Co-parenting interventions have been offered, particularly to enhance paternal involvement in infant care. However, little is known about whether such co-parenting interventions can be effective in improving the psychological health of families and co-parenting outcomes during the postpartum period., Objectives: The aim of this review was to examine the effects of interventions on the co-parenting relationship of families, the psychological health of members involved, and on co-parenting outcomes during the postpartum period., Methods: This was a systematic review with a meta-analysis. Randomized controlled trials of co-parenting intervention studies were selected following the standardized methods recommended by the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions Version 6. The Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment tool was used to assess the risk of bias in the included studies., Results: Twelve co-parenting randomized controlled trials were included in this review. Most studies reported positive effects in promoting at least one domain of co-parenting in mothers and/or fathers, especially in co-parenting support, couple communication, parent-child interactions and reducing co-parenting undermining. Meta-analysis showed that mothers in the intervention group showed significantly lower depressive symptoms compared to those in the control group. The only online co-parenting intervention identified produced similar effects to that of face-to-face interventions on improving co-parenting support, and reducing co-parenting undermining. Only one study focused on parent-grandparent co-parenting, which reported positive effects on 'family management' and 'cooperation in childcare between mothers with depressive symptoms and their 'mother-in-law'. Another study found that significantly more mothers continue to breastfeed in the intervention group compared to the control group at 12 weeks postpartum as a positive outcome in co-parenting., Conclusion: Co-parenting interventions have demonstrated some positive effects on co-parenting support, co-parenting undermining, couple communication, parent-child interactions of parents and the depressive symptoms of mothers. Limited evidence was found on the overall effects on co-parenting, division of labor, childrearing agreement, the psychological health of fathers, parenting self-efficacy and baby feeding practices. Further studies are recommended to examine the effects of interventions for intergenerational (parent-grandparent) families on co-parenting, the psychological health in parenting, parenting self-efficacy and baby feeding practices during the postpartum period by adopting online approaches., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships which have or could be perceived to have influenced the work reported in this article., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: Most children exposed to father-perpetrated domestic violence (DV) continue to have contact or live with fathers, yet there is little research on the impact of fathering in the context of domestic violence., Objective: This paper aimed to identify pathways from children's exposure to father-perpetrated DV to compromised social-emotional outcomes. Based on extant literature on fathering and domestic violence, psychological, parenting, and coparenting features in DV fathers were identified as potential mediators of the relationship between child exposure to DV and their social-emotional outcomes., Participants and Setting: Participants were 123 fathers with confirmed histories of DV perpetration and 101 comparison fathers without such histories., Methods: Fathers completed self-report measures during two assessment sessions held at the university. Simple mediation analyses were used to examine pathways between fathers' DV perpetration and child internalizing and externalizing difficulties through potential mediators., Results: Paternal depression, hostility, and coparenting difficulties significantly mediated the relationship between child exposure to DV and child internalizing and externalizing difficulties. Low paternal warmth was associated with child externalizing difficulties but did not function as a mediator. Paternal over-reactivity and laxness, in contrast, were not significantly correlated with DV perpetration or with child internalizing or externalizing outcomes., Conclusions: This study suggests that fathers' emotion regulation and coparenting difficulties are important correlates of his DV perpetration and of their children's psychological symptoms and should be considered as potential foci for parenting intervention with this population., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Family-level influences on the development of healthy eating behaviors start in infancy and toddlerhood with how families manage developmental stages of feeding. Little research on home feeding environments for young children has examined how mothers and fathers collaborate around feeding issues or contribute jointly to feeding. The purpose of this qualitative study is to examine co-parenting with regard to infant/toddler feeding practices. Twenty-four sets of co-resident, biological parents with a child between 6 months and 3 years were interviewed together about their feeding practices and how they discussed and collaborated on feeding during the main stages of feeding development in the first three years. Analyses illuminate themes related to how specific domains of co-parenting (satisfaction with labor, support, agreement, conflict) factor into infant and toddler feeding as well as how additional factors such as having older children and employment schedules shape how both food parenting practices and co-parenting are managed in relation to feeding. Mothers were the primary managers of feeding labor. Fathers participated in feeding in different ways and levels starting in infancy and increased involvement in feeding over the first few years requiring an ongoing negotiation around co-parenting related to feeding. Overall, this study develops insights into how multiple caregivers construct a family environment specifically related to early feeding - a perspective missing from current conceptualizations of home feeding environment. Attention to the concept of co-parenting within home feeding environments should help inform more effective approaches to intervene with families on issues around childhood obesity and family health., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To compare asthma care roles of maternal and paternal caregivers, and examine associations between caregiver involvement and the outcomes of adherence, morbidity, and parental quality of life (QoL)., Methods: Mothers and fathers in 63 families of children, ages 5-9 years, with persistent asthma completed semistructured interviews and questionnaires. Adherence was measured via electronic monitoring. Paired t tests compared parental asthma care roles, and analysis of covariance, controlling for socioeconomic status, evaluated associations of asthma outcomes with caregiver involvement scores., Results: Mothers had higher scores on measures of involvement, beliefs in medication necessity, and on four subscales of the Family Asthma Management System Scale interview (Asthma Knowledge, Relationship with Provider, Symptom Assessment, and Response to Symptoms). Maternal QoL was lowest when both maternal and paternal involvement was high. Paternal involvement was associated with increased morbidity., Conclusions: There is room for enhancement of fathers' asthma care roles. Higher levels of paternal involvement may be driven by family need., (© The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Pediatric Psychology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

We conducted an interpretive description of co-parenting relationship experiences of romantically involved Black adolescent mothers and fathers with shared biological children. The study was conducted in Brooklyn, New York, using data from individual in-depth interviews with adolescent mothers and fathers (n = 10). Four themes were identified: (a) putting our heads together; (b) balancing childhood and parenthood; (c) less money, more problems; and (d) if we use condoms, it is for contraception. The co-parenting couples managed very complex relationships, but their mutual interest in the welfare of their children was a relational asset. Co-parents had sparse financial resources but used a moral economy strategy to provide mutual support. Future research is needed that focuses on identifying other co-parent relationship assets and integrating and evaluating their utility for enhancing interventions for adolescent families., (© The Author(s) 2014.)

Single parenting is a difficult thing to do. And when people talk about it, the first thing that comes to mind is a single mother. Masculinity is a term that is linked with men that corners their feelings in an idea that they should be strong. Only a few studies can be found that are focused on the well-being and challenges that a single father faces in childrearing. In this study, the researchers aim to explore about the single fathers' story specifically their lived experiences; (1) explore about single fathers' experiences (2) to know the challenges faced by Single fathers (3) identify the childrearing practices of Single fathers (4) discover the coping mechanisms that single fathers use to cope up with problems. Using a semi- structured interview guide, 3 participants will be interviewed for data gathering and using Thematic Analysis (TA) the study interprets the following: (1) the experiences of the participants shows that most of the Single fathers go through grief and self-neglect. The pressure of providing for their children also causes them to have sacrificial love for their children to the point of overworking for them and forgetting about the well-being of oneself (2) providing the children's need, sharing custody and time management is the most effective way for the participants to take care of their children (3) challenges such as financial, emotional well-being and lack of experience on being a single father are the most common trials that the participants faced (4) the coping mechanisms varies from person to person but the participants of the study cope up with challenges by means of alcoholism, social support and turning to God. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parental burnout is overwhelming exhaustion associated with one's parental role. Numerous studies have explored the antecedents of parental burnout, with a deficient focus on its consequences, especially for children's development. This study investigated the interaction effect between two protective factors (i.e., co-parenting and parental psychological flexibility) of parental burnout on subsequent children's mental health through the mediation effect of parental burnout. A total of 262 Chinese mothers (Mage = 35 years old) raising preschoolers participated in a two-wave survey within 1-month interval. Path analysis confirmed the moderated median model. Specifically, parental psychological flexibility (PPF) moderated the mediating effect of parental burnout between co-parenting and children's internalizing and externalizing problems reported by mothers. For mothers with middle or low PPF, high-quality co-parenting was related to low children's externalizing and internalizing problems via low-level parental burnout. While mothers with high PPF were less likely to develop parental burnout and exert a negative impact on children's externalizing and internalizing problems even in face of low-quality co-parenting. Co-parenting and PPF may compensate for each other as the protective factors of parental burnout in mothers and children's internalizing and externalizing problems in China. Highlights: Parental burnout mediates the link between co-parenting and children's internalizing and externalizing problems. The mediating effect mentioned above is significant for mothers with middle or low level of parental psychological flexibility. Strategies to promote fathers' cooperation in parenting and maternal PPF are both needed in reliving maternal parental burnout and children's problems in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The purpose of this research was to investigate how fathers’ individual characteristics and the quality of their marital relationships influence co-parenting. Previous research on fathers’ perceptions of coparenting has been relatively under-explored. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the direct impact of fathers’ family-of-origin experiences on co-parenting and to examine the indirect effects mediated by marital conflict and fathers’ psychological well-being. Methods: Data were collected from a sample of 250 fathers with preschool-aged children (aged 3 to 5). Fathers completed comprehensive questionnaires assessing their family-of-origin experiences, levels of marital conflict, psychological well-being, and perceptions of co-parenting. Results: The findings revealed several significant relationships. Firstly, fathers’ family-of-origin experiences had a notable direct impact on co-parenting. Secondly, these experiences indirectly influenced co-parenting through the pathway of marital conflict. Thirdly, fathers’ family-of-origin experiences indirectly affected coparenting through their psychological well-being. Additionally, fathers’ family-of-origin experiences had an indirect impact on co-parenting through sequential pathways involving marital conflict and psychological well-being. Specifically, stronger positive experiences from fathers' family-of-origin were associated with reduced levels of perceived marital conflict, leading to enhanced psychological well-being and more positive perceptions of co-parenting. Conclusion: This study enhances our understanding of the factors influencing co-parenting from the perspective of fathers. The results highlight the importance of interventions aimed at improving fathers’ perceptions of co-parenting, emphasizing reflection on family-of-origin experiences, resolution of marital conflicts, and enhancement of psychological well-being through targeted interventions. By addressing these areas, interventions may effectively promote positive co-parenting dynamics within families and contribute to overall family well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elective co-parenting families, meaning two (or more parents) who are not in a romantic relationship having a child together, are becoming more common amongst cisgender, heterosexual parents. The study of elective co-parenting families offers researchers a unique opportunity to decouple co-parenting relationships from romantic relationships, but little research to date has explored their experiences. This study explored two research questions: why do individuals decide to enter into elective co-parenting arrangements? And how do they manage their co-parenting arrangement and their relationship with their co-parent? Interview data from 10 elective co-parents (5 mothers and 5 fathers) were analyzed according to the principles of reflexive thematic analysis. Sociological theorisations of family practices, family display and family thinking were utilized to make sense of the data. The results centred around two organizing themes ('Reproducing the traditional family' and 'Modernising the traditional family'), and participants experienced a tension between these two ideas. Participants aimed to manage their co-parenting relationship with shared values and friendship, but defining their relationship was complex and gendered parenting patterns were ubiquitous. Findings add nuance to theorisations of family life and demonstrate that traditional parenthood ideologies remain pervasive, as parents aim to imagine and pursue parenthood on their own terms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study utilized structural equation modeling with secondary Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study data (N = 1,267) to examine the relations between paternal economic hardship, nonresident father involvement, and co-parenting. Findings showed that paternal economic hardship (Year 5) was associated with higher child-reported father–child closeness (p <.05), but lower father-reported co-parenting (p <.05), at Year 9. Higher mother-reported co-parenting (Year 9) was associated with increased mother-reported father involvement (p <.001) at Year 9. Findings underscore the importance of including multiple perspectives, and practical implications include the need for practitioners to foster healthy co-parenting relationships to concurrently increase nonresident father involvement among racially/ethnically diverse and low-income fathers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to explore the challenges faced by Kenyan mothers in breastfeeding and provide valuable lessons for fathers and other stakeholders. By understanding the unique circumstances and preferences of Kenyan mothers, we can promote effective co-parenting and support systems. The purpose of this study is to investigate the challenges and needs of Kenyan mothers in breastfeeding and provide guidance for fathers, healthcare providers, policymakers, and other stakeholders in supporting breastfeeding in Kenya. Based on existing literature sourced from PUBMED and Google Scholar, relevant papers were reviewed. Cultural, socioeconomic and maternal well-being breastfeeding challenges were synthesized and presented. The major factors influencing WHO breastfeeding recommendations in Kenya are socioeconomic factors and cultural factors. Integrated promotion and intervention strategies that aim at achieving optimal breastfeeding recommendations and practices in the country are needed. Kenyan women need support from the fathers of the babies, healthcare workers, the community, and relevant policymakers. Fathers need to be educated more on breastfeeding in order to support mothers, and access to lactation support needs to be improved at healthcare facilities and workplaces.

Introduction: Developmental research has traditionally focused on parenting behaviors such as nurturance and care, due to a focus on mothers' behaviors. Other parenting dimensions such as parental playfulness (i.e., use of creativity, imagination, and humor during parent--child interactions) have comparatively received little attention. Although some measures tap into parents' and children's playfulness, these measures are limited. Indeed, they do not assess multiple domains of playfulness (i.e., both parents' and the child's playfulness) or focus on one specific setting such as children's play with peers. Additionally, existing measures do not consider parents' reactions to their partners' playfulness. To address this gap, we created the Playful Parenting Style Questionnaire (PPSQ), which assesses three domains of playfulness: (a) parental domain, (b) child domain, and (c) partner domain. The current study is part of a validation effort of the PPSQ using a quantitative design. We aimed to explore the structure of the PPSQ by conducting an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) for each domain of playfulness; and assess the construct validity of the PPSQ factors by examining the association between factors and existing measures of playful parenting, child playfulness, and co-parenting. Method: The sample includes 347 parents (294 mothers and 53 fathers) of preschool/school-age children (M = 5.10 years; 182 girls, 127 boys). Parents were mostly White (76%) and from a low socioeconomic risk background. Parents completed a series of online questionnaires including the PPSQ, 3 existing measures of parent playfulness (Parental Playfulness Questionnaire; Adult Playfulness Scale; Challenging Parenting Behavior Scale), 2 existing measures of child playfulness (Child Behavior Inventory; Children's Playfulness Scale), a coparenting instrument (Co-parenting Relationship Scale), and sociodemographic information. Results: The EFA revealed 4 factors for parental playfulness, 1 factor for child playfulness, and 3 factors for partner's playfulness. The construct validity analyses identified multiple associations indicating convergence with existing measures for the parent and partners domain but not the child factor. Discussion: This study allowed for a better understanding of the playful dynamics that occur within a family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to explore the challenges faced by Kenyan mothers in breastfeeding and provide valuable lessons for fathers and other stakeholders. By understanding the unique circumstances and preferences of Kenyan mothers, we can promote effective co-parenting and support systems. The purpose of this study is to investigate the challenges and needs of Kenyan mothers in breastfeeding and provide guidance for fathers, healthcare providers, policymakers, and other stakeholders in supporting breastfeeding in Kenya. Based on existing literature sourced from PUBMED and Google Scholar, relevant papers were reviewed. Cultural, socioeconomic and maternal well-being breastfeeding challenges were synthesized and presented. The major factors influencing WHO breastfeeding recommendations in Kenya are socioeconomic factors and cultural factors. Integrated promotion and intervention strategies that aim at achieving optimal breastfeeding recommendations and practices in the country are needed. Kenyan women need support from the fathers of the babies, healthcare workers, the community, and relevant policymakers. Fathers need to be educated more on breastfeeding in order to support mothers, and access to lactation support needs to be improved at healthcare facilities and at workplaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This qualitative study examines experiences of unilateral and bidirectional violence in a sample of 17 fathers experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV). Most of the fathers experienced at least one other challenge including: mental health concerns, incarceration, substance use issues, and/or child maltreatment. Ten of the fathers in this sample reside in urban areas and seven reside in rural locales. The focus of this study was to understand fathers' experiences of unidirectional and bidirectional IPV, as well as differences experienced by fathers in the rural and urban samples. This study is a secondary analysis of data from two qualitative studies in order to examine fathers' experiences of IPV. Thematic analysis was utilized to examine verbatim transcripts from participant interviews. Four main themes emerged: bidirectional violence, use of weapons and pseudo weapons, motives for violence, and co-occurring factors. Results indicate the frequency and severity of bilateral IPV. The findings highlight the importance of understanding context and the need for a thorough assessment of individual and family challenges in order to provide effective treatment. This study increases our knowledge of IPV experienced by fathers in rural areas. Additionally, the importance of educating future clinicians on the prevalence of bidirectional IPV is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to document the preferences of fathers in accessing and using parenting supports and to investigate the influence of a range of family contextual factors including paternal mental health, child disability, the co-parenting relationship and parenting sense of efficacy on fathers' help-seeking. Participants included a representative sample of 1,044 fathers of zero- to 18-year-olds. Results suggest that most fathers feel supported in their parenting role and rely on their own efforts (e.g. online searches) for information to support their parenting in preference to in-person interactions with professionals or attendance at groups. The co-parenting relationship and paternal mental health were also identified as important factors impacting on paternal help-seeking behaviours. These results from one of the largest surveys of fathers of its kind provide credible insights into the parenting help-seeking experiences and support needs of fathers, with clear implications for policy makers and service providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary objective of this study is to assess co-parenting research through bibliometric analysis. The documents under evaluation were sourced from the Web of Science (WoS) database. Initially, 473 studies were were retrieved using keyword "co-parenting". Subsequently, after applying exclusion criteria, a comprehensive bibliometric and content analysis was conducted on the remaining 421 articles. These studies were classified and visually represented based on their characteristics. It was determined that the studies evaluated within the scope of the study were conducted between 1981 and 2023. The analysis revealed that the author with the highest number of publications was O. Cohen and the most productive institution was "University of Toronto". Co-parenting, divorce, parenting, and fathers emerged as the most frequently recurring keywords through co-keyword analysis. Furthermore, the study titled "The internal structure and ecological context of co-parenting: A framework for research and intervention" was identified as the most cited study through co-reference analysis. The study concludes that Paul R. Amato was the most influential author in the co-citation analysis, while Marsha Kline Pruett was the most influential author in the co-author analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Fathers' mental health, parenting practices and co-parenting relationships have a powerful effect on child development. The paucity of research on the parenting strengths and support needs of fathers of children across childhood and adolescence compels the current study addressing the parenting experiences of a large sample of fathers of birth to 18-year-old children. OBJECTIVE: The study aims address: (1) differences in the views of mothers and fathers regarding their parenting practices, sense of parenting efficacy, mental health and the co-parenting relationship; (2) investigation of factors affecting fathers' mental health; (3) exploration of fathers' views about the co-parenting relationship; and (4) examination of influences on fathers' parenting. METHODS: The study involves secondary analysis of data collected from the first wave of the Australian Parenting Today in Victoria study, conducted in 2016 (N = 2600 mothers and fathers) involving 1044 fathers (40% of the sample) recruited through random dialling of landline and mobile numbers to produce a representative sample of parents of children 0–18 years. RESULTS: Results demonstrate a positive picture of fathering at a population level - most reported (a) high levels of parenting self-efficacy, (b) using positive parenting strategies, (c) talking to their children directly when their children experience problems, and (d) feeling supported by their parenting partner in their role as fathers. Nevertheless, important areas of need are identified. Fathers' reports of mental health challenges were associated with reduced parenting sense of efficacy and reduced opportunities for positive father-child interactions. While most fathers reported good partner support, this was often in contrast to mothers' views. CONCLUSIONS: These results from one of the largest surveys of fathers of its kind provide credible insights into the experiences and support needs of fathers, with clear implications for policy makers and service providers responsible for designing and delivering supports for fathers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Help-seeking to assist with the care of their child is common for parents who co-parent their child with neurodisabilities (ND), yet little is known about how such a journey unfolds. This article presents the Journey of Ladders and Snakes, a theoretical representation of the help-seeking experience of mothers and fathers, living together or apart, who co-parent their child with ND. Mothers and fathers from 6 co-parenting dyads each participated in individual, semi-structured interviews about their process of help-seeking for their child and for themselves within informal (e.g., family, friends) and formal (e.g., health and social service organizations) networks of support. Designed, conducted, and analyzed according to Constructive Grounded Theory principles, the study's results describe: (i) a highly emotive help-seeking journey that stems from a place of grief, encompassing complementary parent roles that were experienced as both exhaustingly demanding and connecting; (ii) ladders and snakes that aided and/or challenged helpseeking; (iii) gendered differences in their experience of the help-seeking process; (iv) gaps in the availability of meaningful supports. This study takes into account the voices of both mothers and fathers, highlighting the importance of understanding the experiences of both parents, individually and as co-seekers, in order to provide optimum support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Co-parenting relationships have a significant impact on the involvement of all fathers. Fathers who report better relationships with the mother of their child report less parenting stress and more positive parenting strategies. We explore the impact of a group-based male-led and father-focused intervention on co-parenting behaviors of 385 Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black fathers. Multivariable linear mixed effects regression was used to evaluate the association of time period (pre-intervention vs. post-intervention) on co-parenting behaviors of undermining, alliance, and gatekeeping. The intervention had an impact on experiences of undermining (p = .002), but showed no significant impact on alliance or gatekeeping. There was significant difference in all subscales by father’s ethnicity with Hispanic men reporting less undermining (p = .001), more alliance (p = .001), and less gatekeeping (p = .021) than non-Hispanic Black men. Time spent with child was predictive of father’s reports of co-parenting experiences on all three subscales. Implications for group-based father-focused interventions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In light of the continued racism and oppression experienced by Black Americans in the United States, ethnic-racial socialization—explicit and implicit messages about the meaning and significance of race—remains a critical process among Black families. However, one aspect of the ethnic-racial socialization process about which there is limited research concerns the ways in which Black parenting couples navigate this process together. Building on our prior work exploring Black coparenting related to ethnic-racial socialization (Jones & Neblett, 2019), the purpose of this study was to explore whether distinct dyadic profiles of ethnic-racial socialization exist among Black couples. Using latent profile analysis of dyadic data from 59 Black mixed gender couples (42 married, 17 cohabiting), three patterns of Black couple socialization emerged. Balanced and Higher (N = 40) couples tended to have similar message delivered between mothers and fathers, with overall higher frequency. Among Low Mother Egalitarian (N = 15) couples, mothers were significantly less likely to deliver messages centering on equality among racial groups. Lastly, High Mother Socialization (N = 4) was characterized by mothers who reported greater racial pride and egalitarian messages relative to their male counterparts. In addition, sociodemographic and race-related correlates that distinguished these dyadic patterns were identified. Implications and future directions for supporting Black families in the ethnic-racial socialization process. Highlights: There appear to be distinct patterns of ethnic-racial socialization among Black, different gender parenting couples. Although in most couples mothers and fathers provide messages at a similar frequency, some couples are identified by either mothers of fathers providing greater messages. Dyadic patterns of ethnic-racial socialization are associated with a number of racially relevant factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Behavioral regulation mediated between co-parenting and academic readiness. • The mediation process did not differ by child gender. • Fathers' parenting did not mediate between co-parenting and child outcomes. Co-parenting quality has frequently been linked to young children's social–emotional functioning, but limited research has focused on the relationship between co-parenting and children's early academic skills, or the underlying mechanisms through which co-parenting influences children's development. Using data collected from urban China, the present study examined how fathers' perceptions of co-parenting quality was related to their preschool-aged children's academic readiness (i.e., receptive vocabulary, reading, early math; N = 336), and whether father's parenting practices and children's behavioral regulation mediated the link between co-parenting quality and child outcomes. Findings suggested that the relation between co-parenting quality and children's academic readiness was mediated by children's behavioral regulation. However, fathers' parenting practices were not related to children's academic readiness, nor did fathers' parenting practices mediate the relations between co-parenting and child outcomes. The present findings were consistent between boys and girls. That is, the mediating process did not differ as a function of child gender. The study highlights the importance of fostering a quality co-parenting relationship to better support children's development of behavioral regulation and academic readiness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent extensions to life history theory posit that exposure to environmental unpredictability during childhood should forecast negative parental behaviors in adulthood. In the current research, this logic was extended to co-parental behaviors, which refer to how parents coordinate, share responsibility, and support each other's parental efforts. The effects of early-life unpredictability on individual and dyadic co-parental functioning were examined in a sample of 109 families (two parents and their firstborn child) who were followed longitudinally from before the child's birth until the age of two. Greater early-life unpredictability (family changes, residential changes, and parents' occupational changes by age 8) experienced by mothers, but not fathers, predicted more negative co-parental behaviors in triadic observations 6 months post birth, and lower couple-reported co-parenting quality assessed 3, 9, 18, and 24 months post birth. These effects were not explained by parents' childhood socioeconomic status or current relationship quality. These findings highlight the role of mothers in shaping co-parenting relationships and how these relationships might be influenced by mothers' early-life experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several programs that address responsible fatherhood exist; however, these programs need strategic evaluation and appropriate tools to measure success of the programs. The goal of this research was to understand the structure and psychometric properties of a father involvement measure used to assess the change in parenting and co-parenting behaviors of fathers in a child welfare program. Analyses used secondary data from a father parenting program, with a retrospective pretest–posttest design. Participants were fathers (N = 361) who attended a parenting program in three large counties in the North Texas region. Missing data diagnosis and exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed on 13 items to investigate scale structure and psychometric properties. The following three factors with adequate to good internal consistency emerged: self-efficacy, parenting (emotional and physical support), and co-parenting skills. Fit indices showed good model fit for pretest items and a moderate fit for posttest items. The survey instrument demonstrates potential to be adapted to diverse populations, other languages and cultures to further expand program components. Based on the findings, future research should utilize more items to enhance the alpha reliability of the scales. Furthermore, revised scales can be validated across diverse populations based on socioeconomic, ethnicity, and cultural backgrounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the mediational role of co-parenting in the association between marital satisfaction and child adjustment, by exploring the conditional indirect effect by parental empathy. Using a sample of 101 Italian father-mother dyads with school-aged children, we administered to parents a series of measures in order to assess marital satisfaction, co-parenting, parents' empathic skills and children's adjustment. We computed conditional indirect analyses in order to analyze the mediational role of co-parenting in the associations between marital satisfaction and child adjustment. Consequently, we computed a moderated mediated model in order to explore if mothers' and fathers' empathic skills moderated the mediating role of co-parenting. Our findings showed that lower levels of co-parenting mediated the associations between mothers and fathers marital dissatisfaction and children's behavioral problems. Results also showed that this effect was moderated by parent's empathic skills, such that mediation is stronger for those with lower empathic competencies (moderated mediation). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores features of post-separation co-parenting from fathers' perspectives in men with and without a history of domestic violence (DV). Co-parenting interview data from 20 fathers were randomly selected from a larger, longitudinal study (Fathers and Kids) conducted in Toronto, Canada, examining how domestically violent fathers impact children's development. Using thematic analysis, three themes were created for separated fathers without a history of DV: I value my ex-partner's involvement with our child; we're good as co-parents; and how we co-parent impacts our child. Two themes were created for DV fathers: my ex-partner is a bad mother; and my ex-partner is responsible for our difficulties co-parenting. These themes indicate markedly different perspectives between the two groups, specifically in valuing versus disparaging their ex-partner, cooperation versus blame, and recognition versus no recognition of the potential impact of ongoing co-parenting conflict on children. The nature of the differences between groups highlights the need to assess and support fathers with a history of DV as co-parents, and indicates possible targets of intervention for fathering programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Long-standing suboptimal breastfeeding rates suggest the design of interventions to assist parents in meeting international recommendations is warranted. Targeting both parents is necessary given research that indicates partner support for breastfeeding increases initiation, duration and exclusivity. The objective of this study was to determine maternal and paternal satisfaction with the intervention they received while participating in a co-parenting breastfeeding support trial. Design This study was part of a larger randomized controlled trial, which took place in Toronto, Canada between March and July 2012. The co-parenting breastfeeding support intervention was delivered to 107 mothers and 107 fathers in the intervention group. Intervention Intervention group participants were exposed to (1) an in-hospital discussion with a lactation consultant, (2) a breastfeeding booklet entitled Breastfeeding Matters , (3) an evidence-based co-parenting workbook, (4) a website with co-parenting and breastfeeding information, (5) a co-parenting DVD, (6) supportive emails to parents at week 1 and 3 postpartum, and (7) a proactive telephone call at two weeks postpartum. Measurements Mothers and fathers in the intervention group completed a survey with questions regarding their experience with the intervention components and satisfaction with the content on involving fathers, co-parenting, and breastfeeding, and the diverse modes of information delivery. Findings All mothers (n=107, 100%) and the majority of fathers (n =105, 98%) received at least one component of the intervention. The most highly utilized component was the Breastfeeding Matters booklet (mothers n=90, 90%; fathers n=67, 72%). The in-hospital discussion was the component the most fathers (n=77, 82.8%) and mothers (n=82, 82%) agreed was helpful. All intervention components were utilized and reported as helpful by mothers and fathers. Implications for Practice Providing information to parents on breastfeeding, including fathers, and co-parenting was well received by parents. Information should target both parents and be delivered in a variety of modes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Objective Traditionally breastfeeding education programs target mothers solely. The objective of this study was to design and pilot test an interactive eHealth breastfeeding co-parenting resource developed to target both mothers and fathers. eHealth resources provide an accessible and engaging format on which to educate parents and assist them in meeting their breastfeeding goals. Best practices to design such resources are not currently known. Design A three phase pilot study was conducted. The three phases included conducting a needs assessment, creating the resource and pilot testing the resource with mother, father and health care professionals to determine their perspectives regarding the usability and design of the prototype resource. The interactive prototype resource was designed to provide information to parents on breastfeeding and co-parenting, which included suggestions on how fathers can be involved and support breastfeeding and how the couples can work as a team to meet their breastfeeding goals. Setting: Recruitment took place in a health region in Southern Ontario, Canada between June 2014 and March 2015. Online questionnaires were completed by participants in all phases of the study.Participants: Participants (n=149) were pregnant or new mothers and their partners in the health region who read and speak English and had access to the internet and health care professionals who work with breastfeeding families in Ontario, Canada. Intervention A prototype eHealth breastfeeding co-parenting resource was developed based on maternal and paternal feedback from Phase I and utilized an interactive interface which included games and multimodal information delivery. The prototype eHealth resource was provided to the parents in Phase II and health care professionals in Phase III. The final resource was created based on feedback from these participants. Measurements and Findings The resource was pilot tested with new and expectant parents using pre- and post-test questionnaires which included measures for breastfeeding self-efficacy (Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Short Form), infant feeding attitude (Iowa Infant Feeding Attitude Scale), breastfeeding knowledge (Breastfeeding Knowledge Questionnaire) and co-parenting relationship (Co-parenting Relationship Scale). Maternal and paternal breastfeeding self-efficacy and knowledge and infant feeding attitude scores all increased from pre-test to post-test. However, there was no difference in the co-parenting relationship scores from pretest to post-test. Key Conclusions This study has used feedback from parents and health professionals to develop a prototype resource which appears to be effective in increasing parents’ breastfeeding knowledge, attitude and self-efficacy. The prototype resource was rated positively by parents and health care providers. Implications for Practice An eHealth breastfeeding co-parenting resource designed with input from the target population is an effective way of providing information to mothers and fathers. Further research with a randomized controlled design and more diverse populations is needed to determine effectiveness of the resource on breastfeeding duration and exclusivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the experiences of incarcerated fathers, their perceptions of fatherhood, and the nature of their involvement with their children. Fifty-one incarcerated fathers confined at two minimum security correctional facilities were interviewed approximately one month prior to their release from prison. A qualitative content analysis revealed detailed description pertaining to participants' feelings of helplessness and the difficulties of being a "good father" while in prison. Incarceration represented a dormant period for men in terms of fatherhood, and reentry signified an opportunity to "start over" with their children. Finally, father involvement was profoundly constrained during incarceration, and men were entirely dependent on nonincarcerated mothers or caregivers for contact with children. Many fathers perceived mothers' gatekeeping, or efforts to prevent contact, as evidence of their powerlessness. Recommendations for future research and intervention are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is based on current research and theory that suggests that divorce creates fundamental changes in the organization of families in terms of gender. We use feminist theory, with its elevation of gender to a central category of analysis, to begin to explain the mechanisms that shape fathers' responses to divorce. Based on a review of narratives from 20 nonresidential, recently divorced fathers, we found that divorce prompted a transformation for these men in terms of their families' gender relations of power. Men occupied positions of relative privilege when married, and divorce called this status into question. The relational and legal changes prompted by divorce signified a loss of access and authority to which many of the research participants felt entitled. Changes in the gender order in families influenced men's constructions of masculinity. Moreover, an examination of gender and social class as components of an interacting system illustrates the constraints that class position imposed on men as they negotiated postdivorce family relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the radical changes in fatherhood since Freud formulated his Oedipal theories on the basis of the patriarchal family 100 years ago. It attempts to describe the increasing marginalization of the modern father due to the significant social changes brought about by the wars of this century, by the liberation of women, the rise of feminism and the consequent weakening of family structures. It explores the modern diversity of fathering, mothering and parenting: single parenting, step-parenting, co-parenting and absent fathers. Also included is a discussion on the development of IVF techniques, which enables fathers to function as mere sperm donors, and women to produce children with the help of modern technology, from frozen sperm, embryo implanting and surrogacy. Questions about the ongoing validity of Freud's Oedipal theories are asked. Concern about the ethics of 'designer' babies is expressed, and the decline of the modern family is captured in a series of clinical vignettes which provide evidence for the psychic complications experienced by children who have grown up into this 'bright new world'. What is the role for the counsellor and psychotherapist in this scenario? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Therapeutic/Interventionist model of family mediation were applied as underlying framework. • ADCPI is the first co-parenting intervention among Iranian divorced parents. • ADCPI is an affective intervention in reducing parenting stress. Divorce is a stressful life event with rising prevalence around the world. Following a parental divorce, adolescents who live in a single-parent arrangement, experience more negative effects of divorce than those who benefit from a co-parenting arrangement. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of an after-divorce co-parenting intervention on parenting stress among Iranian adults. This study was a randomized control trial with two groups (intervention and control groups) conducted in Tehran, Iran. Participants were recruited through the internet using volunteers and clients of the State Welfare Organization of Tehran. Sixty-two eligible parents were randomly allocated to intervention or control groups and were assessed at baseline and after the intervention. The intervention group received After Divorce Coparenting Intervention (ADCPI) and the control group received no services. Mothers comprised majority of the custodial parents who participated in the study (91.9%). The majority of participants were divorced in the years after 2014 (88.7%). The results of paired sample t -test revealed the average of parenting stress scores were changed significantly at baseline (M ± SD = 111.87 ± 27.81) and post-intervention (M ± SD = 93.52 ± 25.49) in intervention group. The result suggests that ADCPI is an effective intervention in reducing parenting stress and could be included in after-divorce services in middle eastern countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Being a homemaker ... is surely in reality the most important work in the world. What do ships, railways, miners, cars, government etc exist for except that people may be fed, warmed, and safe in their own homes? ... So your job is the one for which all others exist... CS Lewis, excerpt from letter to Mrs Ashton, 1955. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]