Search

We examined co-parenting alliance based on information provided by 57 incarcerated parents and their corresponding child caregivers who took part in the Messages Project, in which incarcerated parents video recorded greetings to children that were then mailed home. We assessed perceptions of co-parenting alliance, measured by the Parenting Alliance Measure, and levels of child contact from both parents and caregivers. We also observed expressions of positive and negative attitudes that prisoners expressed regarding the home caregiver during the video recording. Incarcerated parents reported more frequent phone contact with children and more frequent letter-writing to children than did home caregivers. Incarcerated parents likewise reported higher levels of co-parenting alliance with the home caregiver in comparison to the assessment of co-parenting alliance reported by the home caregiver. Among children observing the video recorded message, a more positive co-parenting alliance between their parent and home caregiver was associated with increased positive mood. More frequent displays of negative attitudes toward caregivers during the recordings were associated with more negative mood indicators among children. Results suggest the importance of a strong co-parenting alliance between incarcerated parents and home caregivers, but imply that incarcerated parents may have a more optimistic view of their connection home than is the case for collaborating caregivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study seeks to identify parental communication and cooperation as predictors of successful co-parenting in Israel during the divorce process. Self-report questionnaires assessing three types of predictors (parent personality characteristics, social and contextual factors and child characteristics) were completed by 123 divorcing mothers and 94 divorcing fathers. Two stepwise hierarchical regressions, one for parental communication and one for cooperation, showed that gender (female) and use of negotiation to resolve conflicts were the major predictors of both. These variables affected co-parenting both independently and in interaction with the personality characteristics of defense mechanism use and optimism. The differential contributions support the hypothesis of communication and cooperation as separate components of successful co-parenting, and the value of studying both. Clinically, these findings may be used to help improve co-parenting during divorce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The literature indicates a variety of factors that contribute to adolescent well-being: among these, the parent-adolescent relationship has a key role. The present article offered an overview of studies on parent-adolescent relationships across diverse family forms, not limited to the traditional family but also including "non-traditional" and "modern" families. To do so, this article described the evolution of the concept of family over the last fifty years and traced the significant family variables that guarantee adolescent well-being. Additionally, this article discussed the changes that occurred in family research, shifting from studies that considered only the family structure to more recent studies that investigated family processes and contextual factors. Overall, the reviewed studies indicated that the quality of parent-adolescent relationship, the interparental conflict and the consequent spillover effect on the child subsystem, and the changes in the economic situation following parental separation/divorce override the effect of the family structure. Finally, this article pointed out the need to examine, in the future research, adolescent well-being across diverse families by adopting more fine-grained methodologies, collecting data from the entire family system, and using a multi-method assessment to obtain a more ecological view of family complexity.

While a link between co-parenting conflict and academic performance is frequently assumed, studies on this association have shown inconsistent results. In addition, academic engagement and depression can potentially mediate the association between co-parenting conflict and academic performance. However, studies have not tested this proposition. This paper examined the direct effect of co-parenting conflict on adolescent academic performance and the mediating effect of academic engagement and depression. Using data from a nationally representative survey, the 2020 China Family Panel Studies (CFPS), we constructed a sample of 1989 dyads of adolescents (aged 10 to 15) and their primary caregivers in China. The structural equation model analysis revealed that co-parenting conflict was not directly linked with academic performance but was indirectly associated with adolescent academic performance through academic engagement and depression. The findings provide empirical support that academic engagement and depression play important mediating roles in the relationship between co-parenting conflict and adolescent academic performance. Future intervention programs aimed at promoting adolescent academic performance may consider a family-oriented approach to identify adolescents from families with co-parenting conflict and provide them with professional support.

Parental burnout refers to the feelings of extreme exhaustion that many parents experience due to parenting. Although parental burnout has received considerable interest from researchers, the effects and mechanisms of parental burnout on adolescents' physical and psychological development remain largely unknown. This study investigated the relationship between parental burnout and adolescents' problem behaviors in Chinese families. We explored the mediating roles of family function, parental psychological aggression, and adolescent self-control, as well as the moderating role of co-parenting. Questionnaires were distributed to 600 adolescents and their primary caregivers, and the data were collected on three different occasions. In total, 174 paired participants completed the survey (44.9% boys; Mean-age = 14.18 years). Bootstrapping results showed that parental burnout was positively associated with adolescents' problem behavior. In addition, family function, parental psychological aggression, and adolescent self-control mediated the relationship between parental burnout and adolescents' problem behavior. Co-parenting moderated the effects of parental burnout on family function and parental psychological aggression. The result of structural equation modeling (SEM) generally supported the above results. These findings reveal the negative effects and mechanisms of parental burnout on adolescent problem behavior, providing empirical evidence that can be applied to prevent the negative effects of parental burnout.

The co-parenting relationship matters for postdivorce parental adjustment. This study explores the relative impact of different forms of co-parenting behaviors, coupled with an individual's psychological resources, in explaining parent mental health in recently divorced or separated parents ( n = 355). A latent variable structural equation model was fit to examine pathways between dimensions of co-parenting (support, overt conflict, self-controlled covert conflict, and externally controlled covert conflict), various psychological resources (satisfaction with the divorce decree, perceived competence of the co-parent, and self-efficacy), and adverse mental health symptomology . Significant direct pathways were identified between overt co-parenting conflict and adverse mental health. Indicators of co-parenting quality were tied differentially to various resources. Indirect effects were found for both self-controlled covert conflict and overt conflict on adverse mental health symptomology through self-efficacy. Leverage points and considerations for health professionals and practitioners working with divorcing parents are discussed.

• What is already known about the topic? • Grandparents involvement in infant care is increasing worldwide, giving rise to a new phenomenon known as "intergenerational co-parenting." • During the postpartum period, support from the father and grandmother play a significant role in supporting a woman's transition to motherhood. • The quality of intergenerational co-parenting between parents and grandparents will have both short and long-term effects on the psychological health of the child and the members of the family • Studies on intergenerational co-parenting are still in their infancy, and no consensus has been reached on the concept. • What this paper adds • A conceptual framework for studies on intergenerational co-parenting during the postpartum period was built in this concept analysis. • The clarification of the concept of intergenerational co-parenting will help researchers to conduct in-depth studies of it and to identify its characteristics. • Public health interventions should address the intergenerational co-parenting relationship when supporting families where two generations are involved in infant care. • Parenting services that support the transition to parenthood should also involve grandparents and focus on shared parenting responsibilities, the intergenerational negotiation of expected roles and identities among the co-parenting team, and the parenting decision making between two generations. With the increasing involvement of women in the workforce, the involvement of grandparents in infant care is a phenomenon that is climbing worldwide. Studies on intergenerational co-parenting are still in their infancy, and no consensus has been reached on the concept. The aim here is to explore the antecedents, attributes, and consequences of intergenerational co-parenting and clarify the concept of intergenerational co-parenting specifically during the postpartum period. The Rodgers' evolutionary framework (2000) for concept analysis was adopted to guide the process of developing, clarifying, and refining the concept of "intergenerational co-parenting." A total of 14 original articles on intergenerational co-parenting covering the postpartum period were included. Six attributes were identified from the literature: division of labor on infant care between parents and grandparents, generational boundaries, intergenerational transmission, reciprocal support between parents and grandparents in infant care, commitment on parenting decisions between parents and grandparents, and intergenerational communication. Sharing the responsibility of childrearing with grandparents, the development stage of the family, family structure, and cultural origins were antecedents of intergenerational co-parenting that emerged from the literature. The consequences of intergenerational co-parenting included the mother's parenting self-efficacy, the psychological health of both the grandparents and parents, the co-parenting relationship between the couple, and the intergenerational relationship. Based on the identified antecedents, attributes, and consequences of intergenerational co-parenting, and a definition of the concept of intergenerational co-parenting during the postpartum period of first-time parents, a conceptual framework was proposed. The conceptual framework will serve as a platform for developing a supportive program for intergenerational co-parenting in the postpartum period and for related research. To improve the intergenerational co-parenting relationship, postpartum interventions should involve both generations who are involved in infant care. In addition, the components of division of labor, generational boundaries, mutual support between the generations on infant care, the commitment on parenting decision-making within two generations, and skills of intergenerational communication should be considered in intergenerational co-parenting interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study tested young adults’ feelings of being caught between their parents as mediators of co-parental communication (i.e., supportive and antagonistic communication) and young adults’ mental health and relational satisfaction with parents. Participants included 493 young adult children from intact and divorced families. For participants from intact families, feeling caught mediated indirect effects for both supportive and antagonistic co-parental communication on satisfaction with mothers and mental health symptoms, though direct effects for supportive co-parental communication on all three outcomes remained. For participants from divorced families, however, feeling caught emerged as a mediator only of antagonistic co-parental communication and mental health symptoms. Collectively, the results suggest that feeling caught may function as a mechanism linking co-parental communication to children’s adjustment. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Parental gatekeeping refers to parents' attitudes and actions that serve to affect the quality of the other parent's relationship and involvement with the child. It captures a common statutory best interest factor that often becomes the center of child custody disputes, especially in relocation cases. Gatekeeping research is reviewed for its relevance to family court and child custody evaluation. Divorce conflict and litigation is expected to be associated with negative, restrictive gatekeeping. A conceptual framework for gatekeeping is presented for child custody evaluation. Scholars have proposed a gatekeeping continuum varying from very restrictive to very facilitative in coparenting attitudes and actions. Research allows for a general prediction of potential harm to the child when there is substantial restrictive gatekeeping. The concept of social capital is proposed as an efficient explanation of the 'gatekeeping effect' on children of divorce. Evaluators are cautioned not to confuse restrictive gatekeeping attitudes and behaviors. Restrictive/negative attitudes are normative among custody litigants. Children's adjustment will be affected more by the level and quality of parental involvement than by parental gatekeeping attitudes. Evaluators are encouraged to identify specific gate-closing and gate-opening behaviors in a gatekeeping assessment. Implications for crafting parenting plans are discussed. Keypoints Gatekeeping varies along continuum from facilitative to restrictive gatekeeping., Maternal gatekeeping attitudes influence father's involvement and affects child adjustment., Restrictive gatekeeping fosters parental conflict., It is important to distinguish between restrictive gatekeeping attitudes and behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the individual and joint relationships of mature and immature defense mechanisms and the use of negotiation as a conflict resolution strategy with the co-parenting of divorcing couples. The responses of 71 divorcing couples to the study questionnaires were analyzed using the Actor–Partner Interdependence Model. Findings showed that both conscious use of negotiation and unconscious use of mature defense mechanisms for the purpose of conflict resolution were associated with the co-parenting of those parents who possessed these qualities, and that where one parent used mature defense mechanisms, the other participated more in his or her children’s lives and showed more cooperation. Almost all actor effects were forms of increased participation in the children’s lives. The lack of partner effects in the case of immature defense mechanisms and positive use of negotiation was discussed, and clinical implications were presented. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective: Fathers are seldom the focus of efforts to address child maltreatment and little is currently known about the effectiveness of intervention for this population. To address this gap, we examined the efficacy of a community-based group treatment program for fathers who had abused or neglected their children or exposed their children to domestic violence. Methods: Using a sample of 98 group participants, we examined the magnitude and clinical significance of pre- to post-intervention changes in parenting, co-parenting and generalized aggression. Results: Intervention led to considerable changes in fathers’ over-reactivity to children's misbehavior and respect for their partner's commitment and judgment, with results being statistically significant, medium in size, moving mean scores into the normative range and with 36–43% of men who initially scored in the clinical range recovering by the end of intervention. Changes in other domains were also evident though of lesser magnitude. Conclusions: Although this study is limited in length of follow-up and the lack of a control group, results are promising for continued development of fathering interventions for this population of high-risk men. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The study examines the association between the financial and employment status of 71 Israeli couples in the process of divorce and their co-parenting, as measured by participation in their children's lives, communication about their children, consideration for the other parent's childcare needs, and inter-spousal tension and hostility. Its findings show that each parent's self-reported financial status was associated with both their own and the other parent's co-parenting. Most predominantly, its findings point to the differential effects financial status and employment have on divorcing mothers and fathers. These findings are discussed in relation to the 'gender contract' still prevalent among many parental units in Israel. Conclusions emphasizing the importance of relating to financial issues during the divorce process itself are presented, alongside their derivative implications for practitioners and policy makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, originally a presentation, the author discusses creating a family and raising a son with another couple as four co-parents. The couples had wedding plans when their son was young but were forced to postpone their union as California law changed. The author reviews her family's odyssey of marriage plans interrupted and then fulfilled and the impact of the resultant legal complexities on her son. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

ABSTRACT Despite the growing emphasis on co-parenting in family life, little is known about the co-parenting relationships of adoptive parents. This study examined the contributions of socioeconomic status (SES), child demands and couple relationship characteristics to reported co-parenting quality among adoptive mothers. Mail questionnaires were administered to 94 adoptive mothers in a Midwestern state. Regression results revealed that SES and child demands were largely unrelated to co-parenting quality, while couple relationship characteristics (dyadic coping, dyadic adjustment and conflict resolution) contributed significantly to co-parenting quality. Further, the co-parenting dimensions revealed different patterns of relatedness with the independent variables, providing support for the notion that co-parenting is a multidimensional construct. Implications for social work research and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Literature demonstrates that marital and co-parenting subsystems are intercorrelated and have autonomous functions in the family system. This study explored representations of marital negotiation strategies for conflict resolution during marriage and parenting alliance relationship after divorce, using data from Portuguese newly divorced parents. In multiple regression analysis, representations of marital negotiation strategies for conflict resolution during marriage used by ex-spouses predict positive parenting alliance relationship after divorce. These results suggest that representations of pre-divorce marital relationship influence positively current interparental relationship regarding child rearing after marital dissolution. Implications for clinical interventions are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, it is proposed the contribution of the attachment theory for understanding adults' adjustment processes to their divorce and how detachment to ex-spouse can infer in co-parenting relationships after marital dissolution. This article makes two theoretical assumptions that focus on two dimensions. The first hypothesis states that the divorce, while a relational process, should be read as a moment of loss that germinates similar psychological reactions to those experienced by widows. Bowlby describes it in his model of loss of the attachment figure as dependent on attachment styles of divorced adults. The second hypothesis argues that the post-divorce co-parenting relationships are predicted by the attachment styles and by the quality of parents' attachment reorganization. At the end, a theoretical integration is built, based on a proposal for future research in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an instrument for assessment of the perception that divorced parents have about the support they receive from their ex partners in the care for their children. The CARE (Cuestionario de Ayuda Recibida de la Ex pareja) is an 8-item questionnaire created in Spanish. Data were collected in four different samples of divorced and separated persons and their children from different autonomous Spanish communities. Participants were 223 parents and 160 children from divorced families. Factorial analysis came up with a single factor accounting for 41.76 percent of the total variance. The CARE has appropriate psychometric properties: high internal consistency according to Cronbach's alpha and convergent and discriminant construct validity, supported by its relations with measures of adaptation to divorce (CAD-S) in the case of the parents, and with behavioral problems (CBCL) in the case of the children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a pressing need for a structured method for assessing children's feelings about the behavior of parents and other family members that provides reliable and valid-rather than anecdotal-information to the court. This paper reviews available instruments and presents preliminary data on a new method for measuring children's perceptions of emotional security, positive parenting, negative parenting, and co-parenting. This instrument, the Structured Child Assessment of Relationships in Families (the 'SCARF'), is structured, interactive, and engaging to children age 4 to 14. Forty children undergoing custody evaluations were assessed. Evaluators, blind to the children's responses, rated the quality of parenting. A sample of 131 children was used to assess reliability. The SCARF was shown to be highly reliable and to correlate strongly with evaluator ratings of emotional security, positive parenting, and negative parenting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors discuss the implications of divorce and the effect that divorce has on the relationships between family members. Parents are encouraged to develop appropriate co-parental boundaries that direct and influence subsequent interactions between family members. Using an integration of solution-focused therapy and structural family therapy, a variation of the miracle question is suggested as a means to help parents gain confidence in making changes in behavior. The miracle question also is intended to help parents set new goals for themselves and increase the ability to cooperate and communicate as co-parents. A case study provides an example of this idea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The goal of this study was to identify links between observed conflict interactions and risk for child abuse and harsh parenting among a multiethnic sample of adolescent mothers (14–19 years) and young fathers (14–24 years). Methods: Prior to childbirth (T1), observation-based relationship data were collected from 154 expectant adolescent couples as well as information about physical aggression between partners. Two years after childbirth (T2), data relevant to harsh disciplinary practices and child abuse-prone attitudes were collected from both young mothers and fathers. Multiple regression analyses were run to examine the correspondence between (a) couples’ relationship quality prior to childbirth and (b) subsequent risk for harsh and potentially abusive parenting practices. Results: Findings indicated that interpartner violence prior to childbirth predicted physically punitive parenting behavior for fathers, but not for mothers. Young mothers and fathers observed to be more warmly engaged with each other during their pre-birth couple interactions (T1) reported lower rates of physically punitive parenting behavior with their children at T2. Couples’ hostility at T1 predicted fathers’ level of observed hostility toward his child during a structured play activity at T2. Conclusions: Results underscore the importance of addressing the quality of couples’ relations as means of preventing dysfunctional parenting practices among adolescent mothers and their partners. Adolescent mothers and their partners are at heightened risk for engaging in dysfunctional parenting, including child abuse. Focusing on pregnant adolescents and their partners, this study sought to identify interpersonal predictors of child abuse risk. Although this study did not involve administering prevention or intervention services, the goal was to test hypotheses that would inform the development of programs for young at-risk couples. Practice implications: The decision to recruit young couples prior to childbirth was based on the presumption that this period of time could provide a window of opportunity to administer couple-based child abuse prevention programs. Consistent with previous research on marital relations and parenting, results of this study support the idea that efforts to develop and administer preventive-intervention programs targeting at-risk couples could help reduce the occurrence of harsh parenting behavior and abuse. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Preadolescent children's aggressive behaviors are related to maladjustment in their later adult lives. A major factor influencing the continuity of aggressive behaviors is the family environment. This paper presents a family dynamic oriented group work that integrates concepts of co-parenting and bidirectionality. The goal of the group was to enhance aggressive children's social competence by promoting positive interactions within the family. The six-week group covered topics such as identifying parenting styles, supporting parental alliances, fostering mutuality among parents and their children, making demands on children, and responding to children's needs and negative emotions. Several themes emerged in the group process. These themes included parents (1) having insufficient time to be with their children or a busy lifestyle, (2) having little confidence in parenting, and (3) losing patience/getting angry. Pre-post single group tests showed that aggressive children's social competence was improved four weeks after the group ended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The co-parenting relationship has received increased attention from researchers and clinicians interested in divorce-related child adjustment. To supplement this growing interest, standardized assessment tools are needed to accurately describe co-parenting behavior. The Co-parenting Behavior Questionnaire (CBQ) is a child-report measure of parenting behaviors and competencies specific to the post-divorce environment. Further revision and psychometric analysis were necessary to address the limits imposed by small, unrepresentative samples used in the CBQ's initial development. The purpose of this study was to confirm the factor structure of the CBQ using a large, representative sample. Furthering validation helps to establish the CBQ as a superior measurement tool for assessing co-parenting behavior from a child's perspective. Potential clinical and research applications of this instrument are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This grounded theory study examined the processes by which women make custody decisions and manage co-parenting after divorce with abusive former husbands. Nineteen women who left abusive husbands were interviewed. Fears, pragmatic concerns, and family ideology pushed them toward custody agreements that continued their involvement with former husbands after divorce. Men who were controlling during marriage were very involved with children postdivorce and continued to exert control over mothers. As a result, women managed conflict, set boundaries, and resisted control in the context of ongoing fear. Postdivorce abuse, positive changes in fathers, and children's recognition of abuse influenced how women co-parented over time. Fears, pragmatic concerns, and family ideology continued to influence their decisions as they planned for the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a 2-component intervention for biological and foster parent (pairs) to improve parenting practices, co-parenting, and child externalizing problems. Participants were biological and foster parents (N = 128) of primarily neglected children (ages 3 to 10 years) placed in regular foster homes. Biological and foster parents were randomly assigned in pairs to the intervention (n = 80) or a usual care (n = 48) condition. Intervention families received a 12-week parenting course (Incredible Years) and a newly developed co-parenting component. Key findings included significant gains in positive parenting and collaborative co-parenting for both biological and foster parents at the end of the intervention. At follow-up, intervention parents sustained greater improvement in positive parenting, showed gains in clear expectations, and reported a trend for fewer child externalizing problems. Findings supported the feasibility of offering joint parenting training to meet the needs of participating families and demonstrated that the co-parenting construct applied to families in the foster care system was amenable to intervention. [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 study examines the relationship between divorced parents' modes of conflict management and two personality traits: self-differentiation, as defined by Bowen (1990), and narcissistic personality traits, using as its sample 100 Israeli divorcees, consisting of fifty ex-couples, with children. The findings show that the divorced parents' modes of conflict management style were affected both by their own levels of self-differentiation and narcissism and by the levels of these traits in their former spouses. Higher self-differentiation was associated with a lower propensity to use the attack mode among both the fathers and mothers. It was associated with a higher use of the compromise mode among the mothers but not among the fathers. Higher narcissism was associated with a higher level of the attack mode among the fathers but not among the mothers. In addition, the differentiation and narcissism of each of the ex-spouses contributed to the other's modes of conflict management style beyond the contribution made by their own personality traits. [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]

This paper explores the experiences of lesbian co-mothers who have had children with their partners through the use of alternative insemination. It attempts to demonstrate what factors, environmental, interpersonal and intrapersonal, contribute to the co-mothers' concepts and the development of themselves as mothers. A narrative approach was used to best create a forum for lesbian co-mothers to tell their stories as they saw them and as they chose, in an attempt to make their "invisible" experiences visible. These findings support, contradict, and add to previous research and conceptualizations of lesbian co-mothers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Our research aim is to enrich the conceptualization of high conflict post-divorce co-parenting by understanding the dynamic process involved., Background: The studied phenomena were explored by linking previous scientific knowledge to practice., Method: We cross-referenced the previous study results with the experiences reported by eight professionals and tried to answer the following research question: how professionals' experience and previous scientific knowledge contribute to a better understanding of HC post-divorce co-parenting? Individual face to face interviews were conducted and analyzed regarding the qualitative theoretical reasoning of thematic analysis., Results: Analysis allowed us to highlight how four main axes are related to HC post-divorce co-parenting: (1) Parents for life, (2) Acting in the child's best interests, (3) Managing disagreements, and (4) Healing the separation., Conclusion: Our findings capture high conflict post-divorce co-parenting as a multidimensional dynamic process. As such, dealing with co-parenting disagreements must be understood as a moment in a process that is influenced by, and influences, other dimensions., Implications: Interventions must consider the four dimensions and their reciprocal interactions. The essential elements underlying parents' difficulties may reside at a multiplicity of levels: inter-relational, contextual, and intrapsychic. Each level contains key potential factors in understanding these families, and in formulating intervention guidelines., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Stolnicu, De Mol, Hendrick and Gaugue.)

• 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]

This study explored potential influence of a text-based program for fathers of children on the autism spectrum. Fathers (N = 184) were recruited through autism services across Australia. Participants received messages focusing on five domains: (a) relationships with parenting partner; (b) formal support; (c) father-child interaction; (d) understanding autism; and, (e) coping. Surveys explored parenting stress, co-parenting quality and autism-specific parenting self-efficacy. Eighty-eight percent completed the program, 43.6% completed pre and post surveys. There was significant reduction in parenting stress (p < .01) and increase in autism-specific parenting self-efficacy (p < .01). Effect sizes indicate these may be clinically meaningful. This highly scalable intervention has potential to influence factors that shape and sustain relationships fathers share with their children on the autism spectrum, families and services., (© 2021. Crown.)