However, to our knowledge, only one study has considered such potential moderating effects. Reporting a significant interaction between parents’ perceptions of coparent undermining and infant negative temperament, Solmeyer and Feinberg (2011) found that negative infant temperament was associated with lower levels of maternal and paternal PSOC when coparent undermining was low, but not when it was high. The direction of this effect was not anticipated. Expecting the proposed buffering effect, the authors are cautious in their interpretation of the finding rather as a effect’. They posit that, in families with ‘swamping high levels of coparent undermining, parents’ self-efficacy may be swamped such that it is less sensitive to infant temperament. These authors urge further research. The transition to parenthood is a key period for the new coparenting team, as is demonstrated well by the swamping effect seen by Solmeyer and Feinberg (2011). Importantly, however, middle childhood is rife with developmental change, and, in turn, the nature of the already existing coparenting relationship needs to adjust as children age (McHale & Irace, 2011). As such, potential changes in the role of coparenting for complex family dynamics are of interest here. Relatively few studies of coparenting or of PSOC have included both mothers and fathers, limiting parent comparisons. Fathers’ parenting has been shown to be particularly sensitive to environmental contexts (Cummings, Merrilees, & George, 2010); furthermore, mothers may influence fathers’ parenting role through gatekeeping’ ‘maternal Brown, Cannon, Mangelsdorf, & Sokolowski, 2008). Together, these literatures suggest that, compared to mothers, fathers’ perceptions of the quality of coparenting may be especially important for their PSOC (Dickie, 1987). In a UK sample, we investigated mothers’ and fathers’ perceptions of children’s disruptive behavior, perceptions of the quality of coparenting, and their interaction in association with maternal and paternal PSOC. We sought to extend the literature in two main ways: First, we built on the limited research exploring the interaction between coparenting
However, to our knowledge, only one study has considered such potential moderating effects. Reporting a significant interaction between parents’ perceptions of coparent undermining and infant negative temperament, Solmeyer and Feinberg (2011) found that negative infant temperament was associated with lower levels of maternal and paternal PSOC when coparent undermining was low, but not when it was high. The direction of this effect was not anticipated. Expecting the proposed buffering effect, the authors are cautious in their interpretation of the finding rather as a ‘swamping effect’. They posit that, in families with high levels of coparent undermining, parents’ self-efficacy may be swamped such that it is less sensitive to infant temperament. These authors urge further research. The transition to parenthood is a key period for the new coparenting team, as is demonstrated well by the swamping effect seen by Solmeyer and Feinberg (2011). Importantly, however, middle childhood is rife with developmental change, and, in turn, the nature of the already existing coparenting relationship needs to adjust as children age (McHale & Irace, 2011). As such, potential changes in the role of coparenting for complex family dynamics are of interest here. Relatively few studies of coparenting or of PSOC have included both mothers and fathers, limiting parent comparisons. Fathers’ parenting has been shown to be particularly sensitive to environmental contexts (Cummings, Merrilees, & George, 2010); furthermore, mothers may influence fathers’ parenting role through ‘maternal gatekeeping’ Brown, Cannon, Mangelsdorf, & Sokolowski, 2008). Together, these literatures suggest that, compared to mothers, fathers’ perceptions of the quality of coparenting may be especially important for their PSOC (Dickie, 1987). In a UK sample, we investigated mothers’ and fathers’ perceptions of children’s disruptive behavior, perceptions of the quality of coparenting, and their interaction in association with maternal and paternal PSOC. We sought to extend the literature in two main ways: First, we built on the limited research exploring the interaction between coparenting