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Numerous studies have shown the importance of coparenting in promoting healthy child development (Block et al., 1981; Chen & Johnston, 2012; Cross et al., 2020; Deal et al., 1989; Don et al., 2013; Knauer et al., 2019; Lindsey & Mize, 2001; Teubert & Pinquart, 2010). Based on a meta-analysis integrating 59 studies on coparenting and child adjustment in 2010, Teubert and Pinquart differentiate between four dimensions of coparenting: childrearing agreement, cooperation, conflict, and triangulation. In the present study, we aim to expand on the current literature by investigating factors which contribute to similarities and differences in parenting behavior between mothers and fathers within the same family. Prior research has established the benefits of parenting agreement on child outcomes such as less internalizing and externalizing problematic behavior and better social functioning (Chen & Johnston, 2012; Rispoli et al., 2013). Parenting agreement describes the extent of shared values, attitudes, and behaviors regarding parenting practices. For healthy child development, a prominent level of perceived parenting agreement appears to be even more significant than actual parenting agreement (Don et al., 2013). Abramson et al. (2014) have shown that similarities and differences regarding couples’ agreement on parenting practices already exist during pregnancy. Pregnant Israeli women (N = 820) and their partners (N = 512) completed two questionnaires on their expectations regarding future parenting behavior during the early second pregnancy trimester. Mothers expected to show more positive, warm parenting and less negative, rejecting behavior towards the child compared to fathers. These results are quite similar to findings from previous studies on postnatal parenting practices. Siegal (1987) suggests that fathers differentiate more between girls and boys in their parenting behavior than mothers. Don et al. (2013) conducted a year-long, longitudinal study on perceived parenting agreement and new parents’ mental health, relationship satisfaction, and positive affect. All these factors can have a significant impact on child outcomes (Cross et al., 2021; Menon et al., 2020). At 4 and 9 months postpartum, both mothers and fathers reported moderate to elevated levels of perceived parenting agreement. One’s own perceived parenting agreement predicted lower levels of depression and higher levels of positive affect for both mothers and fathers across time. Mothers showed higher subsequent relationship satisfaction when both they and their partner perceived greater levels of parenting agreement. These results indicate that perceived parenting agreement plays a significant role for parental well-being and, consequently, for healthy child development. Interestingly, the longitudinal study by Cross et al. (2021) has shown that couples’ relationship problems can have a negative impact on their perception of parenting agreement. Parents who reported greater relationship problems perceived their partner to show less responsive parenting towards their child. In turn, perceiving their partner to be less responsive predicted a lower feeling of connection within the family during an interaction task as well as increases in family chaos one year later. These results indicate that couples’ relationship problems can cause a biased perception of the partner’s parenting. Therefore, parental relationship problems can not only lead to biased and distorted perceptions of partner’s parenting behavior but also decrease the extent of parenting agreement. Winsler et al. (2005) have investigated 28 parent couples whose children attend a university-affiliated preschool in the Southeastern United States. Both parents completed questionnaires on their own perceived parenting styles and those of their partner. Their results showed only moderate similarity in parenting styles used by parents within the same household. Even though mothers and fathers tended to agree on authoritarian and permissive parenting practices, they often differed in authoritative parenting style which includes positive affective and positive disciplinary behavior. Both mothers and fathers perceive mothers to show more authoritative parenting than fathers. In addition, fathers perceive their partners to be more permissive and less authoritarian than themselves. Parents who showed similar parenting styles were more accurate at assessing their partner’s parenting style than couples with more differing styles. Most parent couples shared similar values, education, socioeconomic status, religiosity, and personality traits. The goal of the present study is to further investigate factors which contribute to perceived and actual similarities and differences in parenting behavior between mothers and fathers within the same family. Furthermore, we are also interested in whether the extent of parenting agreement changes or remains stable over the first years of the child's life. Research Questions 1. How similar are parenting practices in first-time parents of young children? Do factors such as child age, child sex, similarity in parental age and education, weekly amount of time spent alone with the child, duration of relationship, and relationship satisfaction influence the similarity of first-time parents’ parenting practices? 2. How accurate are first-time parents’ perceptions of their partner’s parenting practices? Do factors such as child age, child sex, similarity in parental age and education, weekly amount of time spent alone with the child, duration of relationship, and relationship satisfaction influence the accuracy of first-time parents’ perceptions of their partner’s parenting practices? |
