Perceived Coparenting Support and Later Relationship Status among Cohabiting Parents

Abstract

To help with the fragile nature of cohabiting parents' relationship, more understanding about their interpersonal experiences is needed to identify factors that matters for their relationship stability. We examined how cohabiting parents' perceived coparenting support from their partner was associated with their later relationship status (married/cohabiting/not together). Further, we examined the possible moderating effect of perceived coparenting support on the association between marriage plans and later relationship status. Results suggested that the associations between fathers' plans and couples' marriage entrance as well as continued cohabitation were dependent upon fathers' perceived coparenting support from mothers. Clinical and research implications are discussed.

Keywords:

• Cohabiting parents
• coparenting
• family process
• marriage intention
• relationship stability

Additional information

Funding

The authors thank the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) through grants R01HD36916, R01HD39135, and R01HD40421, as well as a consortium of private foundations for their support of the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study. No direct support was received from these grants for this analysis.