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Coparental communication, relational satisfaction, and mental health in stepfamilies
Author(s) -
SCHRODT PAUL,
BRAITHWAITE DAWN O.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
personal relationships
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.81
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1475-6811
pISSN - 1350-4126
DOI - 10.1111/j.1475-6811.2010.01295.x
Subject(s) - psychology , mental health , partner effects , spouse , stepfamily , developmental psychology , social psychology , psychiatry , anthropology , sociology
This study tested a series of actor–partner interdependence models of coparental communication, relational satisfaction, and mental health in stepfamilies. Participants included 127 couples ( N = 254). Results revealed 2 actor‐oriented models whereby parents' and stepparents' coparental communication quality positively predicted their own (but not their partners') satisfaction and mental health. A final model revealed that parents' relational satisfaction mediated the effect of coparental communication on their own mental health. A similar pattern emerged for stepparents, although coparental communication continued to have a direct, positive effect on stepparents' mental health. Importantly, parents' coparental communication produced an inverse partner effect on stepparents' mental health, highlighting the potential stress stepparents may experience as they are called upon to help raise their spouse's offspring.