COPARENTING WITHIN THE FAMILY SYSTEM - INFLUENCES ON CHILDRENS DEVELOPMENT

This article focuses on coparenting-the extent to which spouses functi on as partners or adversaries in the parenting role-in families raisin g toddler sons. Preliminary longitudinal research findings are reviewe d concerning the nature of coparenting and the contextual determinants of different types of coparenting alliances. Coparenting processes ar e proposed to interact with marital and parent-child relations and to independently contribute to children's development.