Coparenting is examined as an explanatory link between marital conflict and
parent-child relations in 2-parent families. Data were collected from 3 sa
mples (pilot sample, n = 220 mothers; preadolescent sample, n = 75 couples;
preschool sample, n = 172 couples) by using the Coparenting Questionnaire
(G. Margolin, 1992b) to assess parents' perceptions of one another on 3 dim
ensions - cooperation, triangulation, and conflict. Main effects for child'
s age and for parents' gender were found for cooperation, and an interactio
n between parent and child gender was found for triangulation. Regression a
nalyses were consistent with a model of coparenting mediating the relations
hip between marital conflict and parenting. Discussion addresses the theore
tical and clinical importance of viewing coparenting as conceptually separa
te from other family processes.