Coparenting Interventions and Shared Physical Custody: Insights and Challenges

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the issue of shared physical custody (SPC) in the broader context of coparenting interventions. To identify if and how these interventions address the issue of SPC, we provide a systematic overview of the currently available types of coparenting interventions after marital dissolution. To be selected, the interventions had to be published in peer-reviewed journals, target separated or divorced parents, integrate work on coparenting, and include a custody focus within the intervention curriculum or as a targeted outcome. Finally, they had to be subject to empirical evaluation.As a second step, using a case study, we investigate how the issue of SPC may be addressed before divorce, during couple therapy. We describe the therapy sessions to highlight the factors that may protect or undermine the development of a cooperative coparenting relationship while separating, and eventually create a positive shared-custody scenario after divorce. We also analyse the couple’s progress regarding individual symptomatology and coparenting satisfaction based on self-reported questionnaires and on the quality of their observed coparenting interactions.From a therapeutic perspective, this chapter aims to deepen our understanding of the challenges and opportunities of coparenting during and after separation and its intertwinement with the issue of SPC.

Post-separation Care Arrangements and Parents’ Life Satisfaction: Can the Quality of Co-parenting and Frequency of Interparental Conflict Explain the Relationship?

“…Instead of focusing exclusively on increasing the number of families who practice JPC, policies and treatments should be designed in such a way that all separated or divorced parents-regardless of care arrangements-have the opportunity to enhance their post-separation relationship. This goal may be achieved through, for example, additional offers of mediation and counseling with an even stronger focus on the relationship between the parents (for an overview of co-parenting interventions in JPC families, see Darwiche et al, 2021). Raising awareness of the personal benefits that can result from a positive relationship with the other parent may increase parents' incentive to participate in these interventions.…”

Coparenting as a mediator between physical custody arrangements and children's mental health

“…It is important to inform parents that the time‐sharing schedule they adopt after family dissolution (SPC or JPC) will not be as beneficial for their children as developing a child‐centered approach to communication and an effective way of working together as caregivers. Thus, one way to improve the coparenting quality in post‐separation family may be to allow courts to order coparenting classes for couples that go to court about the physical custody arrangement of their children (see, for an overview of how different coparenting interventions address the issue of JPC, Darwiche et al, 2021). However, coparenting counseling needs to take into account that parents differ in their parenting skills (Becher et al, 2019; Warmuth et al, 2020).…”

Parents in couple therapy: An intervention targeting marital and coparenting relationships

“…Finally, this type of model may also be suitable for same‐sex parent couples, step‐parents (i.e. coparenting relationship between the biological parent and step‐parent), or couples who choose to separate during couple therapy (Darwiche et al, 2021) to work on the distinct development of romantic and coparenting relationships and prevent possible negative effects on children. In addition, further clinical and research work on IBSI involving couples from different cultural backgrounds will be needed to assess its suitability in diverse cultures.…”