Improvements in Unmarried African American Parents' Rapport, Communication, and Problem‐Solving Following a Prenatal Coparenting Intervention

Abstract

This report examines effects of a coparenting intervention designed for and delivered to expectant unmarried African American mothers and fathers on observed interaction dynamics known to predict relationship adjustment. Twenty families took part in the six-session "Figuring It Out for the Child" (FIOC) dyadic intervention offered in a faith-based human services agency during the third trimester of the mother's pregnancy, and completed a postpartum booster session 1 month after the baby's arrival. Parent referrals for the FIOC program were received from a county Health Department and from OBGYNs and Pregnancy Centers in the targeted community. All intervention sessions were delivered by a trained male-female paraprofessional team whose fidelity to the FIOC manualized curriculum was independently evaluated by a team of trained analysts. At both the point of intake ("PRE") and again at an exit evaluation completed 3 months postpartum ("POST"), the mothers and fathers were videotaped as they completed two standardized "revealed differences" conflict discussions. Blinded videotapes of these sessions were evaluated using the System for Coding Interactions in Dyads. Analyses documented statistically significant improvements on 8 of 12 variables examined, with effect sizes ranging from moderate to large. Overall, 14 families demonstrated beneficial outcomes, 3 did not improve, and 3 showed some signs of decline from the point of intake. For most interaction processes, PRE to POST improvements were unrelated to degree of adherence the paraprofessional interventionists showed to the curriculum. However, better interventionist competence was related to decreases in partners' Coerciveness and Negativity and Conflict, and to smaller increases in partner Withdrawal. Implications of the work for development and delivery of community-based coparenting interventions for unmarried parents are discussed.

Reproductive justice and support for young fathers

“…Program‐level recommendations cluster around three areas of practice: (a) engagement, (b) program content, and (c) process strategies. Engagement of young fathers begins with practitioner beliefs in the value and interest of young men in the lives of their children (Primus, ; Sandstrom et al., ); in the creation of community‐based programs in familiar settings with experienced, enthusiastic professionals (Bronte‐Tinkew et al., ; Fagan, ; Fletcher et al, ; McHale, Salman‐Engin, & Coovert, ; Zaveri, Baumgartner, Dion, & Clary, ); and in a focus on engagement during the prenatal period (Hoffman, , Sandstrom et al., ). Examples of programs that engage fathers during the transition to parenthood include: Family Foundations (Feinberg & Kan, ) is an eight‐session program that meets with mothers and fathers from the third trimester of pregnancy through the first months after the birth of the child.…”

“…Examples of programs that engage fathers during the transition to parenthood include: Family Foundations (Feinberg & Kan, ) is an eight‐session program that meets with mothers and fathers from the third trimester of pregnancy through the first months after the birth of the child. A recent follow‐up study of Family Foundations in a number of sites has indicated improved parenting and coparenting strategies and positive impacts on child adjustment after 2 years (Jones et al., ). Boot Camp for New Dads (Bishop, ) is a universal educational program (with links to other services) offered through healthcare providers during the transition to parenthood. Program P (Promundo, CulturaSalud, & REDMAS, ) provides practical advice for engaging fathers during prenatal visits and program “father‐friendliness” checklists for health care programs. Figuring it Out for the Child (McHale et al., ) is a six‐session coparenting intervention offered to Black mothers and fathers during the third trimester, with a booster at 1 month’ postpartum to increase awareness of the benefits of coparenting, enhance rapport and the parenting alliance, and develop communication and problem‐solving skills. Results have indicated declines in conflict and destructive interpersonal dynamics and improved rapport and problem‐solving by the couples. …”

Longitudinal associations between relationship quality and coparenting across the transition to parenthood: A dyadic perspective.

“…Coparenting was originally studied in the context of divorce, and these studies have demonstrated the importance of supportive, cooperative coparenting relationships between ex-spouses for children's (Sobolewski & King, 2005) and adult family members' well-being (Schrodt, Miller, & Braithwaite, 2011). Subsequently, a growing body of research has focused on coparenting within two-parent families (e.g., Feinberg, 2002; Margolin et al, 2001; McHale, Salman-Engin, & Coovert, 2015; Schoppe-Sullivan, Mangelsdorf, & Frosch, 2001). …”

Decreasing Substance use Risk among African American Youth: Parent-based Mechanisms of Change

“…First, most family-centered prevention programs for African American youth have focused exclusively on the parent-child relationship, failing to address the needs and dynamics of two-parent households, in which co-parenting and couple relationship processes may play a key role in youth well-being (Cummings et al, 2002). Because of the salience of the interparental relationship to the parent-child relationship, scholars have emphasized the potential value of using the adult dyad as a point of intervention to change parenting (e.g., Knox, Cowan, Cowan, & Bildner, 2011), and some recent research of prevention programs has begun to emerge supporting this view (see Beach et al, 2014; Barton et al, 2015; Epstein et al, 2015; McHale et al, 2015). By working with both parents together, positive changes in parent-youth relationships may be more readily initiated and maintained (DeGarmo, Patterson, & Forgatch, 2004).…”

“…For parenting specifically, studies show that interparental relationship problems, including disagreements about parenting, strongly predict the quality of the parenting experience (Cummings, Goeke-Morey, & Graham, 2002). Consequently, family-based psychoeducational interventions may be improved if they address not only effective parenting practices but also the couple relationship as a vehicle for enhancing the extent to which parents can effectively apply the parenting and co-parenting strategies taught in the intervention (see Beach et al, 2014; Epstein et al, 2015; McHale, Salman-Engin, & Coovert, 2015). …”