The mediating role of psychological functioning and maternal gatekeeping in the relationship of work-family conflict and gender roles with co-parenting

Recent research has explored the relationships between gender roles, co-parenting, and work-family conflict, but the role of mediating variables in these relationships has been understudied. In particular, the potential mediating role of maternal gatekeeping remains an area that requires further exploration. The aim of this study was to test the mediating effects of psychological functioning and maternal gatekeeping variables in the relationship between working mothers' gender role attitudes, work-family conflict, and co-parenting behaviors. The sample for this study consisted of 262 working married mothers living in various cities in T & uuml;rkiye, each with at least one child aged between 2 and 7. The ages of the mothers ranged from 23 to 48 years (Mage=33.70, SD = 4.27). Participants completed several scales, including the Co-parenting Scale, Maternal Gatekeeping Scale, Gender Role Attitudes Scale, Work-Family Conflict Scale, and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21. According to the results, work-family conflict was found to be indirectly related to co-parenting through the paths from psychological functioning to both encouraging and discouraging gatekeeping, whereas traditional gender roles were indirectly related to co-parenting only through encouraging and discouraging gatekeeping. The findings highlight the importance of enhancing psychological functioning, promoting positive gatekeeping, and reducing negative gatekeeping to improve co-parenting behaviors among working mothers facing work-family conflict. The study suggests that understanding the predictors and indirect relationships affecting co-parenting could guide prevention and intervention programs for parents. Our findings would help understand the co-parenting process in T & uuml;rkiye and shed light on future theoretical and practical research.The traditional gender roles are indirectly related to co-parenting through encouragement gatekeeping and discouragement gatekeeping.Work-family conflict is indirectly related to co-parenting through the path from psychological functioning to encouragement and discouragement gatekeeping.Encouragement gatekeeping is positively and directly related to co-parenting, while discouragement gatekeeping is negatively and directly related to co-parenting.