The Association Between Coparenting and Child Adjustment: A Meta-Analysis

Objective. The present meta-analysis examines the relation between coparenting and child adjustment. Design. The authors integrate 59 studies and differentiate among cooperation, agreement, conflict, and triangulation as dimensions of coparenting. Further, they differentiate internalizing and externalizing symptoms, social functioning of children, and attachment as outcomes. Results. Effect sizes were generally small and, to some extent, moderated by age of the children, percentage of girls in the sample, clinical background of the sample, mono-informant bias, annual family income, and percentage of separated parents. Effect sizes remained significant after controlling for individual parenting or marital quality. Coparenting predicted change in child adjustment. Conclusions. Coparenting is important for the psychological adjustment of children. Research and practice should pay further regard to this construct.