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

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  • Lara Augustijn

    (University of Duisburg-Essen)

Abstract

Although growing numbers of parents share the physical custody of their children after family dissolution, empirical studies on the mechanisms through which post-separation care arrangements may affect parental well-being remain scarce. To fill this lacuna, the present study not only investigated the relationship between post-separation care arrangements and the life satisfaction of resident parents, but also whether the quality of co-parenting and the frequency of interparental conflict—two stressors associated with family dissolution—could explain this relationship. Based on data from the Family Models in Germany (FAMOD) study, structural equation models were estimated for an analytical sample of 1104 resident parents practicing either sole physical custody (SPC) or joint physical custody (JPC). The findings showed that parents with JPC experienced, on average, more life satisfaction than their counterparts with SPC. However, after considering the quality of co-parenting and the frequency of interparental conflict, the study found that the direct relationship between post-separation care arrangements and life satisfaction was no longer significant. Instead, practicing JPC was significantly related to both better co-parenting and fewer interparental conflicts, while the latter two factors were positively related to life satisfaction. In sum, this study showed that framework conditions, specifically elements of the interparental relationship, are more important factors to consider when investigating parents’ post-separation well-being than the type of care arrangement practiced. However, the role of selection processes in explaining these associations remains uncertain, including the question of whether practicing JPC actually enhances the quality of the interparental relationship.

Suggested Citation

  • Lara Augustijn, 2023. "Post-separation Care Arrangements and Parents’ Life Satisfaction: Can the Quality of Co-parenting and Frequency of Interparental Conflict Explain the Relationship?," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 24(4), pages 1319-1338, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:24:y:2023:i:4:d:10.1007_s10902-023-00643-5
    DOI: 10.1007/s10902-023-00643-5
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lara Augustijn, 2023. "Mothers’ Economic Well-Being in Sole and Joint Physical Custody Families," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 44(1), pages 53-64, March.
    2. Ed Diener, 1994. "Assessing subjective well-being: Progress and opportunities," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 31(2), pages 103-157, February.
    3. Steinbach, Anja & Brocker, Sven A. & Augustijn, Lara, 2020. "The survey on "Family Models in Germany" (FAMOD): A description of the data," Duisburger Beiträge zur soziologischen Forschung 2020-01, University of Duisburg-Essen, Institute of Sociology.
    4. Carole Bonnet & Bertrand Garbinti & Anne Solaz, 2022. "Does Part-Time Mothering Help Get a Job? The Role of Shared Custody in Women’s Employment," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 38(5), pages 885-913, December.
    5. An Sodermans & Sarah Botterman & Nele Havermans & Koen Matthijs, 2015. "Involved Fathers, Liberated Mothers? Joint Physical Custody and the Subjective Well-being of Divorced Parents," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 122(1), pages 257-277, May.
    6. Maria Cancian & Daniel Meyer & Patricia Brown & Steven Cook, 2014. "Who Gets Custody Now? Dramatic Changes in Children’s Living Arrangements After Divorce," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 51(4), pages 1381-1396, August.
    7. Kate Levin & Lorenza Dallago & Candace Currie, 2012. "The Association Between Adolescent Life Satisfaction, Family Structure, Family Affluence and Gender Differences in Parent–Child Communication," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 106(2), pages 287-305, April.
    8. Thomas Leopold & Matthijs Kalmijn, 2016. "Is Divorce More Painful When Couples Have Children? Evidence From Long-Term Panel Data on Multiple Domains of Well-being," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 53(6), pages 1717-1742, December.
    9. An Katrien Sodermans & Koen Matthijs & Gray Swicegood, 2013. "Characteristics of joint physical custody families in Flanders," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 28(29), pages 821-848.
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