https://aub.ie/MilitaryREACH-RothM2022

Roth, M., Weitkamp, K., Landolt, S. A., & Bodenmann, G. (2022). Couples’ dyadic coping in the context of child-related stressors: A systematic review across three decades. Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/cfp0000237

This systematic review compiled 55 studies, published between 1990 and 2020, that examined dyadic coping (i.e., how couples cope with stressors together) in the context of child-related stressors of varying severity (i.e., parenting, pregnancy and the transition to parenthood, child mental health, disability, chronic physical illness, and death). Most studies investigated dyadic coping during pregnancy and the transition to parenthood; only a few investigated its effect on child outcomes. Overall, dyadic coping was determined to be beneficial to both individual (e.g., quality of life, wellbeing) and relationship (e.g., marital adjustment) function for civilian couples with child-related stressors.

https://doi.org/10.1037/cfp0000237

Couples
Mental health
Children
Parents

Civilian

Childhood (birth - 12 yrs)
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)

Review of Literature

Roth, Michelle, Weitkamp, Katharina, Landolt, Selina A., Bodenmann, Guy

The relevance of dyadic coping (DC), a concept how couples cope with stressors together, has been established in different contexts (e.g., daily hassles, mental and physical health) and is related to different outcomes such as relationship satisfaction, relationship quality and stability, psychological well-being, and child behavior. The current systematic review aims at providing an integration of the field of research on couple’s DC with child-related stressors which are understood as demands that arise for couples due to becoming or being parents. DC and related search terms were used for the literature search in PsycINFO, Psyndex, and Medline. We included 55 publications (reporting empirical data on 6,779 couples in total) including quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods studies published between 1990 and 2020. We applied a narrative synthesis approach organizing the results around six identified areas of child-related stressors: pregnancy and transition to parenthood, parenting, child mental health, child disability, child chronic physical illness, and child death. Overall, results show the importance of DC for both individual and relationship functioning in the context of child-related stress. Surprisingly, effects of parental DC on child outcomes remained understudied, although the existing studies yield promising results for child adjustment. In conclusion, adapting a “we”-perspective, mutual understanding and support is of importance not only to overcome the stressor but also to grow together as a couple. As DC plays a significant role for couples to cope in a resilient way when facing child-related stressors it should be more promoted in couple- and family counseling and therapy. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Article
REACH Publication

adjustment, childhood play behavior, coping behavior, couples, dyads, parenting, relationship satisfaction, stress

https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2023-14422-001

Research Summary

  May 2023