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Coparenting and Relationship Satisfaction in Mothers: the Moderating Role of Sociosexuality

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Coparenting and Relationship Satisfaction in Mothers: the Moderating Role of Sociosexuality Archives of Sexual Behavior https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-019-01548-2 ORIGINAL PAPER Coparenting and Relationship Satisfaction in Mothers: The Moderating Role of Sociosexuality Diogo Lamela1 · Bárbara Figueiredo2 · Inês Jongenelen1 · Ana Morais1 · Jefry A. Simpson3 Received: 19 January 2017 / Revised: 2 September 2019 / Accepted: 5 September 2019 © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2020 Abstract This study explored the moderating efect of sociosexual orientation on the association between coparenting alliance/copar- enting confict and relationship satisfaction in mothers in a romantic relationship. Sociosexuality is defned as a personality trait that refects the individual diference in willingness to engage in uncommitted sexual relations. The study examined a community sample of 635 Portuguese mothers with a monogamous heterosexual relationship. Data on coparenting, relation- ship satisfaction, and sociosexual orientation were collected. The results revealed the moderating efect of sociosexuality on the signifcant associations between both coparenting alliance and coparenting confict predicting relationship satisfaction. For the association between coparenting alliance and relationship satisfaction, mothers with a more restricted sociosexual orientation reported the highest levels of satisfaction when their coparenting alliance was high, but the lowest levels of sat- isfaction when coparenting alliance was low. For the association between coparenting confict and relationship satisfaction, mothers with a more restricted sociosexual orientation reported the highest levels of satisfaction when their coparenting confict was low, but the lowest levels when coparenting confict was high. Together, the results suggest that especially for women with a more restricted sociosexual orientation, coparenting quality explains signifcant interindividual variability in relationship satisfaction. Keywords Coparenting · Sociosexuality · Intimacy · Mothers · Women · Relationship satisfaction Introduction Coparenting confict resolution tactics, on the other hand, refer to how parents manage their dyadic interaction to pro- Coparenting refers to the mutual and reciprocal involve- vide support to one another during child-related issues or ment of both parents in childrearing (Feinberg, 2003) and how they solve potential disagreements while coparenting comprises two main domains: coparenting alliance and (Krishnakumar & Buehler, 2000). Coparents may apply coparenting confict resolution tactics (Carneiro, Corboz- assertive or/and destructive confict tactics to deal with child- Warnery, & Fivaz-Depeursinge, 2006; Konold & Abidin, related issues. Destructive coparenting confict comprises 2001). Coparenting alliance is defined as the ability of overt-confict (e.g., belligerence, screaming, threatening, partners to “acknowledge, respect, and value the parenting and other angry behaviors) and covert-confict tactics (e.g., roles and tasks of the partner” (Cohen & Weissman, 1984, hostility, criticism, blame, and competition) (Lamela, Figue- p. 35), including high levels of support and agreement about iredo, Bastos, & Feinberg, 2016). child caregiving (Feinberg, 2003; Konold & Abidin, 2001). Previous empirical work has extensively suggested that the optimal coparenting relationship (i.e., high alliance and low * Diogo Lamela destructive confict between coparents) is one that supports [email protected] not only children’s successful adaptation to the environment, but bolsters marital satisfaction as well (e.g., Le, McDaniel, 1 Digital Human-Environment Interaction Lab, Lusófona, Leavitt, & Feinberg, 2016; Umemura, Christopher, Mann, University of Porto, Rua Augusto Rosa 24, 4900-098 Porto, Portugal Jacobvitz, & Hazen, 2015). Despite the quality of coparent- ing relationships shapes the family’s functioning and pre- 2 School of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal dicts subsequent relationship outcomes (Zemp, Johnson, & 3 Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Bodenmann, 2018), key individual diferences relevant to the Minneapolis, MN, USA Vol.:(0123456789)1 3 Archives of Sexual Behavior connection between coparenting and relationship functioning emotional and instrumental childcare tasks are still executed have been understudied. Sociosexuality is likely to be one by women (Yavorsky, Kamp Dush, & Schoppe-Sullivan, of the key individual diferences that signifcantly explain 2015). Thus, the quality of the coparenting alliance may serve interindividual variability in romantic relationships (Penke as a particularly important source of support for women’s & Asendorpf, 2008; Simpson & Gangestad, 1991; Webster parenting. A good coparenting alliance is likely to increase et al., 2015). Sociosexuality indexes the degree to which indi- women’s parenting self-efficacy, subjective well-being, viduals are (versus are not) comfortable engaging in sex in and relationship satisfaction (Abbass-Dick, Stern, Nelson, the absence of love or commitment to a partner (Simpson Watson, & Dennis, 2015; Le & Impett, 2015). Third, high & Gangestad, 1991), particularly the degree of emotional partner involvement in the coparenting relationship might attachment, intimacy, and commitment that is required reinforce women’s investment in choosing a particular part- before engaging in sexual relations. Individuals with a more ner, including expectations regarding their partner’s suit- restricted sociosexual orientation (many of whom adopt a ability as a good, investing long-term partner (Gangestad long-term mating strategy) require higher emotional involve- & Simpson, 2000). This, in turn, might infuence women’s ment and a stronger level of commitment, intimacy, and level of relationship satisfaction (Feldman, 2000). Finally, attachment to their potential partners prior to having a sexual coparenting confict (especially chronic confict) is likely relationship, whereas individuals with a more unrestricted to increase psychological stress and decrease interpersonal sociosexual orientation (many of whom adopt a short-term trust, emotional availability, and romantic love within rela- mating strategy) do not require the same level of emotional tionship dyads (Holland & McElwain, 2013). bonding and commitment to initiate sexual activities (Penke Satisfactory, committed romantic relationships may serve & Asendorpf, 2008; Simpson & Gangestad, 1991). an important evolutionary function to the degree that they Sociosexual orientation is being associated not only to the enhance children’s adaptation to environment (Fletcher, degree to which women rely on male’s partners to cooperate Simpson, Campbell, & Overall, 2015; Shackelford & Buss, and share responsabilities in child nurturing but also with 1997). From an evolutionary psychological perspective, the quality of intimate relationships (Gangestad & Simpson, engagement in committed and long-term romantic relation- 1990; Smith, Jones, & Allan, 2013). Despite the empirical ships is associated with a host of factors (see Buss & Schmitt, support for the potential interrelation between coparenting, 1993; Fletcher et al., 2015), including a person’s sociosexual sociosexuality, and relationship satisfaction, research testing orientation (Gangestad & Simpson, 1990, 2000). a theory-driven hypothesis of how these constructs may inter- Previous empirical research has documented signifcant act is lacking. Toward addressing this gap, the current study associations between sociosexual orientation and several sought examine whether sociosexual orientation could mod- indicators of intimate relationships and parenting-related erate the association between coparenting and relationship attributes (see, for example, Simpson, Wilson, & Winterheld, satisfaction in women involved in romantic relationships. 2004). For instance, compared to unrestricted females, more restricted women tend to have more stable and committed Coparenting, Relationship Satisfaction, relationships (Mattingly et al., 2011; Simpson et al., 2004), and Sociosexuality rate their intimate relationships as more satisfying (Webster et al., 2015), and rate their partners’ personal and parenting Research has documented both coparenting domains as sig- qualities as more important relative to other features (Simp- nifcant longitudinal predictors of relationship satisfaction in son & Gangestad, 1992). women (e.g., Fillo, Simpson, Rholes, & Kohn, 2015; Stanik, Women who have a more unrestricted sociosexual ori- McHale, & Crouter, 2013). Coparenting domains were also entation also tend to value indicators of males’ genetic ft- associated with other relationship outcomes in women, ness, physical attractiveness, and social dominance relatively including sexual satisfaction (Maas, McDaniel, Feinberg, more (Pillsworth & Haselton, 2006). Additionally, they are & Jones, 2018), relationship commitment (McClain, 2011), more likely to have multiple, less committed sexual part- and relationship stability (Feinberg, Brown, & Kan, 2012). ners, and they are attracted to males who display “sexy cad” Several possible explanations have been ofered as to how traits (Durante, Griskevicius, Simpson, Cann, & Li, 2012). and why specifc characteristics of coparenting relationships Although more restricted women do place some value in might interfere with relationship satisfaction in women. First, men’s genetic ftness, they more highly value males’ ability perceptions of a positive coparenting alliance, low destruc- and motivation to provide good parental care and investment tive coparenting
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