Work and family conflicts, depressive symptoms and coparenting conflict behaviours: An interdependent approach

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the relationships between work and family conflicts, specifically work-to-family and family-to-work conflicts, parental depressive symptoms and coparenting conflict behaviours during the COVID-19 pandemic. This national survey study involved the participation of 830 families in mainland China, including fathers, mothers and adolescents. Fathers and mothers provided self-reports on their experiences of work-to-family conflicts, family-to-work conflicts and depressive symptoms. Meanwhile, adolescents reported their perceptions of coparenting conflict behaviours exhibited by both fathers and mothers. The Actor-Partner Interdependence Mediation Model was employed to analyse these relationships. In the Actor-Partner Interdependence Mediation Model, paternal family-to-work conflicts were found to be positively associated with both paternal and maternal coparenting conflict behaviours, mediated through paternal depressive symptoms. Similarly, maternal family-to-work conflicts were positively linked to both paternal and maternal coparenting conflict behaviours, mediated through maternal depressive symptoms. Additionally, paternal family-to-work conflicts exhibited a direct positive relationship with both paternal and maternal coparenting conflict behaviours. However, paternal work-to-family conflicts demonstrated a direct negative association with paternal coparenting conflict behaviours. This study sheds light on the complex interconnectedness between work and family conflicts, parental depressive symptoms and coparenting conflict behaviours during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings highlight the importance of addressing work and family conflicts in understanding and managing coparenting dynamics, particularly during challenging times such as a pandemic. Such insights can inform interventions and support systems to promote healthier coparenting relationships and family well-being.