Variations in Coparenting Quality Among Mexican American Families Based on Generational Status and Acculturation

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine Mexican-origin parent’s generational status and cultural orientation in relation to supportive and undermining coparenting behavior. Mothers and father from 126 Mexican-origin families (8% of mothers and 12% of fathers born in Mexico) with a preschool age child (M = 38.80 months old; 60 boys, 66 girls) completed questionnaires assessing their generational status and cultural orientation. Mother-father-child triads were observed for supportive and undermining coparenting behavior. Both mothers and fathers of later generational status (i.e., who had lived longer in the US) had higher levels of undermining coparenting behavior. Mothers and fathers with greater Mexican cultural orientation had higher supportive coparenting behavior. Among Mexican-origin two-parent families, fathers of more recent generational status (i.e., who had immigrated to the US or had parents who immigrated to the US) and greater cultural orientation demonstrated more supportive and less undermining coparenting behavior. The results of this study suggest that both researchers and clinicians should make it a regular practice to conduct independent assessments of generational status and cultural orientation when focusing on contributing factors to the quality of co-parenting in Mexican-origin families.