Experiences of Coparenting Among Low-Income, Black and Latino Parents in Heterosexual Dyads
Open AccessGiven that extant coparenting research has not centered the experiences of low-income, Black and Latino parents, qualitative research methods can provide a rich and contextually grounded understanding of how these parents conceptualize their coparenting relationship. I used reflexive thematic analysis, a method of identifying patterns of shared meaning while incorporating the researcher’s reflections of their own assumptions and interpretations, to examine interviews with eight low-income, Black and Latino heterosexual coparenting dyads. I explored how larger systems of racism, classism, and sexism manifested in how these dyads conceptualized and presented their coparenting relationships, and I identified five themes related to the content of the dyads’ coparenting experiences: 1) maternal gatekeeping, 2) lack of role models, 3) family planning, 4) blended families, and 5) material hardship. All eight dyads discussed maternal gatekeeping dynamics in their coparenting relationships, even when endorsing high values for an egalitarian division of parenting labor. Across dyads, four mothers and five fathers expressed having anti-role models that informed their conceptualization of what they wanted to avoid in their coparenting relationship. Seven dyads discussed how family planning influenced their conceptualization of coparenting, with some similarities among the six dyads who did not plan their pregnancy. Across all parents in the sample, three fathers and three mothers had children from previous relationships, and four dyads discussed the unique challenges of coparenting the target child in the context of a blended family. Across all cases, parents discussed needing to navigate their coparenting relationship in the context of material hardship. Overall, for seven of the eight dyads, I noticed highly positive interactions between coparents. For at least three dyads, the power differential between the interviewer and participant seemed to elicit specific responses from participants, suggesting that preparation for bias was part of their own racial socialization in their coparenting identity development. These findings highlight the value of integrating intersectionality theory and critical race theory into theoretical models of coparenting in low-income, Black and Latino parents to better understand these parents’ specific coparenting experiences within larger societal, political, and historical contexts. This research also provides recommendations for more effective policy and intervention efforts to better support coparenting in low-income, Black and Latino families.
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