Relationship Contexts of Fathering Behavior Across the Transition to Parenthood in Cohabiting and Married Couples

Dr. Claire Kamp-Dush, Department of Family Sciences
Rank at time of award: Assistant Professor
and
Dr. Sarah Schoppe-Sullivan, Department of Family Sciences
Rank at time of award: Assistant Professor

Abstract

Building on the National Science Foundation CAREER award "Maternal Gatekeeping and Fathering Behavior Across the Transition to Parenthood" recently made to Dr. Schoppe-Sullivan, we plan to conduct the first observational, process-focused examination of the transition to parenthood among cohabiting and married couples, with a particular focus on understanding relational influences on the development of fathering behavior. Dr. Schoppe-Sullivan's funded study is a multimethod longitudinal study of 170 dual-earner couples expecting their first child. Her study will use survey, interview, and observational methods across four time points (prenatal, 3, 6, and 9 months postnatal) to address questions regarding (a) relations between maternal gatekeeping and fathering behavior over time, (b) personal and relational antecedents of maternal gatekeeping behavior, and (c) the role of maternal gatekeeping as a mediator and moderator of relations between parents' personal/relational characteristics and fathering behavior.

Our central goal is to seek and obtain external funding to augment and extend Dr. Schoppe-Sullivan's study with a sample of cohabiting couples similar in size and demographic characteristics to couples participating in the NSF-funded project. However, prior to achieving success in obtaining funding, we need to demonstrate the feasibility of recruiting such a sample. Thus, this IPR/TIE seed grant proposal has three specific aims: 1) recruit 25 cohabiting couples in the third trimester of pregnancy in the greater Columbus area to participate in the study and calculate the costs of recruitment, 2) collect data from all couples, and 3) develop an ROl to be submitted to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). Approval for proposed changes to participant recruitment and assessment will be obtained through the OSU Social and Behavioral Sciences IRB amendment process.

Publications resulting from this seed grant

Chapters in Edited Volumes

Olsavsky, A. L., Walker, I. S., & Schoppe-Sullivan, S. J. (2021). The Role of Relationships Past and Present in Prenatal Coparenting Behavior on the Cusp of the Transition to Parenthood. In Prenatal Family Dynamics (pp. 67-83). Springer, Cham.

Lee, J., Schoppe-Sullivan, S. J., Feng, X., Gerhardt, M. L., & Kamp Dush, C. M. (2019). Measurement invariance of maternal gatekeeping across time and reporters. In B. L. Volling & N. Cabrera (Eds.), Advancing research and measurement of on fathering and children’s development. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development (pp. 35-49)

Schoppe-Sullivan, S. J., Berrigan, M. N.1, & Wells, M. B.1 (2018). Rivalry in coparenting at the transition to parenthood (pp. 217-238). In S. Hart & N. A. Jones (Eds.), The psychology of rivalry. Nova Science Publishers.

Schoppe-Sullivan, S. J., Kamp Dush. C. M., & Bower, D. J. (2013). Forecasting U.S. parents’ perceptions of early coparenting using the prenatal Lausanne Trilogue Play. In N. Favez, F. Frascarolo-Moutinot, & H. Tissot (Eds.), Naitre et grandir au sein de la triade le développement de l'alliance familiale (pp. 121-139). Brussels, Belgium: De Boeck.

Peer reviewed Articles

2021. Altenburger, L. E., & Schoppe-Sullivan, S. J. Contributions of parenting quality and coparenting relationship quality to the development of child executive functioning. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 57, 133-143. PMC9615140

2021. Donithen, R., & Schoppe-Sullivan, S. Correlates and predictors of parenting self-efficacy in new fathers. Journal of Family Psychology. Acknowledgement PMCID: PMC8847545

Schoppe-Sullivan, S. J., Shafer, K., Olofson, E. L., & Kamp Dush, C. M. (2021). Fathers’ parenting and coparenting behavior in dual-earner families: Contributions of traditional masculinity, father nurturing role beliefs, and maternal gate closing. Psychology of Men & Masculinities, 22, 538-550. PMC9838554

Schoppe-Sullivan, S. J., Donithen, R.1, Lee, J., Simon, L.1, & Wang, J. (2021). The best and worst of times: Predictors of new fathers’ parenting satisfaction and stress. Adversity and Resilience Science, 2, 71-83. PMC9838242

Schoppe-Sullivan, S. J., Nuttall, A. K., & Berrigan, M. N. (2021). Couple, parent, and infant characteristics and perceptions of conflictual coparenting over the transition to parenthood. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 39, 4

2021. Wang, J., & Schoppe‐Sullivan, S. J. The Roles of Mothers' Perceptions of Grandmothers' Gatekeeping and Fathers' Parenting Competence in Maternal Gatekeeping. Family Relations. PMC9838319

2020. Altenburger, L. E., & Schoppe-Sullivan, S. J. New fathers’ parenting quality: Personal, contextual, and child precursors. Journal of Family Psychology, 34(7), 857–866. PMID: 32567880

2020. Berrigan, M. N., Schoppe-Sullivan, S. J., & Kamp Dush, C. M. Moving beyond access: Predictors of maternity and paternity leave duration in the United States. Sex Roles, 1-14.

2020. Olsavsky, A. L., Berrigan, M. N., & Schoppe-Sullivan, S. J. Self-reported adult attachment and observed parenting behavior of new mothers and fathers. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 11, 821-834.

2019. Olsavsky, A. L., Yan, J., Schoppe‐Sullivan, S. J., & Kamp Dush, C. M. New fathers’ perceptions of dyadic adjustment: The roles of maternal gatekeeping and coparenting closeness. Family Process. PMCID: PMC 30968407

2018. Altenburger, L. E., Schoppe-Sullivan, S. J., & Kamp Dush, C. M. "Associations between maternal gatekeeping and fathers' parenting quality. Journal of Child and Family Studies", 27, 2678-2689.

Olsavsky, A., Berrigan, M. N., Schoppe-Sullivan, S. J., Brown, G. L., Kamp Dush, C. M., & Johnson, S. Kamp Dush, C. M. (In Press). Paternal stimulation and father-infant attachment. Attachment and Human Development. PMCID: PMC 30873899

2018. Kamp Dush, C. M., Yavorsky, J., & Schoppe-Sullivan, S. J. What are men doing while women perform extra unpaid labor? Leisure and specialization at the transition to parenthood. Sex Roles, 78, 715-730. PMCID: PMC 30013287

2018. Yan, J., Olsavsky, A. L., Schoppe-Sullivan, S. J., & Kamp Dush, C. M. Coparenting in the family of origin and new parents’ couple relationship functioning. Journal of Family Psychology, 32, 206-216. PMCID: PMC 29658758

2018. Yan, J., Schoppe-Sullivan, S. J., & Kamp Dush, C. M. (in press). Maternal coparenting attitudes and toddler adjustment: Moderated mediation through father’s positive engagement. Parenting: Science and Practice, 18, 67-85. PMCID: PMC6594390

2017. Altenburger, L. E., Lang, S. N., Schoppe-Sullivan, S. J., Kamp Dush, C. M., & Johnson, S. C. Toddlers’ differential susceptibility to the effects of coparenting on socioemotional adjustment. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 41, 228-237. PMCID: PMC6938299

2016. Schoppe-Sullivan, S. J., Bartholomew, M. K., Yavorsky, J. E., Sullivan, J. M., Lee, M. A., Kamp Dush, C. M., & Glassman, M. (in press). Doing gender online: New mothers’ psychological characteristics, Facebook use, and depressive symptoms. Sex Roles.

2016. Jia, R., Kotila, L. E., Schoppe-Sullivan, S. J., & Kamp Dush, C. M. New parents’ psychological adjustment and trajectories of early parental involvement. Journal of Marriage and Family, 78, 197-211. PMCID: PMC4933319

2016. Schoppe-Sullivan, S. J., Settle, T., Lee, J., & Kamp Dush, C. M. Supportive coparenting relationships as a haven of psychological safety at the transition to parenthood. Research in Human Development, 13, 32-48. NIHMS 777347

2015. Yavorsky, J., Kamp Dush, C. M., & Schoppe-Sullivan, S. J. Production of inequality: Gender division of labor across the transition to parenthood. Journal of Marriage and Family, 77, 662-679. PMCID: PMC4584401

2015. Ferriby, M. M., Kotila, L. E., Kamp Dush, C. M., & Schoppe-Sullivan, S. J. Dimensions of attachment and commitment across the transition to parenthood . Journal of Family Psychology, 29, 938-944. PMCID: PMC4977157

2015. Kotila, L. E., & Schoppe-Sullivan, S. J. Integrating sociological and psychological perspectives on coparenting. Sociology Compass, 9, 731-744.

2015. Schoppe-Sullivan, S. J., & Altenburger, L. E., Lee, M. A., Bower, D. J., & Kamp Dush, C. M. Who are the gatekeepers? Predictors of maternal gatekeeping. Parenting: Science and Practice, 15, 166-186. PMCID: PMC4922533

2014. Altenburger, L. E., Schoppe-Sullivan, S. J., Lang, S. N. , Bower, D. J. , & Kamp Dush, C. M. Associations between prenatal coparenting behavior and observed coparenting behavior at 9 months postpartum. Journal of Family Psychology, 28, 495-504. PMCID: PMC4485399

2014. Kamp Dush, C. M., Rhoades, G. K., Sandberg-Thoma, S. E., & Schoppe-Sullivan, S. J. Commitment across the transition to parenthood among married and cohabiting couples. Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice, 3, 126-136. PMCID: PMC4263416

2014. Kotila, L. E., Schoppe-Sullivan, S. J., & Kamp Dush, C. M. Boy or girl? Maternal psychological correlates of knowing fetal sex. Personality and Individual Differences, 68, 195-198. PMCID: PMC4535729

2014. Kotila, L. E., Schoppe-Sullivan, S. J., & Kamp Dush, C. M. Infant characteristics and parental engagement at the transition to parenthood. Infant Behavior and Development, 37, 787-799. PMCID: PMC4575220

2014. Schoppe-Sullivan, S. J., Altenburger, L. E., Settle, T. A., Kamp Dush, C. M., Sullivan, J. M., & Bower, D. J. Expectant fathers’ intuitive parenting: Associations with parent characteristics and postpartum positive engagement. Infant Mental Health Journal, 35, 409-421. PMCID: PMC4575558

2013. Lang, S.N., Schoppe-Sullivan, S. J., Kotila, L. E., & Kamp-Dush, C.M. Daily Parenting Engagement among New Mothers and Fathers: The Role of Romantic Attachment in Dual-Earner Families. Family Relations, 27(6): 862-72. PMCID: PMC3966906

2013. Kotila, L. E. , Schoppe-Sullivan, S. J., & Kamp Dush, C. M. Time in parenting activities in dual-earner families at the transition to parenthood. Family Relations, 62, 795-807. PMCID: PMC4578481

2013. Zvara, B. J., Schoppe-Sullivan, S. J., & Kamp Dush, C. M. Fathers' involvement in child health care: Associations with prenatal involvement, parents' beliefs, and maternal gatekeeping. Family Relations, 62, 649-661. PMC4578638

2012. Bartholomew, M., Schoppe-Sullivan, S. J., Glassman, M., Kamp-Dush, C. M., & Sullivan, J. New Parents' Facebook Use at the Transition to Parenthood. Family Relations. 61(3):455-469. PMCID: PMC3650729

2011. Lee, M. A., Schoppe-Sullivan, S. J., & Kamp-Dush, C. M. Parenting Perfectionism and Parental Adjustment. Personality and Individual Differences, 52, 454-457. PMCID: PMC3274380

2012. Lee, M. A., Schoppe-Sullivan, S. J., & Kamp Dush, C. M. Parenting perfectionism and parental adjustment. Personality and Individual Differences, 52, 454-457. PMCID: PMC3274380

2008. Kamp-Dush CM, Taylor MG, Kroeger RA. Marital happiness and psychological well-being across the life course. Fam Relat, 57(2): 211-226. PMCID: PMC3650717

Chapters in Edited Volumes

Lee, J., Schoppe-Sullivan, S. J., Feng, X., Gerhardt, M. L., & Kamp Dush, C. M. (in press). Measurement invariance of maternal gatekeeping across time and reporters. In B. L. Volling & N. Cabrera (Eds.), Advancing research and measurement of on fathering and children’s development. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development.