Social Comparison and Coparenting as Differential Predictors of Mothers’ and Fathers’ Parental Self-Efficacy

Abstract

Parental self-efficacy in mothers and fathers has positive impacts on both parent and child development. In the present study, we investigated whether social comparison and coparenting are predictive of parental self-efficacy and if the effect varies between mothers and fathers. Data was collected from cohabitating mothers and fathers (91 families) who reported upon the quality of parent–child interaction, coparental support and undermining, social comparison orientedness, and parental self-efficacy. Regression models were separately conducted for mothers and fathers to observe the impact of each variable on parental self-efficacy. The results showed that while both fathers’ and mothers’ parental self-efficacy are impacted by each variable, fathers were more sensitive to the coparenting relationship and mothers were more impacted by social comparison. Understanding the foundations of parental self-efficacy will contribute to effective interventions for struggling families and increase resources for new parents.

Keywords

parental self-efficacy coparenting social comparison sex differences fathers

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