Keywords
interpersonal communication
parenthood
marital relations
How to Cite
Abstract
An issue that has recently attracted increasing interest from researchers and practitioners is coparenting. In Poland, this phenomenon has been investigated to a small extent. Coparenting, which begins between parents immediately after the birth of their first child, refers to the way in which the mother and father cooperate with each other in taking care of and bringing up their offspring. The birth of a child changes the nature of the relationship between the couple by confronting them with many new and often unpredicted challenges. Taking on these challenges, the parents may either adopt an attitude of cooperation, supporting and strengthening each other in their roles, or compete, criticizing each other and belittling the importance of each other’s tasks. An important aspect of coparenting is the manner of communicating. This factor plays an important role in the functioning of the family system at every stage of its life cycle. Research into the phenomenon of coparenting can provide knowledge that is necessary to develop prevention and intervention programs aimed at improving the functioning of the family.
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