Abstract
Role distribution is a central issue for parents in the transition to parenthood, but little is known about the motivations in fathers to assume a specific role. Differences in work-family balance in each parent may be motivated by an individual choice mutually shared by both partners; however, in many couples, the parents may feel forced to adopt a traditional role distribution, either for financial reasons, or to comply with social expectations about what men and women should do when they are parents. This feeling of being socially constrained to adopt a role distribution that is not congruent with intrinsic motivations can generate dissatisfaction and may jeopardize the development of the interparental relationship. Coparenting refers to the emotional and instrumental support parents bring to each other in their parental tasks. It has been shown to be central in family functioning and a powerful predictor of children’s emotional and cognitive development. In this study, we aimed to assess the extent to which different motivations for role distribution in fathers are predictive of the quality of the coparental relationship. A convenience sample of 144 fathers from the French-speaking part of Switzerland completed online questionnaires about their motivations, coparental relationship, and sociodemographic characteristics. Results showed that the reasons for role distribution were mainly economical, practical, and in order to meet personal expectations. Multivariate general linear modeling showed that role distribution that is constrained to meet social expectations and age were predictive of a less cohesive coparental relationship, whereas a deliberate choice in role distribution was linked to a more cohesive coparental relationship.
Highlights
Contemporary couples have to face important challenges, one of the most important of which is to reconcile family and professional life
The gender revolution is not accomplished yet: for example, the increase in the number of mothers in the workforce full time was not followed by a similar increase in the number of fathers being the primary caregiver (DeRose et al, 2019; Lee et al, 2020), and in dualearner families, mothers still assume responsibility for most of the parenting duties, as social expectations regarding traditional roles are still present and influential (Yeung et al, 2001; Raley et al, 2012)
Combining involvement with children with their role as financial provider may be difficult, especially as the world of work still expects men to be fully dedicated to their work duties (McGill, 2014), and the lack of flexible work arrangements may constitute a structural barrier to increasing their involvement in the family (Carlson et al, 2021); on the other hand, men who become primary caregivers may have to face negative reaction from others who see them as “Mr Mom” (Steinhour, 2018)
Summary
Contemporary couples have to face important challenges, one of the most important of which is to reconcile family and professional life. The gender revolution is not accomplished yet: for example, the increase in the number of mothers in the workforce full time was not followed by a similar increase in the number of fathers being the primary caregiver (DeRose et al, 2019; Lee et al, 2020), and in dualearner families, mothers still assume responsibility for most of the parenting duties, as social expectations regarding traditional roles are still present and influential (Yeung et al, 2001; Raley et al, 2012) This is the case in Switzerland; in 2020, women still spent more time on domestic and family work than men did (28.7 vs 19.1 h per week, respectively; Federal Statistical Office, 2021). Mothers engaged in the workforce have to face expectations of being a “good mother” dedicated to their children and simultaneously being competitive in professional work, this double agenda resulting in a burden that is heavier for women than it is for men (Craig, 2006; Borelli et al, 2017)
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