The Impact of Undermining Coparenting on the Mental and Physical Health Outcomes of Black Fathers: The Role of Depression and Restrictive Emotionality

Background & Purpose: The coparenting relationship is central to the fathering practices of men, as indicated in the parenting literature. Nevertheless, few studies have explored how co-parenting relationships influence men's health outcomes. Using the social determinants of health conceptual framework, this study examines the relationship between Black fathers' physical and mental health outcomes and undermining co-parenting. The study also examines the role of restrictive emotionality and depression in this relationship.

Methods & Procedures: Study participants comprise a subsample (n = 255) of a larger survey research study (N=529) that explores the impacts of fathering on health outcomes among a diverse group of fathers across the United States. Participants identified as male, were 18 years of age and older, and had at least 1 biological child. Qualtrics Panels, a third-party organization that provides access to a large pool of varied online survey respondents, was used to obtain the sample for this study. A measure of undermining co-parenting was used to capture the independent variable. Measures of anger and physical health were used to operationalize the dependent variables. To measure mediating and moderating variables, scales for depression and restrictive emotionality, respectively, were employed.

Data Analysis & Results: The independent variable, undermining coparenting, was significantly associated with both outcome variables of interest – overall physical health (r = −.22 < p .01) and mental health (as measured by anger) (r = .40, p < .01). We employed PROCESS Model 5 to test the fit of moderating and mediating models. The first model tested the moderating effects of restrictive emotionality on the association between undermining co-parenting and anger. The overall model was not found to be significant (p=.57). However, these moderating effects were significant for those who reported moderate (p = .01) to high (p < .02) levels of restrictive emotionality. The second model tested the mediating effects of depression on the association between undermining co-parenting and anger. The overall model was found to be significant (CI=.06–.15), suggesting that depression mediated the effects of undermining coparenting on anger. In the third model, we examined the moderating effects of restrictive emotionality on the association between undermining co-parenting and self-reported ratings of overall physical health. The overall model was significant (p = < .01). However, these effects were only significant for those who reported moderate (p = .01) or high (p = .01) levels of restrictive emotionality. The fourth model examined the mediating effects of depression on the association between undermining co-parenting and self-reported ratings of overall physical health. This model was also significant (CI= .04–.12), suggesting that depression mediated the effects of undermining co-parenting on physical health.

Implications & Conclusions: In light of study results, it is recommended that the negative impact of undermining coparenting on health be considered as a potential comorbidity contributing to negative health outcomes for Black men. This study adds to the literature on coparenting and Black men’s health and urges policymakers and practitioners to consider undermining as a significant social determinant of health impacting the well-being of Black men.