Predicting Family Functioning from Parental Stress and Coparenting Quality: The Mediating Role of Family Communication

Nigar Mammadli; Natalie Singh

Authors

Nigar Mammadli Department of Psychology, Baku State University, Baku, Azerbaijan Author https://orcid.org/0009-0008-3743-9523
Natalie Singh Department of Cross-Cultural Psychology, University of Windsor, Windsor, Canada Corresponding Author https://orcid.org/0009-0006-9540-9723

Keywords:

parental stress, coparenting quality, family communication, family functioning, mediation, parents

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to predict family functioning from parental stress and coparenting quality and to examine the mediating role of family communication in these relationships among Canadian parents.

Methods and Materials: This cross-sectional correlational study was conducted with 386 parents residing in Canada who had at least one child younger than 18 years and were actively involved in the child’s care. Participants completed the Parenting Stress Index–Short Form, the Coparenting Relationship Scale, the Family Communication Scale, and the General Functioning subscale of the McMaster Family Assessment Device. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficients, hierarchical multiple regression, and mediation analysis with PROCESS Model 4. Indirect effects were evaluated using 5,000 bias-corrected bootstrap resamples, and statistical significance was set at p < .05.

Findings: Parental stress was negatively associated with family communication (β = -.43, p < .001) and family functioning (β = -.22, p < .001), whereas coparenting quality was positively associated with family communication (β = .49, p < .001) and family functioning (β = .26, p < .001). Family communication significantly predicted family functioning (β = .48, p < .001). The final regression model explained 68% of the variance in family functioning. Mediation analysis showed that family communication significantly mediated the association between parental stress and family functioning (B = -0.058, 95% CI [-0.076, -0.042]) and the association between coparenting quality and family functioning (B = 1.47, 95% CI [1.15, 1.81]). Because both direct effects remained significant after inclusion of the mediator, the mediating effects were partial.

Conclusion: Family communication appears to be a central relational mechanism through which parental stress and coparenting quality are associated with overall family functioning, suggesting that interventions targeting both parental stress reduction and constructive family communication may strengthen family functioning.

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