The good, the bad, and the ugly : divorced mothers' experiences with coparenting

Abstract

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] This study produces a grounded theory of how 20 women experience sharing physical custody of their children with their former partners after divorce or remarriage. Three patterns of coparenting were identified in the data: continuously contentious, always amicable, and bad to better. Five negative factors and three positive factors that influenced mothers' coparenting relationships were identified. The type of relationship women have with their ex-partners was related to how they shared custody of their children (e.g., how they exchange their children). The findings of this study suggest that joint physical custody relationships are dynamic and can vary greatly.