Sophia Weng
Pronouns: She/Her
Research Mentor(s): Amie Gordon
Research Mentor School/College/Department: Psychology / LSA
Program: UROPF
Session: Session 1 (9:00am – 9:50am)
Authors: Sophia Weng, Helen Devine, Amie Gordon
Abstract
Studies prove that couples who report working well as a team see benefits in their children’s sense of well-being and stability (Christensen et al., 2008). But is it actually having children that cause an increase in levels of teamwork? For example, teamwork in families prioritizes the maintenance of the families’ status quo and reputation (Miller et al., 1966). However, teamwork in couples prioritizes intra-communication (Karney & Bradbury, 1995) or more recently dyadic coping (Bodenmann & Shantinath, 2004). This shows us that there appears to be a difference in what teamwork looks like before and after becoming a parent. In this study, I will be investigating whether couples with children show more reported and observed teamwork. In our current study, we put 218 couples through a series of stressful tasks and then asked them to reflect on their performance through a reflection conversation. Surveys were administered before and after the tasks to gather family demographics and self-reported levels of teamwork. Additionally, observed teamwork was measured through objective research assistants behaviorally coding the couples on a 1-5 scale of how well they cooperated. We will be comparing and analyzing these variables across three different groups: couples with no children (N = 134), couples with children < 4 years old (N = 16), and couples with children > 4 years old (N = 57). The age cutoffs are based on their oldest child’s age, as I am interested in when they first became a parent. Examining how having children can affect one’s teamwork can give insight into the transition of parenthood and the future of family planning. This can additionally inform future parents and give way to new research. Weng S., Devine, H., Gordon, A. M. (2023, April).
