How parenthood shapes well-being: The roles of stress coping and psychological flexibility in married couples

Abstract

This study explores how parenthood affects subjective wellbeing, dyadic stress coping, and psychological flexibility in married individuals. Utilizing a quantitative, correlational design, the study sampled 402 married adults—222 with children and 180 without. Participants completed validated measures assessing dyadic coping, psychological flexibility, and relationship-specific subjective wellbeing. Data were analyzed using SPSS (version 26) and the PROCESS macro (Model 4). Findings revealed that individuals without children reported higher levels of dyadic coping and subjective wellbeing compared to parents. However, parents exhibited significantly higher overall psychological flexibility and greater alignment with value-based behavior. Analysis by number of children indicated that those with one child showed higher psychological flexibility in the present moment and in acting according to personal values than those with more children. Mediation analyses revealed that psychological flexibility partially mediated the relationship between dyadic coping and subjective wellbeing among parents, but not among non-parents. These findings suggest that while parenting introduces stress that can challenge couple dynamics, it may also foster greater psychological flexibility, which in turn can buffer the negative effects of stress on relational wellbeing.