• Locating the Nexus Between Inhibitory Maternal Gatekeeping and Coparenting Processes
  Presented by: Erin K. Holmes, Jay S. Fagan, Sarah J. Schoppe-Sullivan, Randal D. Day

• Using National Data Sets to Measure Maternal Gatekeeping: An Exercise in Futility
  Presented by: Daniel J. Puhlman, Kay Pasley

Locating the Nexus Between Inhibitory Maternal Gatekeeping and Coparenting Processes
Presented by: Erin K. Holmes, Jay S. Fagan, Sarah J. Schoppe-Sullivan, Randal D. Day

There are three major interparental constructs that directly involve exchanges regarding childrearing between parents. These are coparenting, maternal gatekeeping (inhibitory/facilitating), and triangulation.  Each has implications for individual parenting outcomes, individual child outcomes, and family processes.  Unfortunately, these constructs have generally been developed and studied in isolation. In this paper we try to bridge the gap between these constructs by proposing and testing confirmatory factor models of association between coparenting, gatekeeping, and triangulation.  We conclude with implications for future research and practice.

Using National Data Sets to Measure Maternal Gatekeeping: An Exercise in Futility
Presented by: Daniel J. Puhlman, Kay Pasley

Building upon our paper presented at TCRM last year regarding a revised conceptualization of maternal gatekeeping, we examined items available in public-use data sets to operationalize our proposed three-dimensional model of control, encouragement, and discouragement.  After consideration of four data sets, only items from two the Fragile Families Child and Well-Being Study and the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, are used to illustrate the degree of success to which our conceptualization can be measured.  We describe our rationale for item selection and critique the adequacy with which these items represent our notion of maternal gatekeeping. We end with recommendations regarding the use of these data and include suggestions for items that better reflect the dimensions we outline.