From crisis to cooperation – the relationship of coparenting after divorce with conflict frequency and conflict resolution: a cross-sectional study

This study aimed to explore the relationship between conflict frequency and management, divorce process characteristics, mediation participation, and co-parenting quality after divorce. Research addressing these associations among divorced parents remains scarce, both nationally and internationally. In our view, both the divorce process and co-parenting development are primarily approached from the theoretical framework of systems theory. We surveyed 404 divorced Hungarian parents via an online questionnaire. Following correlational analyses, coparenting and conflicts were examined using a hierarchical regression model. Individual predictors, such as mediation process participation, current conflict frequency, and cooperative and child-involvement conflict strategies, remained significant in the final model. When interpreting the results, it is crucial to consider the Central European context, where co-parenting has only recently become the focus of academic and professional interest. In conclusion, services and programs aimed at reducing conflict and developing constructive conflict resolution are critical during and after divorce.