COPARENTING, EMOTIONAL SECURITY, AND CHILD ANXIETY: AN INTEGRATIVE THEORETICAL ANALYSIS
COPARENTING, EMOTIONAL SECURITY, AND CHILD ANXIETY: AN INTEGRATIVE THEORETICAL ANALYSIS

Summary/Abstract: The coparental relationship represents a central subsystem of the family system, playing a significant role in shaping the emotional climate within which the child develops mechanisms of affect regulation and psychological adjustment. Although classical research on child development has predominantly focused on the dyadic parent-child relationship, contemporary literature increasingly highlights the importance of coordination and cooperation between parents in shaping the child’s emotional security.The present article proposes an integrative theoretical analysis of the relationship between coparenting, emotional security, and child anxiety, using the emotional security theory formulated by Davies and Cummings as its conceptual foundation. Based on a review of the relevant literature, the main dimensions of coparenting - parental cooperation, parental agreement, conflict, and triangulation - are examined, along with the psychological mechanisms through which these dynamics influence children’s emotional development.The article synthesizes relevant empirical evidence indicating that dysfunctional coparental dynamics, particularly destructive conflict, partner undermining, and the triangulation of the child into parental conflicts, are associated with increased internalizing symptoms, especially anxiety. In contrast, cooperative coparenting, characterized by mutual support and coordinated parental involvement, functions as a protective factor for children’s emotional adjustment.Based on this analysis, an integrative conceptual model is proposed to explain how the dimensions of the coparental relationship influence children’s emotional security and, consequently, their vulnerability to anxious manifestations. Finally, the theoretical and applied implications of this model are discussed, along with directions for future research regarding the role of coparenting in children’s psycho-emotional development.

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