"The Three Musketeers": A Triadic Analysis of Parenting Responsibilities Within U.K. LGBTQ+ Three-Parent Families.
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| Title: | "The Three Musketeers": A Triadic Analysis of Parenting Responsibilities Within U.K. LGBTQ+ Three-Parent Families. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Bower-Brown, Susie1 (AUTHOR) s.bower-brown@ucl.ac.uk, Foley, Sarah2 (AUTHOR), Jadva, Vasanti3 (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Journal of Family Psychology. Jun2025, Vol. 39 Issue 4, p418-428. 11p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Parents, LGBTQ+ families, LGBTQ+ parents, Family systems theory, Research questions |
| Abstract: | Within the United Kingdom, alongside many other countries, it is legally and socially assumed that every child is born with two parents. Recently, there has been an increased societal interest in intentional multiparent families, where more than two adults are actively involved in coparenting a child, yet little research has explored experiences within these families. This study addresses this gap, exploring the way in which parenting roles and responsibilities are negotiated within lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer and questioning intentional three-parent families in the United Kingdom. This article draws upon a unique data set of three-parent families, including interviews with 12 lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer and questioning parents in four families in the United Kingdom. Data were analyzed using a novel analytical approach, qualitative triadic analysis, which allows for the analysis of participants' experiences at an individual and family level. Family systems theory and the underutilized theoretical concept of emotional triangles were used to make sense of the data. Three themes were identified in the data, all addressing the research question "How do three-parent families negotiate parenting roles and responsibilities?" Findings highlight that participants managed their parenting arrangement in two different ways, either sharing parenting responsibilities equally or dividing parenting roles, with primary and secondary caregivers taking on different responsibilities. Participants discussed the importance of flexibility and communication in managing their arrangement and all participants reported positive coparenting relationships. This study has a number of implications: Methodologically and theoretically, this study highlights the usefulness of systemic qualitative approaches to studying diverse families. Legally, findings highlight the restrictiveness of two-parent models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Journal of Family Psychology is the property of American Psychological Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: ehh DbLabel: Education Research Complete An: 185232358 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: "The Three Musketeers": A Triadic Analysis of Parenting Responsibilities Within U.K. LGBTQ+ Three-Parent Families. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Bower-Brown%2C+Susie%22">Bower-Brown, Susie</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> s.bower-brown@ucl.ac.uk</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Foley%2C+Sarah%22">Foley, Sarah</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jadva%2C+Vasanti%22">Jadva, Vasanti</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR) – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Family+Psychology%22">Journal of Family Psychology</searchLink>. Jun2025, Vol. 39 Issue 4, p418-428. 11p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Parents%22">Parents</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22LGBTQ%2B+families%22">LGBTQ+ families</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22LGBTQ%2B+parents%22">LGBTQ+ parents</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Family+systems+theory%22">Family systems theory</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Research+questions%22">Research questions</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Within the United Kingdom, alongside many other countries, it is legally and socially assumed that every child is born with two parents. Recently, there has been an increased societal interest in intentional multiparent families, where more than two adults are actively involved in coparenting a child, yet little research has explored experiences within these families. This study addresses this gap, exploring the way in which parenting roles and responsibilities are negotiated within lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer and questioning intentional three-parent families in the United Kingdom. This article draws upon a unique data set of three-parent families, including interviews with 12 lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer and questioning parents in four families in the United Kingdom. Data were analyzed using a novel analytical approach, qualitative triadic analysis, which allows for the analysis of participants' experiences at an individual and family level. Family systems theory and the underutilized theoretical concept of emotional triangles were used to make sense of the data. Three themes were identified in the data, all addressing the research question "How do three-parent families negotiate parenting roles and responsibilities?" Findings highlight that participants managed their parenting arrangement in two different ways, either sharing parenting responsibilities equally or dividing parenting roles, with primary and secondary caregivers taking on different responsibilities. Participants discussed the importance of flexibility and communication in managing their arrangement and all participants reported positive coparenting relationships. This study has a number of implications: Methodologically and theoretically, this study highlights the usefulness of systemic qualitative approaches to studying diverse families. Legally, findings highlight the restrictiveness of two-parent models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Family Psychology is the property of American Psychological Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=ehh&AN=185232358 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1037/fam0001307 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 11 StartPage: 418 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Parents Type: general – SubjectFull: LGBTQ+ families Type: general – SubjectFull: LGBTQ+ parents Type: general – SubjectFull: Family systems theory Type: general – SubjectFull: Research questions Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: "The Three Musketeers": A Triadic Analysis of Parenting Responsibilities Within U.K. LGBTQ+ Three-Parent Families. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Bower-Brown, Susie – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Foley, Sarah – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Jadva, Vasanti IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 06 Text: Jun2025 Type: published Y: 2025 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 08933200 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 39 – Type: issue Value: 4 Titles: – TitleFull: Journal of Family Psychology Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
