Youssef Benali

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the predictive roles of co-parenting quality and parenting stress in relation to child behavioral adjustment among parents in Morocco. Methods: A correlational descriptive design was employed involving a sample of 396 parents selected based on Krejcie and Morgan’s sampling table. Participants completed three standardized instruments: the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) to assess child behavioral problems, the Parenting Stress Index–Short Form (PSI-SF) to measure perceived parenting stress, and the Co-parenting Relationship Scale (CRS) to evaluate co-parenting quality. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 27. Pearson correlation coefficients were computed to examine the bivariate associations between the dependent variable and each independent variable. Multiple linear regression was then conducted to evaluate the joint predictive power of parenting stress and co-parenting quality on child behavioral adjustment, with all assumptions for regression analysis thoroughly checked and confirmed. Findings: Results showed a significant positive correlation between parenting stress and child behavioral problems (r = .56, p < .01), and a significant negative correlation between co-parenting quality and child behavioral problems (r = –.42, p < .01). Multiple regression analysis revealed that parenting stress (β = .48, t = 8.60, p < .01) and co-parenting quality (β = –.31, t = –6.75, p < .01) were both significant predictors of child behavioral adjustment. The overall model was significant (F(2, 393) = 129.72, p < .01), explaining 40% of the variance in child behavioral outcomes (R² = .40, Adjusted R² = .39). Conclusion: The findings highlight the critical roles of both relational and psychological parenting factors in child development. Interventions aiming to reduce parenting stress and enhance co-parenting quality may be effective in improving behavioral outcomes in children, especially in non-Western cultural contexts like Morocco.

Objective: This study aimed to explore how humor functions as a coping mechanism that contributes to marital satisfaction among couples in Slovenia. Methods and Materials: A qualitative design was employed, relying on semi-structured interviews to capture couples’ lived experiences of humor in marriage. Twenty-four participants (12 couples) from Slovenia, married for at least three years, were recruited using purposive sampling. Interviews were conducted until theoretical saturation was achieved, with each session lasting between 60 and 90 minutes. Data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed thematically using NVivo 14 software. Trustworthiness was enhanced through peer debriefing, member checking, and triangulation with field notes. Findings: Four major themes emerged from the data: (1) Humor as an Emotional Buffer, where couples described humor as a strategy for stress relief, emotional recovery, and conflict de-escalation; (2) Humor and Intimacy, highlighting the role of shared jokes, playful teasing, and affectionate humor in strengthening closeness and trust; (3) Humor as a Communication Strategy, with participants explaining how humor allowed them to soften criticism, indirectly express sensitive issues, and repair conflicts; and (4) Humor and Marital Resilience, where humor facilitated coping with external stressors, fostered perspective-taking, and sustained hope during challenges such as illness or financial strain. Couples reported that affiliative and self-enhancing humor styles were most beneficial, while aggressive humor could undermine satisfaction. Humor was also noted as increasingly expressed through digital interactions, including memes and messaging. Conclusion: The findings suggest that humor is a multidimensional coping resource in marriage, functioning simultaneously as an emotional, relational, communicative, and resilience-enhancing tool. While humor generally promotes marital satisfaction, its effects depend on style and context. These insights highlight the importance of constructive humor in maintaining healthy, satisfying, and enduring marital relationships.