I “get” you, babe: Reflective functioning in partners transitioning to parenthood

2020 ◽  
Vol 37 (6) ◽  
pp. 1785-1805 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica L. Borelli ◽  
Arietta Slade ◽  
Corey Pettit ◽  
Dana Shai
Keyword(s):  
Relationship Satisfaction ◽  
Transition To Parenthood ◽  
Developmental Psychology ◽  
Reflective Functioning ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Relationship Functioning ◽  
Attachment Avoidance ◽  
Positive Communication ◽  
Psychology Literature ◽  
First Time

Reflective functioning (RF) is a construct that has gained tremendous traction in the developmental psychology literature, demonstrating robust associations with parent–child attachment and interactional quality. Although theorists argue that RF should have meaningful links with relationship quality across the life span, to date this construct has not been applied to the study of adult romantic partnerships. The goal of the present investigation is to introduce the construct of Partner RF, the capacity to reflect on the thoughts and feelings of one’s partner and to consider their roles in guiding behavior in one’s partner and oneself. Next, we explore the degree to which Partner RF is associated with a range of theoretically related constructs—one’s partner’s Partner RF, as well as one’s own parental RF, attachment, relationship satisfaction, and coparenting—in first-time parents. In a longitudinal study of N = 107 primiparous couples, we found positive associations between mothers’ and fathers’ Partner RF and between mother’s Partner RF and their parental RF. Partner RF is higher among women who report lower prenatal attachment avoidance and demonstrate more prenatal positive communication with their partners. Counterintuitively, higher levels of maternal Partner RF predict greater decreases in couple and coparenting satisfaction across the transition to parenthood. Partner RF may be an important construct to measure and understand in terms of its role in couple relationship functioning and parental well-being.

Understanding in transition: The influence of becoming parents on empathic accuracy

2020 ◽  
Vol 37 (8-9) ◽  
pp. 2366-2385
Author(s):  
Jerica X. Bornstein ◽  
Eshkol Rafaeli ◽  
Marci E.J. Gleason
Keyword(s):  
Relationship Satisfaction ◽  
Transition To Parenthood ◽  
Negative Mood ◽  
Empathic Accuracy ◽  
Relationship Functioning ◽  
Major Life ◽  
Daily Diary Study ◽  
First Child ◽  
Relationship Partners ◽  
Life Stressor

Empathic accuracy (EA), the ability to understand a close other’s thoughts and feelings, is linked to relationship satisfaction. Yet, it is unclear whether stress interferes with relationship partners’ ability to be empathically accurate. The present study investigates whether a major life stressor, the transition to parenthood (TTP), interferes with EA between partners. In a daily diary study of 78 couples expecting their first child, couples reported on their own and their partners’ daily mood for 3 weeks during three separate time periods across the TTP: pregnancy, infancy, and toddlerhood. Both mothers and their partners demonstrated EA across the TTP. However, there was evidence that the transition interfered with EA: Partners’ ability to track mothers’ negative mood dropped significantly during infancy and remained low in toddlerhood, whereas mothers’ ability to track their partners’ positive mood dropped significantly in infancy and recovered in toddlerhood. This suggests that one way in which a major life stressor, in this case, the TTP, may interfere with relationship functioning is by decreasing couples’ understanding of each other’s mood states.

Dyad to triad: A longitudinal analysis of humor and pregnancy intention during the transition to parenthood

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (11-12) ◽  
pp. 3611-3630
Author(s):  
Jaclyn C. Theisen ◽  
Brian G. Ogolsky ◽  
Jeffry A. Simpson ◽  
W. Steven Rholes
Keyword(s):  
Relationship Satisfaction ◽  
Transition To Parenthood ◽  
Longitudinal Design ◽  
Unplanned Pregnancy ◽  
Stressful Life Event ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Pregnancy Intention ◽  
Stress Buffering ◽  
Aggressive Humor ◽  
First Time

The transition to parenthood is a stressful life event that often leads to decreases in relationship satisfaction over time. Guided by the Stress Buffering Model, we examined how pregnancy intention and humor use are associated with relationship satisfaction across the transition to parenthood using a multi-wave longitudinal design. First-time parents were initially assessed prenatally and then every 6-month postpartum for 2 years. Six months after birth, each couple was video-recorded engaging in two support discussions where each partner’s use of different humor styles was observed and rated. The results revealed a positive association between affiliative humor use (assessed at 6-month postpartum) and relationship satisfaction (assessed across the entire transition) for men and women. For men only, there was an interaction between pregnancy intention (assessed prenatally) and aggressive humor use (assessed 6-month postpartum). Specifically, when the pregnancy was unplanned, men who displayed higher levels of aggressive humor at 6-month postpartum reported higher overall relationship satisfaction. There also was a significant interaction between men’s (but not women’s) affiliative humor use and pregnancy intention, such that when men reported an unplanned pregnancy, their greater use of affiliative humor buffered declines in their relationship satisfaction. These findings suggest that, for men, greater use of affiliative humor appears to forestall declines in their relationship satisfaction. More broadly, different forms of humor may promote or sustain higher levels of relationship satisfaction in men across the chronically stressful transition to parenthood because they serve key communicative functions.

Is it me or you? First-time mothers’ attributions for postpartum sexual concerns are associated with sexual and relationship satisfaction in the transition to parenthood

2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 577-599 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah A. Vannier ◽  
Kaitlyn E. Adare ◽  
Natalie O. Rosen
Keyword(s):  
Relationship Satisfaction ◽  
Intimate Relationships ◽  
Sexual Functioning ◽  
Transition To Parenthood ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Four Dimensions ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
First Time Mothers ◽  
Sexual Concerns ◽  
First Time

Most first-time mothers experience a decline in both their sexual and relationship satisfaction from prepregnancy, which has negative consequences for the couple and their family. Prior studies have begun to identify risk and protective factors (e.g., empathy) for postpartum sexual and relationship satisfaction. Causal attributions for postpartum sexual concerns may be important because a specific cause can be difficult to pinpoint given the wide range of postpartum sexual problems among first-time parents. In the current study, 120 first-time mothers (3–12 months postpartum) completed validated measures assessing attributions for postpartum sexual concerns, sexual satisfaction, and relationship satisfaction. Attributions were measured on four dimensions: internal/external (i.e., is the sexual concern due to the self or the situation), stable/unstable (i.e., will the cause of the concern occur again in the future), global/specific (i.e., will the cause of the concern affect other situations), and partner responsibility (i.e., is the partner the cause). When new mothers reported more stable and partner attributions for postpartum sexual concerns, they were less sexually satisfied, and when they attributed greater responsibility for sexual concerns to their partners, they were less satisfied with their overall relationship. These associations remained significant after controlling for potential challenges that may also impact sexual and relationship satisfaction during this period (i.e., breastfeeding, sexual frequency, depressive symptoms, fatigue, sexual functioning). As postpartum sexual concerns are common, attributions for these changes may be a valuable target for interventions aimed at strengthening the intimate relationships of women making the transition to parenthood.

Parenting and Relational Well-being During the Transition to Parenthood: Challenges for First-time Parents

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (7) ◽  
pp. 1938-1956 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sylvie Lévesque ◽  
Véronique Bisson ◽  
Laurence Charton ◽  
Mylène Fernet
Keyword(s):  
Transition To Parenthood ◽  
Well Being ◽  
First Time

Relationship and Sexual Functioning During Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mylène Lachance-Grzela
Keyword(s):  
Relationship Satisfaction ◽  
Sexual Functioning ◽  
Postpartum Period ◽  
Transition To Parenthood ◽  
Situational Factors ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Relationship Functioning ◽  
First Child ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Impact

There has been much debate among researchers in couple and family psychology on whether and how much the transition to parenthood affects partners’ conjugal life. This chapter provides a literature review aimed at determining what is currently known about relationship functioning and sexual functioning during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Most existing research on the subject reveals that the birth of a first child is associated with a decline in relationship satisfaction and sexual functioning. Recent data from prospective studies suggest that the transition from being a couple to being parents is actually associated with declines in relationship functioning over and above the normative declines reported by couples without children. This chapter examines the impact of individual, relational, and situational factors that have been proposed to explain this decline. Finally, the strengths and limitations of current research are discussed, and future research avenues are considered.

Division of Labor and Multiple Domains of Sexual Satisfaction Among First-Time Parents

2015 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 104-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan K. Maas ◽  
Brandon T. McDaniel ◽  
Mark E. Feinberg ◽  
Damon E. Jones
Keyword(s):  
Parenting Stress ◽  
Sexual Satisfaction ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Role Overload ◽  
Relationship Functioning ◽  
Division Of Household Labor ◽  
Paid Labor ◽  
Unique Predictor ◽  
Multiple Domains ◽  
First Time

Sexual satisfaction is an important contributor to relationship functioning that is not well understood among first-time parents, at a time when relationship functioning is important for the well-being of parents as well as the child. The current study examined how several dimensions of individual and relationship functioning among first-time parents (coparenting, division of household and paid labor, parenting stress, and role overload) at 6 months postbirth predicted multiple domains of sexual satisfaction at 12 months postbirth, in a sample of heterosexual first-time parents. Role overload, work hours, and division of household labor each predicted at least one domain of sexual satisfaction for both mothers and fathers, whereas parenting stress was a unique predictor for mothers only. The implications of these results for first-time parents are discussed.

Partner predictors of marital aggression across the transition to parenthood: An I3 approach

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (5) ◽  
pp. 1491-1508 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jami Eller ◽  
Emma M. Marshall ◽  
W. Steven Rholes ◽  
Grace Vieth ◽  
Jeffry A. Simpson
Keyword(s):  
Relationship Satisfaction ◽  
Physical Aggression ◽  
Parental Stress ◽  
Transition To Parenthood ◽  
Female Partner ◽  
Marital Aggression ◽  
Attachment Avoidance ◽  
Marital Problems ◽  
Specific Attachment ◽  
Over Time

The stress that arises during the transition to parenthood often places significant strain on marriages that can result in marital problems such as aggression victimization. In this research, we use an I3 framework to identify specific partner variables that are likely to promote physical aggression victimization across the transition to parenthood. Examining both intercepts (i.e., mean levels of aggression victimization estimated at childbirth) and slopes (e.g., changes in aggression victimization estimated over time), we find support for a three-way interaction anticipated by the I3 framework. Specifically, male partners were more likely to report being the victim of aggression at childbirth and also during the 24 months that followed when their female partner reported experiencing greater parental stress (an instigator to aggression in the I3 framework), greater relationship-specific attachment avoidance (an impellor to aggression), and lower relationship satisfaction (the lack of an inhibitor to aggression). Implications for the prevention of marital aggression associated with these I3 factors are discussed.

Transition to parenthood programmes

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane Barlow
Keyword(s):  
Transition To Parenthood ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Perinatal Period ◽  
Developmental Period ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Life Chances ◽  
Potential Impact ◽  
Related Stress ◽  
First Time

For first-time parents, the ‘transition to parenthood’ is a significant period, not only in terms of changes for the parents and the related stress that such changes may involve, but also in terms of the needs of the unborn/newborn baby. This reflects the fact that the perinatal period is now recognized to be a ‘sensitive’ developmental period in terms of the baby’s neurodevelopment and thereby a significant window of opportunity to equalize the life chances of all children. This chapter examines some of the key changes that can occur during the ‘transition to parenthood’ and the potential impact in terms of long-term well-being of the infant and child. Innovative and evidence-based methods of working to support the couple in the transition to parenthood are described, and the effectiveness of such programmes reviewed in terms of both parental and infant well-being.

scholarly journals Supporting transition to parenthood in Aotearoa New Zealand

2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 4-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irene De Haan
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Narrative Analysis ◽  
Transition To Parenthood ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Process Change ◽  
Vulnerable Children ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
First Time ◽  
Depth Interviews

INTRODUCTION: Recent rhetoric about investing in ‘vulnerable’ children disregards the reality that the magnitude of change accompanying adaptation to parenthood makes all infants and their families vulnerable. This article reports the findings of a small-scale qualitative study of Aotearoa New Zealand parents’ experiences of transition to parenthood and their views on support received or wished for.AIM: To gain insight into how adaptation to life with a baby is experienced and how support could be improved.METHODS: The study involved sequential in-depth interviews with each of 25 socioeconomically diverse first-time mothers and a single set of interviews with 11 fathers and one grandmother. Narrative analysis was used to discern themes.FINDINGS: Participants expressed surprise regarding challenges inherent in adaptation to parenthood. While they deeply appreciated support from Lead Maternity Carers, they saw later professional support as ‘for the baby’. They found little support to deal with problems experienced, which encompassed financial, accommodation, mental health and relationship issues.CONCLUSION: A true investment approach would build on families’ commitment to making beneficial change for the sake of their baby. Well-being could be promoted by longer stays in maternity facilities and straightforward information and coaching about dealing with change as well as about infant care. Fathers’ needs should be carefully considered to help secure engagement in life with a baby. There is a key role for family support social work in designing relevant services and in meeting a need for ‘someone to talk to’ for early help to process change and resolve problems.

Romantic attachment, unforgiveness and relationship satisfaction in couples: A dyadic mediation analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 37 (10-11) ◽  
pp. 2822-2842
Author(s):  
Mónica Guzmán-González ◽  
Paula Contreras ◽  
Giulia Casu
Keyword(s):  
Relationship Satisfaction ◽  
Romantic Attachment ◽  
Attachment Anxiety ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Relationship Functioning ◽  
Attachment Avoidance ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Avoidance Motivation ◽  
Couple Counseling ◽  
Relationship Of

Adult romantic attachment is strongly associated with couple relationship functioning, and many efforts have been made to identify the mechanisms underlying this link. Nevertheless, no previous study considered unforgiveness when investigating the relationship of romantic attachment with relationship satisfaction in couples. We used the actor–partner interdependence mediation model to explore the associations between romantic attachment and relationship satisfaction as mediated by unforgiveness (i.e., avoidance and revenge motivations) in a convenience sample of 104 Chilean couples. The couples completed self-report measures of romantic attachment, unforgiveness, and relationship satisfaction. Actor insecure attachment was associated with lower relationship satisfaction directly and indirectly. Indirectly, higher actor levels of attachment anxiety and avoidance were linked, respectively, to greater revenge and avoidance motivations, and thus to lower relationship satisfaction. Partner attachment avoidance was associated with lower relationship satisfaction only directly. Higher partner levels of attachment anxiety were associated with lower avoidance motivation, and thus with higher relationship satisfaction. These dyadic findings further attest to the detrimental role of attachment avoidance and unforgiveness against the couple’s functioning. The novel finding that attachment anxiety may indirectly promote a couple’s relationship satisfaction deserves further investigation. The implications for couple counseling and therapy are discussed.

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