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.

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.

Mom-and-Pop Narcissism: The Impact of Attention Seeking and Grandiosity on Couples' Experience of the Transition to Parenthood

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 499-518 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haran Sened ◽  
Eran Bar-Kalifa ◽  
Rony Pshedetzky-Shochat ◽  
Marci Gleason ◽  
Eshkol Rafaeli
Keyword(s):  
Relationship Satisfaction ◽  
Transition To Parenthood ◽  
Parental Satisfaction ◽  
Work Life ◽  
Narcissistic Personality Disorder ◽  
Life Balance ◽  
Narcissistic Personality ◽  
First Child ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Impact

Various studies have demonstrated associations between personality disorders and relationship satisfaction. The authors examine the associations between attention seeking and grandiosity, both features of narcissistic personality disorder, and relationship satisfaction before and after the transition to parenthood. The authors then expand their analysis to parental satisfaction and postpartum depression (PPD). Nonclinical couples (N = 103 couples) expecting their first child completed measures of grandiosity, attention seeking, and relationship satisfaction before birth, and of relationship satisfaction, parental satisfaction, and PPD symptoms 3 months afterward. Attention seeking was associated with less parental satisfaction and more PPD symptoms, and with less prepartum relationship satisfaction for participants' partners. For men, attention seeking was also associated with prepartum relationship satisfaction. Grandiosity was associated with a decrease in relationship satisfaction after birth, although, surprisingly with fewer PPD symptoms for participants’ partners. The authors discuss how these findings might be related to changes in social support and work–life balance during the transition to parenthood.

Relationship Behaviors across the Transition to Parenthood

2019 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 483-506 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valentina Rauch-Anderegg ◽  
Rebekka Kuhn ◽  
Anne Milek ◽  
W. Kim Halford ◽  
Guy Bodenmann
Keyword(s):  
Relationship Satisfaction ◽  
Positive Relationship ◽  
Transition To Parenthood ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Dyadic Coping ◽  
Relationship Education ◽  
Negative Behaviors ◽  
First Child ◽  
Negative Communication ◽  
Regulation Strategies

The transition to parenthood (TTP) often is associated with declines in couple relationship satisfaction. The current study evaluated changes in three relationship behaviors, namely communication, dyadic coping and relationship self-regulation, across the TTP and the association of those behaviors with relationship satisfaction. One hundred and three couples completed questionnaires twice before and three times after the birth of their first child. Prenatally, all behaviors were stable, except negative communication that declined. Postnatally, positive relationship behaviors decreased in both genders, and negative communication increased in men. Negative behaviors were associated with relationship satisfaction throughout the TTP. Furthermore, relationship self-regulation strategies and males’ negative dyadic coping prospectively predicted male relationship satisfaction, while men’s supportive dyadic coping predicted female relationship satisfaction. Enhancing positive relationship behaviors through relationship education programs might help couples successfully adjust to parenthood.

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.

scholarly journals Personality, Communication, and Depressive Symptoms across the Transition to Parenthood: A Dyadic Longitudinal Investigation

2015 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 216-234 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma M. Marshall ◽  
Jeffry A. Simpson ◽  
W. Steven Rholes
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Personality Traits ◽  
Transition To Parenthood ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Life Transitions ◽  
Major Life ◽  
Personality Psychology ◽  
First Child ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Major Life Transitions

This study adopted a person (actor) by partner perspective to examine how actor personality traits, partner personality traits, and specific actor by partner personality trait interactions predict actor's depressive symptoms across the first 2 years of the transition to parenthood. Data were collected from a large sample of new parents (both partners in each couple) 6 weeks before the birth of their first child, and then at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months postpartum. The results revealed that higher actor neuroticism and lower partner agreeableness predicted higher levels of depressive symptoms in actors. Moreover, the specific combination of high actor neuroticism and low partner agreeableness was a particularly problematic combination, which was intensified when prepartum dysfunctional problem–solving communication and aggression existed in the relationship. These results demonstrate the importance of considering certain actor by partner disposition pairings to better understand actors’ emotional well–being during major life transitions. Copyright © 2015 European Association of Personality Psychology

Empathic accuracy and relationship satisfaction: A meta-analytic review.

2017 ◽  
Vol 31 (6) ◽  
pp. 742-752 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haran Sened ◽  
Michal Lavidor ◽  
Gal Lazarus ◽  
Eran Bar-Kalifa ◽  
Eshkol Rafaeli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Relationship Satisfaction ◽  
Empathic Accuracy ◽  
Analytic Review

Cancer-related fatigue: an overview

2021 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. S36-S43
Author(s):  
Mohammed Al Maqbali
Keyword(s):  
Negative Impact ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Background Information ◽  
Clinical Settings ◽  
Measurement Scales ◽  
Major Life ◽  
Patients With Cancer ◽  
Cancer Related Fatigue ◽  
Diagnosis Of Cancer ◽  
Life Stressor

A diagnosis of cancer is a major life stressor that can affect the physiological, psychological and physical state of the person concerned. Fatigue is a particularly common and troubling symptom that has a negative impact on quality of life throughout all phases of treatment and stages of the illness. The aim of this review is to provide background information on cancer-related fatigue. This review discusses cancer-related fatigue (CRF) in terms of the definition, prevalence, risk factors, aetiology, and the measurement scales used. The differences between definitions of symptoms and relevant theories will be explored and discussed to help explain the variety of instruments used in its measurement. The prevalence of fatigue will be assessed by looking critically at the evidence of fatigue and the factors that affect it. Potential treatment and management strategies for CRF will also be discussed. Finally, there will be an overview of the instruments used to measure fatigue. This review also provides important evidence for measuring and managing CRF that can help nurses to understand fatigue among patients with cancer. Assessing CRF should be routinely undertaken in clinical settings to help identify the proper interventions, treatments and management to reduce fatigue among cancer patients.

scholarly journals Testing Invariance of Measures of Internalizing Symptoms Before and After a Major Life Stressor: The Impact of COVID-19 in an Adolescent and Young Adult Sample

Assessment ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 107319112110153
Author(s):  
Thomas M. Olino ◽  
Julia A. C. Case ◽  
Mariah T. Hawes ◽  
Aline Szenczy ◽  
Brady Nelson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Internalizing Symptoms ◽  
Adolescent And Young Adult ◽  
Measurement Properties ◽  
Major Life ◽  
Longitudinal Measurement Invariance ◽  
Longitudinal Measurement ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Life Stressor ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Consistent Support

There are reports of increases in levels of internalizing psychopathology during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, these studies presume that measurement properties of these constructs remained unchanged from before the pandemic. In this study, we examined longitudinal measurement invariance of assessments of depression, anxiety, and intolerance of uncertainty (IU) in adolescents and young adults from ongoing longitudinal studies. We found consistent support for configural and metric invariance across all constructs, but scalar invariance was unsupported for depression and IU. Thus, it is necessary to interpret pandemic-associated mean-level changes in depression and IU cautiously. In contrast, mean-level comparisons of panic, generalized, and social anxiety symptoms were not compromised. These findings are limited to the specific measures examined and the developmental period of the sample. We acknowledge that there is tremendous distress accompanying disruptions due to the COVID-19 outbreak. However, for some instruments, comparisons of symptom levels before and during the pandemic may be limited.

scholarly journals Ibudilast, a neuroimmune modulator, reduces heavy drinking and alcohol cue-elicited neural activation: a randomized trial

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Erica N. Grodin ◽  
Spencer Bujarski ◽  
Brandon Towns ◽  
Elizabeth Burnette ◽  
Steven Nieto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor ◽  
Alcohol Use Disorder ◽  
Cue Reactivity ◽  
Negative Mood ◽  
Heavy Drinking ◽  
Neural Activation ◽  
Daily Diary Study ◽  
Alcohol Cues ◽  
To Receive ◽  
The Brain

AbstractIbudilast, a neuroimmune modulator which selectively inhibits phosphodiesterases (PDE)-3, -4, -10, and -11, and macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), shows promise as a novel pharmacotherapy for alcohol use disorder (AUD). However, the mechanisms of action underlying ibudilast’s effects on the human brain remain largely unknown. Thus, the current study examined the efficacy of ibudilast to improve negative mood, reduce heavy drinking, and attenuate neural reward signals in individuals with AUD. Fifty-two nontreatment-seeking individuals with AUD were randomized to receive ibudilast (n = 24) or placebo (n = 28). Participants completed a 2-week daily diary study during which they filled out daily reports of their past day drinking, mood, and craving. Participants completed an functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) alcohol cue-reactivity paradigm half-way through the study. Ibudilast did not have a significant effect on negative mood (β = −0.34, p = 0.62). However, ibudilast, relative to placebo, reduced the odds of heavy drinking across time by 45% (OR = 0.55, (95% CI: 0.30, 0.98)). Ibudilast also attenuated alcohol cue-elicited activation in the ventral striatum (VS) compared to placebo (F(1,44) = 7.36, p = 0.01). Alcohol cue-elicited activation in the VS predicted subsequent drinking in the ibudilast group (F(1,44) = 6.39, p = 0.02), such that individuals who had attenuated ventral striatal activation and took ibudilast had the fewest number of drinks per drinking day in the week following the scan. These findings extend preclinical and human laboratory studies of the utility of ibudilast to treat AUD and suggest a biobehavioral mechanism through which ibudilast acts, namely, by reducing the rewarding response to alcohol cues in the brain leading to a reduction in heavy drinking.

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