Journal article
Prenatal Expectations and Marital Satisfaction Over the Transition to Parenthood
Journal of family psychology, Vol.21(2), pp.155-164
06/2007
DOI: 10.1037/0893-3200.21.2.155
PMID: 17605538
Abstract
Associations among prenatal expectations, the extent to which expectations were
confirmed or disconfirmed, and trajectories of marital satisfaction over the
transition to parenthood were assessed 7-11 times in a sample of
newlywed couples. Piecewise growth curve analyses were conducted to examine
levels of marital satisfaction at the beginning of marriage and rates of change
over 2 periods: from the beginning of marriage through the 3rd trimester of
pregnancy and from the 3rd trimester of pregnancy through 18 months postpartum.
Postpartum marital decline was greater than decline from marriage through
pregnancy. Spouses who were more satisfied at the beginning of marriage reported
higher expectations. There was marked variability in the extent to which
prenatal expectations were confirmed; some expectations were unfulfilled, others
were met, and still others were surpassed. Associations between the extent to
which expectations were confirmed and rates of change in marital decline
differed as a function of the specific type of expectation. Implications for
understanding vulnerability and resiliency in couples negotiating the transition
to parenthood are discussed.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Prenatal Expectations and Marital Satisfaction Over the Transition to Parenthood
- Creators
- Erika Lawrence - University of IowaKimberly Nylen - University of IowaRebecca J Cobb - Simon Fraser University
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of family psychology, Vol.21(2), pp.155-164
- Publisher
- American Psychological Association
- DOI
- 10.1037/0893-3200.21.2.155
- PMID
- 17605538
- ISSN
- 0893-3200
- eISSN
- 1939-1293
- Grant note
- DOI: 10.13039/100000025, name: National Institute of Mental Health; DOI: 10.13039/100008893, name: University of Iowa; DOI: 10.13039/100000030, name: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 06/2007
- Academic Unit
- Psychiatry; Psychological and Brain Sciences
- Record Identifier
- 9984293657902771
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