Patterns of Marital Change across the Transition to Parenthood: Pregnancy to Three Years Postpartum

Belsky, Jay; Rovine, Michael

doi:10.2307/352833

Cited by 479Family Dynamics and RelationshipsAttachment and Relationship DynamicsMarriage and Family Dynamics

Patterns of Marital Change across the Transition to Parenthood: Pregnancy to Three Years Postpartum

Belsky, Jay, Rovine, Michael·1990·Journal of Marriage and the Family

DOI 10.2307/352833

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Abstract

The purpose of this investigation is to advance the study of marital change across the transition to parenthood by moving beyond the study of central tendencies to examine variation in the matter and extent to which spouses experiences of their mates and their marital relationships changed from the last trimester of pregnancy through 3 years postpartum. Analyses of marital data collected at 4 points in time on 128 middle and working-class families rearing a firstborn child resulted in the identification of 4 distinct patterns of marital change which were labeled ACCELERATING DECLINE LINEAR DECLINE NO CHANGE and MODEST POSITIVE INCREASE. In a series of developmentally ordered discriminant function analyses efforts were made to distinguish decliners from increasers by using demographic personality and marital information collected prenatally; data on infant temperament and change in infant temperament obtained at 3 and 9 months postpartum respectively; and data on negative life events and income change collected at 3 years postpartum. Analyses revealed that patterns of marital change are determined by multiple factors and are largely identifiable prior to the infants birth. Postnatal information on infant temperament often improved the ability to discriminate marriages that declined and improved in quality across the transition to parenthood. (authors)

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The birth of a child is associated with sudden and oftentimes drastic changes in new parents' behavior, thoughts, and feelings, which may have both sudden and continuous effects on their personality.
“Also, the birth of a child is associated with sudden and oftentimes drastic changes in new parents' behavior, thoughts, and feelings, which may have both sudden and continuous effects on their personality”
From Life Events and Personality Trait Change. (2018) · cites this paper as Belsky & Rovine, 1990

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Authors: Belsky, J., & Rovine, M.
Affiliations: Pennsylvania State University (US)
ORCID: Belsky, Jay
Rovine, Michael
Venue: Journal of Marriage and the Family
Publisher: JSTOR
Published: 1990-02
Volume: 52
Issue: 1
Pages: 5
ISSN: 0022-2445 (ISSN-L)
DOI: 10.2307/352833
OpenAlex: W2047450675
Cited by: 479
References: 23
Citations by year: 2026: 7 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 17 · 2017: 14 · 2016: 25 · 2015: 20 · 2014: 22 · 2013: 23 · 2012: 32
FWCI: 31.50
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Locations: Journal of Marriage and the Family (publishedVersion)
Topics: Social Sciences › Demography › Family Dynamics and Relationships
Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Marriage and Family Dynamics
Keywords: marital change, transition to parenthood, postpartum period, pregnancy, marital quality, infant temperament, negative life events, income change, firstborn children, middle-class families, working-class families

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Patterns of Marital Change across the Transition to Parenthood: Pregnancy to Three Years Postpartum

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