New parental positivity

The role of positive emotions in promoting relational adjustment during the transition to parenthood

Bibliographic Data

ID6203680
AuthorsBrian P Don (0000-0002-0086-9377), Jami Eller (0000-0002-7623-1185), Jeffry A Simpson (0000-0003-1899-2493), Barbara L Fredrickson (0000-0002-3890-2646), Sara B Algoe (0000-0002-1273-2968), W Steven Rholes (0000-0002-9273-2115), K D Mickelson (0000-0001-8946-2356)
Year2022
Volume123
Issue1
Pages84-106
Publication date2022-07-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Personality and Social Psychology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0022-3514 • E-ISSN: 1939-1315
PublisherAmerican Psychological Association (APA) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1037/pspi0000371
PMID34672654
OpenAlexW3206821641
LanguageEN
Citations received14
References cited44

The transition to parenthood can be a challenging time for new parent couples, as a baby comes with changes and stress that can negatively influence new parents' relational functioning in the form of reduced relationship satisfaction and disrupted partner social support. Yet, the transition to parenthood is also often experienced as a joyous time. In this research, we draw on the broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions to suggest that new parents' positive emotions are not merely an enjoyable distraction, but are instead central to their relational adjustment. Specifically, we hypothesized that new parents who experienced greater positive emotions would report enhanced relationship satisfaction and partner social support across time. To test these ideas, we drew on two dyadic and longitudinal studies of new parents. In Study 1, 104 couples (208 individuals) completed surveys across the course of 1 year, and in Study 2, 192 couples (384 individuals) completed surveys and a laboratory-based social support interaction over the course of 2 years. At each wave of data collection, participants completed assessments of positive emotions, relationship satisfaction, and partner social support. We examined how actor and partner positive emotions longitudinally predicted relational adjustment across time. Results demonstrated that, even when controlling for baseline levels of each outcome variable, greater actor reports of positive emotions prospectively predicted greater subsequent actor (a) relationship satisfaction, (b) perceptions of social support from the partner, and (c) enacted social support as rated by independent observers, a pattern that was especially prominent for fathers. These results suggest positive emotions may be a resource that fosters healthy relational adjustment during chronically stressful periods that threaten intimate relationships, including during the transition to parenthood. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Developmental psychology · Interpersonal relationship · Life satisfaction · Longitudinal study · Partner effects · Perception · Social support · Attachment and Relationship Dynamics · Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development · Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum · Psychology · Social Psychology

Tools

Open DOIOpen Access