TtP
Transition to Parenthood
Increases in Cohabitation
____ of young adults will live with intimate partner without being married
___-___ typical age of cohabiters
half of young adults will live with intimate partner without being married
25-34 typical age of cohabiters
Reasons for cohabiting
Pragmatics
Finances
Test compatibility for marriage
Cohabitation effect
Link found between cohabitation and negative relationship outcomes and poorer relationship functioning
Reasons for Cohabitation Effect
-Harder to end relationship when living together
Relationship Inertia Hypothesis
Harder to end-> proceeds to marriage
Slide rather than decide on commitment
Doesn't weaken relationships, but make make poor quality relationships more likely to continue into marriage
Those who cohabited before engagement reported
lower marital satisfaction, dedication, and confidence & greater potential for divorce
New Parents report:
Decreased relationship satisfaction
Fewer couple activities
Less sex and physical intimacy
Increased conflict during TtP
Lawrence et al.
Selection effect: Couples who had child in first 5 years of marriage
were more satisfied as newlywed than couples who were not parents after 5 years
Lawrence et al.
Planned vs unplanned pregnancies
couples with planned experienced less decline than unplanned
Lawrence et al.
Parents more satisfied prior to pregnancy
More satisfied- steeper declines in satisfaction
Don & Mickelson (2014)
What predicted moderate vs. steep declines?
Paternal perceptions of positive support from wives
less decline in satisfaction for mothers and fathers
Don & Mickelson (2014)
What predicted moderate vs. steep declines?
Paternal prenatal anxiety
moderate and steep declines in maternal satisfaction
Don & Mickelson (2014)
What predicted moderate vs. steep declines?
Greater self-esteem among wives prenatally
less decline in satisfaction for fathers
Don & Mickelson (2014)
What predicted moderate vs. steep declines?
More maternal daily stress during pregnancy
moderate and steep declines for fathers
Gender Roles attitudes
became more traditional from pregnancy to 1st year
Women reported almost ____ as much childcare as male partners
twice
for men and women
Higher contributions to childcare ->
higher childcare self-efficacy
higher childcare self-efficacy ->
steady improvement in relationship satisfaction
lower childcare self-efficacy ->
declines in satisfaction over time