title: Changes in marital satisfaction across the transition to parenthood: the role of adult attachment orientations.
abstract: This longitudinal study investigated marital satisfaction trajectories across the first 2 years of parenthood. Data were collected from new parents (couples) 6 weeks before the birth of their first child, and then at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months postpartum. Growth curve models revealed two key findings. First, for highly anxious individuals, satisfaction was lower or declined when they perceived their partners as less supportive and as behaving more negatively toward them. Second, for highly avoidant individuals, satisfaction was lower or declined when they perceived more work-family conflict and greater demands from their families. The findings suggest that attachment insecurities predict dissatisfaction in new parents primarily when stressors block the pursuit of important attachment goals.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hospital Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, MC7982, San Antonio, TX 78229-3900, USA. kohn.jamie@gmail.com
authors.forename: Jamie L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Kohn
authors.forename: Steven W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Rholes
authors.forename: Jeffry A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Simpson
authors.forename: A McLeish
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: SiSi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tran
authors.forename: Carol L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Wilson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D004644:Emotions; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008393:Marriage / Q000523:psychology*; D009769:Object Attachment; D016487:Parenting; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011788:Quality of Life; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology*; D013995:Time