Associations of Partnership Quality and Father-to-Child Attachment During the Peripartum Period. A Prospective-Longitudinal Study in Expectant Fathers

Abstract

Background: During the transition to parenthood, a complex network of relationships unfolds between father, mother and the child. Expectant parents begin bonding with their unborn child, with this antenatal process supposedly being predictive for later postnatal attachment and child mental health. At the same time, couples may experience a change in partnership quality. While the majority of previous studies focused on associations between psychopathology, partnership quality and attachment from the perspective of mothers, the changes in partnership quality and attachment from the perspective of fathers has gained far less attention.Methods: Data were derived from the Maternal Anxiety and it's Relation to Infants' Development (MARI) study. N = 109 expectant fathers were recruited during mid-pregnancy (22 to 26 week of gestation). Lifetime anxiety and depressive disorders (DSM-IV) were assessed with a standardized diagnostic interview (CIDI). Paternal partnership characteristics and father-to-child attachments were assessed using standardized questionnaires at the second trimester, 10 days after delivery and 4 months after delivery in N = 76 fathers. Analyses were based on bivariate, robust and multivariate regression analyses.Results: Fathers did not report an overall decrease in partnership quality during the peripartum period. However, fathers with comorbid anxiety and depressive disorders reported lower partnership satisfaction at postpartum, as compared to unaffected fathers. Fathers with pure depressive disorders reported lower intensity of antenatal attachment. Paternal antenatal partnership quality was positively associated with antenatal father-to-child attachment. Furthermore, antenatal father-to-child attachment, as well as ante- and postnatal partnership quality in fathers, were positively related to postnatal father-to-child attachment.Conclusions: Antenatal father-to-child-attachment and paternal partnership quality appear to be promising targets for the prevention of postnatal attachment problems in fathers. The associations between partnership quality and attachment to the child further support an interpersonal approach in perinatal research, treatment and intervention, and may also feed into awareness programs that encourage expectant fathers to actively engage in relationships as early as during pregnancy—both with the mother and the unborn child.

Personality and Peripartum Changes in Perceived Social Support: Findings From Two Prospective-Longitudinal Studies in (Expectant) Mothers and Fathers

“…Fourth, in both studies, more mothers than fathers participated, and drop out was also lower in mothers vs. fathers. In MARI, participating fathers were approached indirectly via participating mothers, which might have doubled selection effects and, for example, might have led to an overrepresentation of particularly engaged fathers ( 37 ). Fifth, we focused on peripartum changes in general social support (e.g., from family members, friends, colleagues, or health professionals), considering the role of gender and personality.…”

“…(Expectant) mothers with ( N = 109) and without ( N = 197) a participating partner differed in terms of sociodemographic, psychosocial, and neonatal characteristics ( 37 ). Specifically, expectant mothers with (vs. without) a participating partner were younger, better educated, and more often primiparous.…”

“…Specifically, expectant mothers with (vs. without) a participating partner were younger, better educated, and more often primiparous. Moreover, women with (vs. without) a participating partner reported higher postpartum levels of social support and a better partnership quality ( 37 ).…”

“…Seven assessment waves with standardized diagnostic interviews, questionnaires, and observations were conducted: T1 (baseline, week 10-12 of gestation), T2 (week 22-24 of gestation), T3 (week 35-37 of gestation), T4 (10 days postpartum), T5 (2 months postpartum), T6 (4 months postpartum), and T7 (16 months postpartum). More detailed information on the aims, methods, design, and inclusion/ exclusion criteria of the MARI study, including a detailed study flow chart, has been presented elsewhere (37)(38)(39).…”

It’s About Time: The Circadian Network as Time-Keeper for Cognitive Functioning, Locomotor Activity and Mental Health

“…Given the aforementioned impact of the circadian rhythm and misalignment thereof on mood and interpersonal behaviours, it is almost surprising that only a limited amount of research has focused on the role of circadian rhythm during the transition to parenthood. It is by now well recognized that the perinatal period (i.e., from pregnancy to around 12 months following birth) marks a time of high vulnerability for mental health complications for (expectant) parents, with adverse outcomes for mothers, fathers, and their offspring ( Thiel et al, 2021b ; Knappe et al, 2021 ). In the first weeks following birth, for instance, up to 85% of women will experience deteriorations in mood.…”