Couples' Adjustment to Parenthood in the Context of Childhood Maltreatment

Laura Martin

Advisor: Keith D Renshaw, PhD, Department of Psychology

Committee Members: Tara Chaplin, Debora Goldberg

Online Location, https://zoom.us/j/93986837379?pwd=ty368ws93pNbh4GBubxfcoG9QJOKQQ.1
September 20, 2024, 02:00 PM to 04:00 PM

Abstract:

Becoming a parent is one of life’s most significant transitions and can be a challenging period for many couples. One factor that may increase the difficulty couples experience in adjusting to parenthood is having a history of childhood maltreatment. This dissertation explored whether a history of childhood maltreatment in either partner is associated with couples’ relationship functioning as they adjust to parenthood. In study one, structural equation modeling was used to examine the association of childhood maltreatment with relationship and coparenting quality in both partners of 399 heterosexual couples having their first child. Relationship quality was assessed during pregnancy, and both relationship quality and coparenting quality were then assessed 10 - 12 months and 2 years after birth. Father’s childhood maltreatment was negatively associated with mother’s reports of relationship quality at both time points after birth, and both partners’ maltreatment history was negatively associated with mother’s reports of coparenting quality 10 - 12 months after birth. Follow-up analyses accounting for the interaction of both partners’ maltreatment history revealed that a combination of maltreatment in both partners was associated with poorer relationship quality reported by mothers during pregnancy and 10 - 12 months after birth and with poorer coparenting quality ratings by both parents 10 - 12 months after birth. Results suggest that a history of maltreatment in either parent can impact relationship and coparenting quality during the transition to parenthood, with mothers appearing more sensitive to such effects than fathers. In study two, 11 couples in which at least one partner had a history of childhood maltreatment were interviewed about their adaptation to parenthood and ways that they supported each other during this transition. Interviews were coded using interpretive phenomenological analysis, which aims to generate contextualized knowledge to provide insight into individuals’ lived experiences using double hermeneutics, or interpretation occurring at two levels: the participants making sense of their own experience and the researcher making sense of what the participants are sharing. Thus, interview questions were framed to encourage participants to make sense of their own experiences of maltreatment and how such experiences impacted their relationship during this period. The researcher then coded interview transcripts for broader themes across couples to understand how maltreatment impacted their relationships, and how they responded to this impact. Themes around maltreatment-specific challenges in relationships emerged primarily for partners with a history of maltreatment, such as feelings of inadequacy and fear of judgment by partners. Such partners also discussed changes in their understanding of their maltreatment history that occurred throughout their relationship and during the transition to parenthood. Couples also shared support strategies focused on helping partners throughout the perinatal period and ways that they showed resiliency despite their maltreatment history. Overall, the findings of study 2 showed that, while maltreatment histories can have negative impacts on couples during the transition to parenthood, there are many processes by which supportive partnerships during this period can improve outcomes for these vulnerable families.