Positive relationship adaptation of couples transitioning to parenthood: An interpretative phenomenological analysis

• Published date: 01 October 2023
• Author: Katherine Bécotte,Audrey Brassard,Anne Brault‐Labbé,Anne‐Laurence Gagné,Katherine Péloquin
• Date: 01 October 2023
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12792

RESEARCH

Positive relationship adaptation of couples

transitioning to parenthood: An interpretative

phenomenological analysis

Katherine Bécotte

1

|Audrey Brassard

1

|Anne Brault-Labbé

1

|

Anne-Laurence Gagné

1

|Katherine Péloquin

2

1

Department of Psychology, Université de

Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada

2

Department of Psychology, Université de

Montréal, Montréal, Canada

Correspondence

Audrey Brassard, Department of Psychology,

Université de Sherbrooke, 2500 Boulevard de

l’Université, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada,

J1K 2R1.

Email: a.brassard@usherbrooke.ca

Funding information

This research was supported by the

interdisciplinary research center on intimate

relationship problems and sexual abuse,

and the Université de Sherbrooke.

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to explore the lived experience

of well-satisfied couples (as established by the short form

of the Dyadic Adjustment Scale) through the transition to

parenthood (TTP) to understand what they perceived has

facilitated their relationship adaptation.

Background: Most couples experience a decline in relation-

ship satisfaction through the TTP. However, there is

important variability in the couples’experience, and few

researchers have examined positive adaptation.

Method: Semistructured individual interviews were con-

ducted with both partners of seven first-time parental cou-

ples (N=14) and then were transcribed and analyzed

using interpretative phenomenological analysis.

Result: The results showed two interrelated superordinate

themes, each including four subordinate themes. Inter-

viewed couples remained satisfied due to the strong founda-

tions of their relationship, namely security, commitment,

compassionate love, and intimacy, and due to their effective

management of changes together by teaming up, balancing

the different spheres of their lives, enjoying and valuing

family life together, and communicating.

Conclusion: Our findings support the relevance of studying

positive couple processes for prevention efforts to ease the

transition to parenthood.

Implications: Professionals working with expectant and

new parents could target relational processes related

to strong foundations as well as the partners’joint man-

agement of change to strengthen couple relationships and

promote the positive adaptation to parenthood of

partners.

Received: 23 July 2021Revised: 10 December 2021Accepted: 5 March 2022

DOI: 10.1111/fare.12792

© 2022 National Council on Family Relations.

Family Relations. 2023;72:2251–2269. wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/fare 2251

KEYWORDS

couple, interpretative phenomenological analysis, qualitative research,

relationship satisfaction, transition to parenthood

The transition to parenthood (TTP) is one of the most common major life changes. The TTP

leads to biological, social, psychological, financial, and professional changes requiring great

individual and relational adaptation, notably to deal with the addition of a new social role, the

renegotiation of task sharing, and the decrease in time available for couple life (Cowan &

Cowan, 2000). Early work conceptualized the TTP as a crisis for couples, but this transition is

now better understood as a challenging and important developmental stage for a number of

couples, generating both joy and stress (Cowan & Cowan, 2000; Doss & Rhoades, 2017).

Although some new parents report increased relationship satisfaction (Doss et al., 2009) and a

subjective strengthening of their relationship (Delicate et al., 2018), most couples experience a

moderate or steep decline in their relationship satisfaction throughout the TTP (Don &

Mickelson, 2014; Twenge et al., 2003). Accordingly, researchers have mostly studied factors

that can hinder relationship satisfaction or buffer its decline, rather than optimal relationship

functioning during this transition. Our research contributes to filling in this gap by studying the

lived experience of well-satisfied couples (as measured by the Dyadic Adjustment Scale)

throughout the TTP to identify factors that could enrich perinatal intervention programs for

new parenting couples.

Relationship functioning is crucial during the TTP because it relates to both parents’men-

tal health (Figueiredo et al., 2018), their child’s development and well-being, and the develop-

ment of the parent–child relationship (Ensink et al., 2017). Although a growing body of

research includes both partners, more research is needed to better understand the interactions

between partners because researchers have largely focused on mothers or both parents sepa-

rately (Mickelson & Biehle, 2017). In a recent meta-synthesis on the relational impacts of

becoming a parent, only three out of 12 qualitative studiesincluded both partners (Delicate

et al., 2018). Yet, gender differences and partners’interdependence as noted in dyadic studies

(e.g., Don & Mickelson, 2014;Reidetal.,2018) support the importance of studying both

partners.

Although the TTP is challenging for most couples, researchers have found substantial vari-

ability in couples’experiences (Doss & Rhoades, 2017;Kluwer,2010;TerKuileetal.,2021).

For example, Don and Mickelson (2014) showed that 79.4% of mothers and 51.1% of fathers

experienced a moderate decline in their relationship satisfaction, whereas a smallersubgroup

experienced a steeper decline. Doss et al. (2009) also showed that declines in relationship satis-

faction over time were steeper among new parents compared to nonparents. Nevertheless, they

found that 7% of mothers and 15% of fathers experienced an increase in their relationship sat-

isfaction. This variability could elucidate the debate among researchers of whether the decline

in relationship satisfaction is different (Doss et al., 2009) or similar between parents and non-

parents (Mitnick et al., 2009). Scholars of qualitative studies also highlight disparities in cou-

ples’experiences of the TTP. For example, in their meta-synthesis of 12 studies, Delicate et al.

(2018) concluded that the themes reflecting the couple relationship during the TTP

(e.g., adjustment phase, focus on the baby, communication, intimacy) could bring both nega-

tive and positive changes to couples’relationships, and that the TTP can strain or strengthen

the relationship (e. g., Faircloth, 2015;Sev



on, 2012).

Considering this variability, results of quantitative research have highlighted many fac-

tors related to lower relationship satisfaction during the TTP, such as anxiety and depressive

symptoms, less constructive communication (Trillingsgaard et al., 2014), attachment insecu-

rities (Little & Sockol, 2020), and increased conflicts (Holmes et al., 2013). Fewer

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