Abstract
The current study investigated the extent to which interparental support reduced pregnancy stress and subsequent postpartum bonding impairments with infant. We hypothesized that receiving higher quality partner support would be associated with decreased maternal pregnancy-related concerns, and less maternal and paternal pregnancy stress which, in turn, would predict fewer parent-infant bonding impairments. One hundred fifty-seven cohabiting couples completed semi-structured interviews and questionnaires once during pregnancy and twice postpartum. Path analyses with tests of mediation were employed to test our hypotheses. Higher quality support received by mothers was associated with lower maternal pregnancy stress which, in turn, predicted fewer mother-infant bonding impairments. An indirect pathway of equal magnitude was observed for fathers. Dyadic pathways also emerged such that higher quality support received by fathers was associated with lower maternal pregnancy stress which reduced mother-infant bonding impairments. Similarly, higher quality support received by mothers reduced paternal pregnancy stress and subsequent father-infant bonding impairments. Hypothesized effects reaching statistical significance (p < .05) were small to moderate in magnitude. These findings have important theoretical and clinical implications in demonstrating the critical role of both receiving and providing high-quality interparental support to reduce pregnancy stress and subsequent postpartum bonding impairments for mothers and fathers. Results also highlight the utility of investigating maternal mental health in the couple context.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Data availability
This study complied with Transparency and Openness Promotion (TOP) Guidelines. The study PI, Rebecca L. Brock (rebecca.brock@unl.edu), should be contacted to request access to research materials, analysis code, and data. Data management and analysis procedures for this project are registered at https://osf.io/hprk8, and we made no deviations from that plan.
References
Bäckström C, Kåreholt I, Thorstensson S, Golsäter M, Mårtensson LB (2018) Quality of couple relationship among first-time mothers and partners during pregnancy and the first six months of parenthood. Sex Reprod Healthc 17:56–64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.srhc.2018.07.001
Bar-Kalifa E, Rafaeli E (2013) Disappointment’s sting is greater than help’s balm: quasi-signal detection of daily support matching. J Fam Psychol 27(6):956. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0034905
Bayrampour H, Ali E, McNeil DA, Benzies K, MacQueen G, Tough S (2016) Pregnancy-related anxiety: a concept analysis. Int J Nurs Stud 55:115–130. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2015.10.023
Beach S (2014) The couple and family discord model of depression. Interpers Relationsh Health Soc Clin Psychol Mech 1:133–155. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199936632.003.0007
Bieleninik Ł, Lutkiewicz K, Jurek P, Bidzan M (2021) Paternal postpartum bonding and its predictors in the early postpartum period: cross-sectional study in a polish cohort. Front Psychol 1112:1–11 https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.628650
Brock RL, Lawrence E (2010) Support adequacy in marriage: observing the platinum rule. Support Process Intimate Relationsh 519:3–25. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195380170.003.0001
Brockington IF, Oates J, George S, Turner D, Vostanis P, Sullivan M et al (2001) A screening questionnaire for mother-infant bonding disorders. Arch Womens Ment Health 3(4):133–140. https://doi.org/10.1007/s007370170010
Brody S (1981) The concepts of attachment and bonding. J Am Psychoanal Assoc 29(4):815–829. https://doi.org/10.1177/000306518102900403
Cohen S (2004) Social relationships and health. Am Psychol 59(8):676. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.59.8.676
Cohen S, Kamarck T, Mermelstein R (1983) A global measure of perceived stress. J Health Soc Behav 24(4):385–396. https://doi.org/10.2307/2136404
de Cock ES, Henrichs J, Vreeswijk CM, Maas AJ, Rijk CH, van Bakel HJ (2016) Continuous feelings of love? The parental bond from pregnancy to toddlerhood. J Fam Psychol 30(1):125. https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0000138
Dubber S, Reck C, Muller M, Gawlik S (2015) Postpartum bonding: the role of perinatal depression, anxiety and maternal-fetal bonding during pregnancy. Arch Womens Ment Health 18(2):187–195. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-014-0445-4
Eisenberger NI (2013) An empirical review of the neural underpinnings of receiving and giving social support: implications for health. Psychosom Med 75(6):545. https://doi.org/10.1097/PSY.0b013e31829de2e7
Enders CK (2010) Applied missing data analysis. Guilford Publications, New York, NY
Feeney BC, Collins NL (2015) A new look at social support: a theoretical perspective on thriving through relationships. Pers Soc Psychol Rev 19(2):113–147. https://doi.org/10.1177/1088868314544222
Fink E, Browne WV, Kirk I, Hughes C (2020) Couple relationship quality and the infant home language environment: gender-specific findings. J Fam Psychol 34(2):155. https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0000590
Giurgescu C, Misra DP, Sealy-Jefferson S, Caldwell CH, Templin TN, Slaughter-Acey JC, Osypuk TL (2015) The impact of neighborhood quality, perceived stress, and social support on depressive symptoms during pregnancy in African American women. Soc Sci Med 130:172–180. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2015.02.006
Hildingsson I, Thomas J (2014) Parental stress in mothers and fathers one year after birth. J Reprod Infant Psychol 32(1):41–56. https://doi.org/10.1080/02646838.2013.840882
Kenny DA, Kashy DA, Cook WL (2020) Dyadic data analysis. Guilford Publications, New York, NY
Kinsey CB, Hupcey JE (2013) State of the science of maternal–infant bonding: a principle-based concept analysis. Midwifery 29(12):1314–1320. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2012.12.019
Kumar SA, Franz MR, DiLillo D, Brock RL (2022) Promoting resilience to depression among couples during pregnancy: the protective functions of intimate relationship satisfaction and self‐compassion. Fam Process e12788:1–19. https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12788
Lawrence E, Brock RL, Barry RA, Langer A, Bunde M (2009) Assessing relationship quality: Development of an interview and implications for couple assessment and intervention. In: Cuyler E, Ackhart M (eds) Psychology of relationships. Nova Science Publishers Inc, New York, pp 173–191
Lawrence E, Barry RA, Brock RL, Bunde M, Langer A, Ro E et al (2011) The Relationship Quality Interview: evidence of reliability, convergent and divergent validity, and incremental utility. Psychol Assess 23(1):44. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0021096
Le Bas GA, Youssef GJ, Macdonald JA, Rossen L, Teague SJ, Kothe EJ et al (2020) The role of antenatal and postnatal maternal bonding in infant development: A systematic review and metaanalysis. Soc Dev 29(1):3–20. https://doi.org/10.1111/sode.12392
Lebel C, MacKinnon A, Bagshawe M, Tomfohr-Madsen L, Giesbrecht G (2020) Elevated depression and anxiety symptoms among pregnant individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic. J Affect Disord 277:5–13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2020.07.126
Lorenzo JM, Barry RA, Khalifian CE (2018) More or less: Newlyweds’ preferred and received social support, affect, and relationship satisfaction. J Fam Psychol 32(7):860. https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0000440
McLeod S, Berry K, Hodgson C, Wearden A (2020) Attachment and social support in romantic dyads: a systematic review. J Clin Psychol 76(1):59–101. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.22868
Moyer CA, Compton SD, Kaselitz E, Muzik M (2020) Pregnancy-related anxiety during COVID-19: a nationwide survey of 2740 pregnant women. Arch Womens Ment Health 23(6):757–765. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-020-01073-5
Muthén L, Muthén B (2010) Mplus user’s guide, 6th edn. Muthen & Muthen, Los Angeles, California
Muzik M, Bocknek EL, Broderick A, Richardson P, Rosenblum KL, Thelen K, Seng JS (2013) Mother–infant bonding impairment across the first 6 months postpartum: the primacy of psychopathology in women with childhood abuse and neglect histories. Arch Womens Ment Health 16(1):29–38. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-012-0312-0
Nilsson C, Hessman E, Sjöblom H, Dencker A, Jangsten E, Mollberg M, Begley C (2018) Definitions, measurements and prevalence of fear of childbirth: a systematic review. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 18(1):1–15. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-018-1659-7
Philpott LF, Leahy-Warren P, FitzGerald S, Savage E (2017) Stress in fathers in the perinatal period: a systematic review. Midwifery 55:113–127. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2017.09.016
Racine N, Plamondon A, Hentges R, Tough S, Madigan S (2019) Dynamic and bidirectional associations between maternal stress, anxiety, and social support: the critical role of partner and family support. J Affect Disord 252:19–24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2019.03.083
Ramchandani PG, Domoney J, Sethna V, Psychogiou L, Vlachos H, Murray L (2013) Do early father–infant interactions predict the onset of externalising behaviours in young children? Findings from a longitudinal cohort study. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 54(1):56–64. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7610.2012.02583.x
Ramsdell EL, Brock RL (2021) Interparental relationship quality during pregnancy: implications for early parent–infant bonding and infant socioemotional development. Fam Process 60(3):966–983. https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12599
Rini CK, Dunkel-Schetter C, Wadhwa PD, Sandman CA (1999) Psychological adaptation and birth outcomes: the role of personal resources, stress, and sociocultural context in pregnancy. Health Psychol 18(4):333. https://doi.org/10.1037/0278-6133.18.4.333
Scorza P, Merz EC, Spann M, Steinberg E, Feng T, Lee S, Monk C (2021) Pregnancy-specific stress and sensitive caregiving during the transition to motherhood in adolescents. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 21(1):1–8. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-021-03903-5
Shrout PE, Bolger N (2002) Mediation in experimental and nonexperimental studies: new procedures and recommendations. Psychol Methods 7(4):422–445. https://doi.org/10.1037//1082-989x.7.4.422
Skjothaug T, Smith L, Wentzel-Larsen T, Moe V (2018) Does fathers’ prenatal mental health bear a relationship to parenting stress at 6 months? Infant Ment Health J 39(5):537–551. https://doi.org/10.1002/imhj.21739
Solivan AE, Xiong X, Harville EW, Buekens P (2015) Measurement of perceived stress among pregnant women: a comparison of two different instruments. Matern Child Health J 19(9):1910–1915. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-015-1710-5
Southwick SM, Sippel L, Krystal J, Charney D, Mayes L, Pietrzak R (2016) Why are some individuals more resilient than others: the role of social support. World Psychiatry 15(1):77. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20282
Staneva A, Bogossian F, Pritchard M, Wittkowski A (2015) The effects of maternal depression, anxiety, and perceived stress during pregnancy on preterm birth: a systematic review. Women Birth 28(3):179–193. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wombi.2015.02.003
Stapleton LRT, Schetter CD, Westling E, Rini C, Glynn LM, Hobel CJ, Sandman CA (2012) Perceived partner support in pregnancy predicts lower maternal and infant distress. J Fam Psychol 26(3):453. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0028332
Vaessen T, Rintala A, Otsabryk N, Viechtbauer W, Wampers M, Claes S, Myin-Germeys I (2021) The association between self-reported stress and cardiovascular measures in daily life: a systematic review. PloS one 16(11):e0259557. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0259557
Zanardo V, Tedde F, Callegher CZ, Sandri A, Giliberti L, Manghina V, Strafaceee G (2021) Postpartum bonding: the impact of stressful life events during pregnancy. J Maternal-Fetal Neonatal Med 35(25):7849–7856. https://doi.org/10.1080/14767058.2021.1937986
Acknowledgements
We thank the families who participated in this research and the entire team of research assistants who contributed to various stages of the study. In particular, we thank Jennifer Blake, Erin Ramsdell, Kailee Groshans, and Frances Calkins for project coordination. We also thank Erin Ramsdell, Eric Phillips, and Lauren Laifer for data management and processing.
Funding
This research was funded by several internal funding mechanisms awarded to PI Rebecca Brock from the UNL Department of Psychology, the Nebraska Tobacco Settlement Biomedical Research Development Fund, and the UNL Office of Research and Economic Development. The project was also supported by the National Institute Of General Medical Sciences, 1U54GM115458. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
Rachel Martin: conceptualization, formal analysis, writing—original draft, writing—review and editing, visualization. Rebecca Brock: conceptualization, methodology, software, formal analysis, investigation, resources, data curation, writing—review and editing, project administration, funding acquisition.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Ethics approval
This study received ethical approval from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Consent to participate
All participants provided informed consent in writing prior to participation.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare no competing interests.
Disclaimer
Data from this sample have been published elsewhere (e.g., Ramsdell and Brock 2021); however, this is the first article in which we document how receiving high-quality interparental support reduces postpartum bonding impairments among mothers and fathers through reductions in prenatal stress.
Additional information
Publisher's note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Martin, R.C.B., Brock, R.L. The importance of high-quality partner support for reducing stress during pregnancy and postpartum bonding impairments. Arch Womens Ment Health 26, 201–209 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-023-01299-z
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-023-01299-z