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Conflict Frequency and Relationship Quality Across the Transition to Parenthood
Author(s) -
Kluwer Esther S.,
Johnson Matthew D
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of marriage and family
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.578
H-Index - 159
eISSN - 1741-3737
pISSN - 0022-2445
DOI - 10.1111/j.1741-3737.2007.00434.x
Subject(s) - quality (philosophy) , psychological intervention , psychology , association (psychology) , transition (genetics) , developmental psychology , longitudinal data , longitudinal study , social psychology , demography , medicine , sociology , biology , biochemistry , gene , philosophy , epistemology , pathology , psychiatry , psychotherapist
Longitudinal data from 293 Dutch couples were used to examine the association between conflict frequency and relationship quality across the transition to parenthood, which is known as one of the most challenging events in the early stages of marriage. More frequent conflict during pregnancy was related to lower levels of relationship quality across the transition to parenthood, and lower levels of relationship quality during pregnancy were associated with more frequent conflict across the transition to parenthood. A comparison of two models showed that frequent conflict is more likely to be a determinant than a consequence of lower relationship quality. The results suggest a complicated but identifiable association between conflict frequency and relationship quality that may inform the development and modification of primary interventions targeting new parents.