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Couple Adaptation to the Birth of a Child: The Roles of Attachment and Perfectionism
Author(s) -
Gingras AnneSophie,
Lessard Isabelle,
Mallette Frédéric,
Brassard Audrey,
BernierJarry Audrey,
Gosselin Patrick,
Pierrepont Catherine
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of marital and family therapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.868
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1752-0606
pISSN - 0194-472X
DOI - 10.1111/jmft.12453
Subject(s) - perfectionism (psychology) , psychology , alliance , attachment theory , anxiety , psychological intervention , developmental psychology , adaptation (eye) , clinical psychology , psychiatry , neuroscience , political science , law
This study aims to examine two explanatory factors of relationship satisfaction and parental alliance among both parents of a new child, namely romantic attachment and perfectionism. A sample of 80 couples completed individual online questionnaires. Path analyses based on the Actor‐Partner Interdependence Model were carried out to explore the actor and partner effects of each explanatory variable (attachment, perfectionism) on both partners’ postnatal relationship satisfaction and parental alliance. Results revealed that attachment avoidance is negatively related to each partner’s own relationship satisfaction and parental alliance, whereas attachment anxiety is related to their own lower parental alliance. Maladaptive perfectionism is negatively related to each partner’s own relationship satisfaction, whereas adaptive perfectionism is positively related to each partner’s own relationship satisfaction. These results extend the understanding of the factors contributing to parental and couple adaptation in the postnatal period. They highlight the role of attachment and perfectionism for improving postnatal professionals’ interventions.