Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice, Vol 14(1), Mar 2025, 29-39; doi:10.1037/cfp0000262
The transition to parenthood is frequently accompanied by a drop in relationship satisfaction due to factors such as increased stress and relationship conflict. However, not all couples experience this decline, suggesting that adaptive processes help some parents navigate the transition more effectively. The present study examined partner empathy during conflict as an adaptive process that may buffer against the impact of stress on relationship satisfaction in early parenthood. Ninety-three cross-sex couples completed questionnaires, an interview, and conflict interactions in the laboratory during the third trimester of pregnancy with their first child. Questionnaires were repeated 1, 2, and 4 years postpartum. Multilevel modeling revealed that increases in stress predicted decreases in relationship satisfaction across the transition. One significant buffering effect appeared, such that men’s empathy during conflict conversations during pregnancy buffered the link between women’s stress and their own relationship satisfaction over time. These findings expand our knowledge of couple dynamics at the transition to parenthood by describing how adaptive processes support relationship health over time and support the use of acceptance-based couple interventions in early parenthood. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)