Anxiety during the transition to parenthood: Partners' cognitive and emotional experience
Laura‐Mihaela Bogza, Tamarha PierceAbstract
Objective
This qualitative study aimed to describe mothers and fathers' cognitive and emotional responses to their coparent's anxiety during the transition to parenthood.
Background
The transition to parenthood is associated with increased anxiety in parents and heightened interdependence of partners. Yet little research has considered the repercussions of a parent's anxiety of their partner.
Method
Lazarus's (2006) theory of emotions and interpersonal relationships guided thematic analysis of semistructured interviews with four fathers and six mothers with anxious coparents.
Results
Participants reported seeing anxiety as a threat to their own and their close others' well‐being, feeling compassion and not blaming their coparent for their symptoms, yet believing they could exert control over their coping. Participants also reported that, over time, reappraising their coparent's anxiety as a surmountable challenge led to positive emotions. A sense of duty, worries, powerlessness, and overwhelm could generate negative emotions, which could compromise their well‐being and their relationship with their coparent.
Conclusion
Anxiety during the transition to parenthood should be considered a coparenting and family matter rather than an individual problem.
Implications
Family and mental health practitioners should be attentive not only to the needs of anxious new parents but also those of their partner.