Spousal Relationship (E) Quality and Adjustment to Motherhood in Israel

Abstract

Contemporary families experience the paradox of traditionalism/postmodernism especially in the postnatal period which presents many challenges to couples subsystem. One of them is the change in roles, which often leads to decreased relationships’ equality. This article tests the impact of change in perceived spousal equality after giving birth on relationships’ quality and the implications of the latter for mothers’ psychological adjustment. Participants included 349 Israeli pregnant women who completed self-reported questionnaires at the third trimester of pregnancy (T1) and 5 months postnatal (T2). The questionnaires dealt with perceived spousal equality, relationship’s quality and psychological adjustment (i.e., postpartum depression, negative and positive affect and life satisfaction). Results demonstrated that decrease in perceived equality from T1 to T2 reduced the levels of relationship’s quality, which in turn resulted in a decrease in mothers’ psychological adjustment, 5 months after giving birth. The centrality of spousal relationship for mothers’ psychological adjustment is discussed.