Maternal Perceptions of Father Involvement, Co-parent Relationship Quality, Maternal Anxiety and Stress

Abstract

Using a sample of 58 expecting mothers and 75 mothers this study examined maternal perceptions of father involvement and the association between perceived paternal involvement during pregnancy and the quality of the co-parent relationship using quantitative methods. Further, this study examined whether relationship status moderates this association. Additionally, the association between prenatal father involvement and maternal stress and anxiety (both prenatally and postnatally) was assessed. All items were assessed online using self-reporting surveys. Regressions indicated that prenatal father involvement impacted co-parent relationship quality and that relationship status moderated this association. Also, regressions indicated that perceived father involvement was not associated with prenatal anxiety but was associated with postnatal stress. Findings from this study provide evidence that maternal perceptions and relationship status can impact maternal experiences with the co-parenting relationship and stress.