Department of Psychology, Clark University, Worcester, MA 01610, USA.
J Fam Psychol. 2009 Dec;23(6):861-70. doi: 10.1037/a0017009.
Little research has examined change in perceived parenting skill across the transition to parenthood or predictors of change in perceived skill. The current study used an ecological framework to examine predictors of self-perceived parenting skill among 47 lesbian, 31 gay, and 56 heterosexual couples who were adopting their first child. Findings revealed that, on average, all new parents perceived themselves as becoming more skilled, although gay men increased the most and lesbians the least. Participants who were female, reported fewer depressive symptoms, expected to do more child care, and reported higher job autonomy viewed themselves as more skilled pre-adoption. With regard to change, parents who reported more relational conflict and parents who expected to do more child care experienced lesser increases in perceived skill. These findings suggest that regardless of gender, sexual orientation, and route to parenthood, new parents experience similar, positive changes in perceived skill, thereby broadening our understanding of parenting skill in diverse groups. The findings also highlight the importance of examining how gender, sexual orientation, and the family context may shape perceived skill across the transition to parenthood.
鲜有研究调查了从为人父母到为人父母的转变过程中感知育儿技能的变化，以及感知技能变化的预测因素。本研究采用生态框架，调查了 47 名女同性恋、31 名男同性恋和 56 名异性恋夫妇在收养第一个孩子过程中自我感知育儿技能的预测因素。研究结果显示，平均而言，所有新父母都认为自己变得更有技能，尽管男同性恋者的增长幅度最大，而女同性恋者的增长幅度最小。在收养前，女性参与者、报告抑郁症状较少、预计会做更多育儿工作、报告工作自主权较高的参与者，认为自己更有技能。就变化而言，报告更多关系冲突的父母和预计要做更多育儿工作的父母，其感知技能的增长幅度较小。这些发现表明，无论性别、性取向和育儿途径如何，新父母在感知技能方面都经历了相似的积极变化，从而拓宽了我们对不同群体育儿技能的理解。这些发现还强调了研究性别、性取向和家庭环境如何在为人父母的过渡过程中塑造感知技能的重要性。
