Stability and change in parenting beliefs in first-time mothers from the pre- to postnatal period

A total of 103 prospective first-time mothers completed measures of parenting beliefs, depressive symptomatology, personality, social support and attachment style at 20 weeks prepartum (T1), and were asked to complete various measures again at 6 months postnatally (T2). There were significant changes in parenting beliefs in an adaptive direction, with mean scores for 'nurturance' and 'knowledge of social learning theory' increasing, and scores for 'restrictiveness', 'authoritarianism', 'punitiveness' and 'role reversal' decreasing. Scores on each belief measure at T2 were predicted by the corresponding score at T1, with other measures at T1 explaining further variance for particular beliefs at T2. The implications of these findings for those supporting first-time mothers and directions for future research are discussed.