Gender-role orientation in parents: a factor contributing to prenatal coparental interactions in primiparous families

ABSTRACT

The coparental relationship is central for the development of the child and the well-being of parents. In Western societies, gender-role stereotypes are strongly associated with domestic and family work. To date, few data are available to assess the links between identification with gender roles and coparenting interactions. In this study, primiparous parents (N = 50) were seen in the laboratory at the fifth month of pregnancy. Parents were asked to play with their baby at the first meeting by using a doll in accordance with the procedure of the prenatal Lausanne Trilogue Play. Parents’ identification with gender roles, marital satisfaction, and the history of the couple were assessed through self-reported questionnaires. Results showed that (a) feminine traits are most represented in mothers and feminine and androgynous traits are most represented in fathers and (b) being feminine in fathers is linked with better prenatal coparental interactions.

KEYWORDS:

• Gender roles
• prenatal interactions
• coparenting

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Nicolas Favez is a clinical psychology professor specialised in family and interpersonal relationships at the University of Geneva and is Co-Director of the research unit of the Centre d’Etude de la Famille (IUP, University of Lausanne). He worked for several years studying early father–mother–child interactions and his teaching relates to observation and assessment methodology and therapeutic work with families. He has carried out several research projects focused on the influence of the psychosocial context – especially family relationships – on child cognitive and affective development and on practitioner–parents relationships.

France Frascarolo is a psychologist (Ph.D.) and co-director of the Research Unit of the Center for Family Study in Lausanne (Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois). She is also privatdocent in Lausanne University. She wrote several articles on family triad, father–mother–infant interactions, and development of communication.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation under Grant 32-52508.97.