Maternal and paternal representations during pregnancy: A comparison

Introduction The study explored maternal and paternal narratives during pregnancy in order to define specific styles of parenting. The aim was to assess possible similarities and differences in the construction of mental representations in women and men expecting their first baby. Method 624 expectant parents were selected (312 women/ 312 men) in public and private family services which follow parents until the birth of their baby. The age range in this sample was 25-43 years for women; 27-45 years for men. Between the 28th and the 34th week two clinical semi-structured interviews, IRMAG-R (Interview for maternal representations during pregnancy-revised version) and IRPAG (Interview for paternal representations during pregnancy), were administered to both parents. Results Results seem to support the hypothesis that during the last trimester of pregnancy both women and men have already elaborated a representation of the self as a mother/father and of their baby. Therefore future mothers and fathers already show a different style distribution of parental representations and specific differences in underlying dimensions of self and baby's representations. The majority of parents manifest integrated representations of the self as a parent and of the baby. The minority of parents develop ambivalent or restricted representations of the self as a parent and of the baby. Important differences in distribution of men and woman's styles are found. Conclusions Fathers tend to develop a higher percentage of restricted representations, characterized by a strong emotional control, with psychological mechanisms of rationalization. By contrast, mothers show a prevalence of ambivalent representations characterized by conflicting behaviors with respect to their own motherhood and/or their baby.