Gender-Role Attitudes and Behavior Across the Transition to Parenthood

摘要

On the basis of social structural theory and identity theory, the current study examined changes in gender-role attitudes and behavior across the first-time transition to parenthood and following the birthof a second child for experienced mothers and fathers. Data were analyzed from the ongoing longitudinalWisconsin Study of Families and Work. Gender-role attitudes, work and family identity salience, anddivision of household labor were measured for 205 first-time and 198 experienced mothers and fathersacross 4 time points from 5 months pregnant to 12 months postpartum. Multilevel latent growth curve analysis was used to analyze the data. In general, parents became more traditional in their gender-roleattitudes and behavior following the birth of a child, women changed more than men, and first-timeparents changed more than experienced parents. Findings suggest that changes in gender-role attitudesand behavior following the birth of a child may be attributed to both the process of transitioning toparenthood for the first time and that of negotiating the demands of having a new baby in the family.