Personal growth following the first child's birth: A comparison of parents of pre- and full-term babies

This research was conducted as part of a doctoral dissertation carried out at the School of Social Work, Bar-Ilan University, by the second author, under the supervision of the first author. The study examined how the unique circumstances of the birth of a premature baby affect first-time parents' personal growth in the first two years after the birth, as well as the trajectory of growth in this period and its associations with variables related to parent-child interaction (infant temperament, parental stress, child's development), internal resources (self-esteem, attachment orientations, sense of coherence), and external resources (spouse's support). The sample consisted of 109 Israeli couples (parents of pre- or full-term babies), who completed questionnaires one month, five months, and two years after the birth of their first child. Results indicate that parents of premature babies report a higher level of personal growth than those of full-term infants, that mothers report higher personal growth than fathers, and that growth is higher two years later than one month after the birth. Significant associations were found between growth and attachment style and features of parent-child interaction. It is suggested that social workers may expand parents' knowledge and understanding of the changes they can expect to undergo, and may enhance the positive experience of growth in the transition to parenthood in general, and after the birth of a preterm infant in particular.